A pitcher in his fourth year against the No 1 legendary catcher? There’s a lot of noise even in the countryside.
This year is his 18th year in Major League Baseball (MLB), and he is an all-time number one in defense. It is a tribute to Yardier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals). Here’s St. Louis One Club Man.
However, there is a player who confronted Molina. He is even a junior in the team.
St. Louis won 7-6 after a bloody battle in the 11th inning of extra time against the New York Mets on the 15th (Korea Standard Time). It was a valuable victory for St. Louis, who is competing for the National League wild card.
However, something unsavory happened to St. Louis during the game. A fierce argument occurred in the dugout. The main characters were Molina and Daniel Fonce de Leon, a bullpen in his fourth year in the big leagues.
Fonce de Leon took the mound as the second pitcher to succeed starter Jake Woodford in the fifth inning when he faced 2-2. However, after one out, he gave up three consecutive walks, including wild pitches, starting with ninth batter Marcus Stroman, Jonathan Villa, and Francisco Lindor. Coach Mike Silt replaced the pitcher with Cody Whitley when the bases were loaded with one out, but gave up the lead with Michael Kompoto’s sacrifice fly.
However, Molina and Fonce de Leon were seen arguing ahead of the St. Louis attack in the top of the fifth inning. The voices of the two players grew louder, and eventually, coach Silt and the players had to step in between and separate the two. They became more emotional and raised their voices toward each other even though they were pushed out.
Molina is a player who shows off his perfect defense from catcher’s basic catch and framing to blocking and stealing base jersey, but what made Molina a special player is an excellent pitcher lead added to this. Some even say, “When judging the skills of St. Louis pitchers, you should see when the catcher is not Molina.”
Unlike ordinary catchers, he is also famous for actively expressing his opinions to pitchers. Fonce de Leon’s pitch on this day must have been liked by Molina. It is sufficiently predictable that he, who even became a senior, would have said a word. On top of that, Leon seems to be furious.
Leon is a player with 57 big league career (start 22), 14773 innings, 3 wins, 8 losses, and 3 saves. Every off-season, from the winning group to the starting candidates are mentioned, but the “old man” who is set to turn 30 without repaying expectations. This season, he is also sluggish with 24 games (start 2) with 1 win, 1 loss and a 6.21 ERA. 안전공원
It is interesting that Leon had a fierce fight with the world’s Molina. Although it is said that the culture of senior or older is less than that of Korea, the difference in treatment according to the presence of players is a bigger stage. Moreover, it goes without saying that the player is Molina of St. Louis, who has added “respect.”
The two players fought emotionally in front of the camera and fans, not in the locker room. There is no good news for St. Louis, who is in a wild card war.
Derek Gould, a reporter for St. Louis Post Dispatch, sarcastically said, “Raccoons must have appeared in the (St. Louis) dugout compared to the explanation during the fight between Francisco Lindor and Michael Conphoto in May.” Katie Wu, a reporter for The Athletic, said, “I don’t think we were favorable to each other.”
