Baseball - like all sports - has its fair share of famous signature moves. Consider the Derek Jeter across-the-body jump throw or the Randy Johnson "Big Unit" pitching stare down, or the Pete Rose death-be-damned head first slide. These players may be known for their solid career, their stats, their achievements as players, but they were simultaneously remembered for their very unique and often repeated personalized play.
Yadier Molina, a long-term catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, is quickly developing a signature move that is sure to push him into forever baseball folklore status - the ridiculous pick-off.
April 28, 2017 - Yadi ridiculously picks-off Suarez
With two outs in the sixth and the Cardinals hanging onto a 3-1 lead against the Cincinnati Reds, Devon Mesoraco is walked by St. Louis pitcher Lance Lynn, loading the bases and pushing Eugenio Suarez to third base. Carefully but casually watching Suarez, Molina notices that Reds player is none too quick to latch onto third base, so he makes contact with Jedd Gyorko, Cardinals third baseman, who sneaks behind Suarez and catches Molina's clean pick-off toss. Everyone - fans included - is surprised, except for Molina.
March 21st, 2017 - another ridiculous pick-off
During the World Baseball Classic, Molina (starting catcher for Puerto Rico) watched Jurickson Profar of the Netherlands trot to first on first inning outfield blooper.
Failing to consider Molina's quick thinking ability, Profar spends what Molina must have thought was too much time fancy-dancing down the first base line. As soon as the ball is fielded back to Molina (keeping the third baserunner from scoring), he fires it down the first base line where Profar showboats just long enough for Molina to pick him off.
Molina is no stranger to pick-offs. Most good-to-great catchers have their fair share of them throughout any given season in any given year. But these pick-offs are beyond the ordinary and usual. These pick-offs include an extreme element of surprise for not only the base runner, but the infielder on the receiving end of the throw, the remainder of the defensive squad, the umpires, and in general, every person in the stadium.
They are ridiculous, and Molina knows it as evidenced by his walk off the field leaps, which add even more to his signature move. No doubt his adversaries will be watching and waiting for his next ridiculous signature pick-off move, which will make any success that he has with it that much more . . . ridiculous.
