Joey Votto provokes Reds fans with praise of Cardinals Hall of Famer Yadier Molina

The St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame induction ceremony served as a pseudo-eyewash station for fans on Sept 12, as Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and John Sherdel, the grandson of Bill Sherdel, each delivered a tearjerking speech in the pregame celebration of the three former Cardinals' careers. Not only were Cardinals fans around the world likely tuned in to the event, but even fierce foes peeked at their screens to watch the well-earned enshrinement of two opponents against whom they have lasting memories.

Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto mentioned his admiration of Pujols, deeming him the most iconic player he had ever competed against.

That alone might have led some Reds fans to murmur unhappily, as Pujols knocked Cincinnati around throughout his career to the tune of a .333 average and a 1.023 OPS, but those who scrolled down to see Votto's preceding post may have spun into a white-hot rage.

Molina, who, in the video, beckoned for one of the Cardinals staff members to provide him with the eye black that the superstar catcher had brandished over his 19 years behind the plate, had been reviled in Cincinnati throughout his career after his role in the infamous melee that took place between the Cardinals and Reds in 2010. From that fateful August day until he hung up his cleats in 2022, Molina would receive universal boos and jeers at Great American Ball Park.

Fans at Busch Stadium had their say too, of course, as Cardinals fans rained down the taunts to Brandon Phillips whenever he dug into the box in St. Louis. Reds fans may want Votto, a member of that 2010 squad, to condemn Molina like so many others in the Queen City have, but Votto seems to be perfectly content in not taking a stance and in providing Molina the respect that St. Louis knows he deserves.

Major League Baseball owes Molina the recognition that Votto and so many others provided him

Votto's praise of Molina is admirable on its own, but Molina's teammates are the ones who truly know the value he provided the Cardinals. Pitchers throughout the years have fawned over Molina's ability to call games and handle pitching staffs, and even the defensive stats that are quantifiable paint Molina as a superior defensive catcher with a cannon for an arm — he owns a caught-stealing rate of just over 40%.

Despite the objections from some observers to Molina's potential induction into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. nobody who has played the game at a high level seems to have anything negative to say about Molina, and that includes opposing players. Former catcher Jonathan Lucroy believes Molina is one of the three greatest catchers of all time and that the respect among players for Molina's brilliance behind the plate was akin to that of Derek Jeter's abilities at shortstop.

It should be a matter of when, not if, Molina lands in Cooperstown. And for the Reds fans who think his greatness was overhyped, remember what a budding Cardinals stud once said:

"You don't boo nobodies."

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow