Cardinals fans desperate for Yadier Molina as new manager: "We need to offer him an NBA type max contract"

When star catcher Yadier Molina announced last year that he'd be retiring from baseball at the end of the 2022 season, St. Louis Cardinals fans knew that they'd be losing a true star.

Since joining the Cardinals in 2004, the Puerto Rican catcher posted a career slashline of .277/.327/.399 to compliment his 176 home runs and 1,022 RBIs over his 19-year career.

In a recent appearance on baseball talk show Foul Territory, Molina's former teammate A.J. Pierzynski recalled how he had never seen a player exemplify better leadership qualities than Yadier Molina. Pierzynski, who played on the Cards for part of the 2014 season, claimed that then-manager Mike Matheny would take into account Yadi's opinion when it came to game strategy.

"I've never seen one player run an organization the way Yadi did."

@aj_pierzynskiFT explains just how much of an impact Yadier Molina had in St. Louis.

#FTLive ▶ youtube.com/watch?v=tsM6L2… https://t.co/Cc3VhsWNdt

"'I've never seen one player run an organization the way Yadi did.' @aj_pierzynskiFT explains just how much of an impact Yadier Molina had in St. Louis."

Fans took Pierzynski's claims as a veiled endorsement of calling back the now-40 year old Yadier Molina to manage the team. Admittedly, the St. Louis Cardinals' current situation makes any change appear attractive.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT I need him as my manager as of yesterday @Cardinals

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT Yadi would be an epic manager if the front office would listen to him.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT The amount of home runs given up with 2 strikes shows how much of an impact losing Yadi has made on this team.

Molina proved his managerial capabilities in the recent World Baseball Classic, when he took on the role of Team Puerto Rico's head coach. Although his team's tournament ended in a heartbreaking quarterfinal loss against Mexico, his prowess was duly noted by fans.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT I bet about 25 big league managers would be in trouble if Molina wanted to manage their team!

There honestly should be zero hesitation out of the cards - the second Yadi makes himself available we need to offer him an NBA type max contract as manager twitter.com/foulterritoryt…

After his retirement, Yaider Molina's name immediately came up as a potential successor to current manager Oliver Marmol. At 36, Marmol is the youngest active manager in the MLB.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT Last season Marmol had the elite support of what guys like Yadi and Albert were doing *off* the field. Now Marmol sees (whether he'll admit it or not), that he is incapable of high level success without their expert behind the scenes support.
Ego is a bitch like that.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT People used to complain about Yadi running the team and now are begging Yadi to come back and run the team. There’s no doubt in my mind that his absence is the reason the pitching stinks. It will be interesting to see how Waino does without him.

After opening up the 2023 season with a 10-23 record, the Cards now find themselves 10 games behind the divisional leading Pittsburgh Pirates, and last place in the NL Central.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT Makes sense. They are hot garbage without him.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT It explains why things are such a mess right now in St. Louis. Oli is way over his skies right now.

@FoulTerritoryTV @aj_pierzynskiFT Bring in Yadi as manager and fire Oli ASAP #STLCardenales #STLCards

Yadier "Yadi" Molina was first noticed by MLB scouts when he was a high school player in Puerto Rico. His father worked tirelessly with him, and his brothers Benji and Jose, to ensure that they became the best players that they could be.

Jose won a World Series with the Los Angeles Angels in 2002 and again with the New York Yankees in 2009 before hanging up his glove in 2014.

Yadier Molina will always be near and dear to St. Louis Cardinals fans

When he retired, Yadi led the all-time leaderboard of putouts by a catcher, and occupied the second spot on the all-time list of defensive runs saves.

Although Yadier Molina's accolades are plentiful, his devotion to fans and apparent love of St. Louis makes it likely that he will be called upon by Cardinals fans in times of crisis for years to come. Whether or not he decides to insert himself into a managerial role with the only MLB team that he has ever known remains to be seen.