Yadier Molina makes his 2000th start at catcher - A Hunt and Peck

It is pretty much old news by now that Yadier Molina reached a historic milestone on Wednesday afternoon. When the Cardinals backstop led his team onto the field it marked the 2000th time in his career he began a game behind the plate for the Cardinals. He is the only catcher to have made that many starts for one team. That is a little over 12 full seasons of starts, a little under 5.5 years of starts, all while wearing the Birds on the Bat.

The more I think about it the more incredible it is. It kind of takes my breath away, honestly. Just the combination of factors that have to go right for a player to achieve something like that, particularly a catcher is difficult to amass. I am not sure if it is a feat we will see repeated soon. With that context, it makes me want to cherish every moment.

For the 277th time Yadier Molina took the field with pitcher and longtime friend Adam Wainwright. Wainwright has started 329 games total for the Cardinals. That is over 84% of his starts with the same catcher. There is a reason I have a three part series dedicated to their friendship over the years. I said find you someone that looks at you the way Waino looks at Yadi and I stand by that.

Honestly, and this is not an exaggeration, but Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright’s friendship is probably one of the most consistent and healthy — not to mention one of the longest — role models for relationships I have had in my life. Who knows how much “Wolina”*** time we have left. The sands of the hourglass continue to fall. What Yadier Molina has accomplished is something special. What he and Wainwright have been through together is something special. I plan to appreciate the time there is left.

*** nope.... I was trying something, but it does not work.

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