Molina's dazzling throw merits special attention

Yadier Molina has been a defensive rock in his three-plus seasons as the Cardinals catcher. But even with his high standards, a throw he made Sunday in a 5-3 win over Chicago was worth looking at over and over.

With one out in the fifth, Ryan Theriot broke for second with Kosuke Fukudome at the plate. Molina slipped and fell face-first as he made the throw, which one-hopped shortstop Cesar Izturis. Still, the ball arrived in time for Izturis to apply a tag to the upper half of the sliding Theriot's body for the second out of the inning.

Fans went nuts, giving Molina a standing ovation. But it's hard to give a curtain call when you're standing behind home plate.

"I don't know what they wanted me to do," Molina said. "I just wanted to get the out."

Manager Tony La Russa called it one of the best defensive plays he's ever seen.

"How about that play?" TLR said. "That guy is ... (Chicago) made the right play. They had the right runner. With any other catcher, he's safe. It's beyond beyond.

"That's a keeper. That one will go down in the history of 100 years of Cardinal baseball. Not many catchers have made a better play than that."

It was easy to tell the compliment from his manager meant something to Molina.

"That's kind of neat to know that," Molina said. "Coming from Tony, if he's saying that, it makes me feel good."

The play reminded me of Tony Pena, who made similar throws from a squatting position in his career with Pittsburgh and the Cardinals, among other teams.

"He did," Molina said. "I wasn't trying to be like him, but that momentum took me there."

It's off to Colorado for the Cardinals (20-12), who show no signs of slowing down.