Cards honor Waino, Yadi with ‘Chase to 325’ documentary
As a lot as Cardinals cornerstones Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina had been celebrated for setting the AL/NL file for his or her 325 begins as a battery, it’s their shared journey that’s worthy of probably the most reward and admiration.
From the accidents that almost derailed their prolonged careers to the blossoming of their teamwork in the course of the 2006 run to a World Series title to their transient dalliances with free company earlier than finally returning to St. Louis, and their unbreakable bond en path to baseball immortality, Wainwright and Molina’s journey towards turning into probably the most sturdy battery in AL/NL historical past is as spectacular because the vacation spot itself.
In a three way partnership between Cardinals Insider and Cardinals Magazine, the membership launched a 41-minute, documentary-style video recap on Cardinals.com on Friday titled “Chase to 325” that particulars the trail traveled by the 42-year-old pitcher and the 40-year-old catcher on their solution to baseball historical past.
It was in a begin at Busch Stadium in opposition to the rival Brewers on Sept. 14, 2022, that Molina and Wainwright handed Tigers greats Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan to eclipse a batterymates mark that had stood for 47 years. Along the way in which, Wainwright and Molina handed 5 Hall of Fame duos.
“It would be great to be known as ‘The Battery,’” Wainwright says within the documentary. “Not one of the greatest batteries, but ‘The Battery.’ Like you hear in commercials. … ‘Just like Wainwright and Molina, Molina and Wainwright, or whatever.’ If they wanted to do that forever, I’d be all right with that. That’d be really cool.”
Because of the quite a few elements that go into setting such a file — good well being, loyalty between gamers and organizations, profession longevity and mixed success — it’s a widespread assumption in baseball circles that no battery will ever surpass the 328 begins (or 213 wins) reached by the duo. Molina began at the least 120 video games 12 occasions in his 19-year profession, whereas Wainwright has made at the least 30 begins 10 occasions in his 17-year profession.
“Let’s take a moment and take this in,” supervisor Oliver Marmol is proven telling the group earlier than a champagne toast within the clubhouse. “This is a record that won’t be touched again.”
Wainwright will pitch in 2023, however to not Molina, who retired after the 2022 season. Wainwright has mentioned this season will likely be his final.
Remarks Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak within the documentary: “When you think about storybook endings with two guys who have meant so much to each other, made each other better and stayed in one set of uniforms — meaning the birds on the bat and the St. Louis Cardinals — I think it’s remarkable.”
