(Updated May 10, 2018)
Yadier Molina became the second Cardinals catcher to hit 20 home runs in the regular season.
In 2012, Molina hit 22 home runs, all as a catcher.
The only other Cardinals catcher to hit 20 home runs in the regular season was Ted Simmons. He did it twice. Simmons hit 21 home runs, all as a catcher, in 1977. Two years later, Simmons hit a career-high 26 home runs, all as a catcher, despite being sidelined for four weeks because of a wrist fracture.
Simmons had three other seasons with 20 or more home runs for the Cardinals, but some were hit while playing positions other than catcher. He had 20 home runs (17 as a catcher, three as a first baseman) in 1974; 22 home runs (18 as a catcher, four as a left fielder) in 1978; and 21 home runs (19 as a catcher, one as a left fielder and one as a pinch-hitter) in 1980.
Joe Torre caught more games than Simmons for the 1970 Cardinals and hit 21 home runs that season, but 11 were as a catcher and 10 were as a third baseman.
Molina hit his first big-league home run on Sept. 23, 2004, at Milwaukee. In the eighth inning, with two outs and none on, Molina broke a 2-2 tie with a home run against Matt Wise, sparking the Cardinals to a 4-2 victory, their 100th of the season. It was the first time St. Louis achieved 100 wins in a season in 19 years. Boxscore
“A 100th win is a magic number,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said to the Associated Press. “It has significant meaning for a team. It’s a mark of excellence. You have to be really good to get that number. Ninety-nine was a great number. One-hundred has a different feel.”
On Aug. 16, 2007, again at Milwaukee, Molina hit two home runs in a game for the first time _ a solo shot in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth, both off Brewers starter David Bush, in an 8-0 Cardinals victory. Boxscore
One of Molina’s most dramatic regular-season home runs was his first big-league grand slam. It came off Reds reliever Nick Masset in the ninth inning on Opening Day, April 5, 2010, at Cincinnati, capping an 11-6 Cardinals victory. Boxscore
Molina became the third Cardinal to hit an Opening Day grand slam. The others were Mark McGwire and Scott Rolen. Molina credited teammate Albert Pujols with providing a tip about Masset. “He told me to look for the ball up,” Molina told the Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun. “I was looking up, and he gave me that pitch … Everything was just right.”
Previously: Ted Simmons, Yadier Molina: Cards catchers with pop
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