St. Louis Cardinals fans were treated to a surprise earlier this summer when famous catcher Yadier Molina returned to the dugout as manager Oliver Marmol’s guest coach in a series against the Chicago Cubs. He is now scheduled to return to the team for a second stint this season.
The Cardinals confirmed Wednesday evening that Molina will join them again this weekend, this time for all three games against the San Francisco Giants.
Yadier Molina is expected to guest coach for the Cardinals again this weekend.
Given how horrible things have been for the Cardinals lately, Molina’s return to the dugout is a fascinating twist in what has otherwise been a forgettable run of baseball for the team. His presence will undoubtedly spark further discussion regarding Marmol’s future, but it’s encouraging to see him continue to encourage Molina to join him by his side whenever Molina is available.
We all know Molina wants to be a manager someday, and no matter how long he is looking for work, Cardinals fans will always regard him as their next manager. Albert Pujols has also stated that he wants to manage as soon as possible.
Molina’s weekend visit to the Cardinals comes at an ideal time, given the recent arrival of catching prospect Jimmy Crooks III. Crooks will have the opportunity to work directly with the Cardinals’ legend on his preparation and behind the plate, and Molina hopes to pass on his knowledge to the Cardinals’ potential future catcher.
For a Cardinals organization that takes pride in having Hall of Famers in uniform and significant individuals in their past passing down their knowledge to the next generation, having Molina in the dugout represents a great chance for this young club to continue to evolve as a unit. Some of their runway boys, such as Jordan Walker, have recently had their preparations called into question by Marmol, and if anyone can show those guys how to work and prepare, it is Molina.
