Yadier Molina: From Player to Manager, Leading Team Puerto Rico to Victory in World Baseball Classic
Yadier Molina, the former St. Louis Cardinals player who recently retired after 19 seasons, is now managing Team Puerto Rico in preparation for the World Baseball Classic. Despite having the option to spend his spring on the beaches of Puerto Rico, Molina felt the opportunity to lead his team in a non-player role was too important to pass up. He even cut his first offseason short as a retired player to manage a professional winter ball squad in Venezuela. Molina's team will play its first game in the tournament on Saturday against Nicaragua. Despite now being in a position of authority, Molina is still joining in on the fun and traditions of his team, such as dying his hair blond with the rest of his players. Molina is hoping for a deep run in the tournament and is looking forward to the joy that it brings to players from all countries. Molina played in all four previous WBCs and enjoyed every one of them. Although Molina knows that the Dominican Republic is a tough team, he beli