Molina is catching on

ST. LOUIS -- During Yadier Molina's excruciating 1-for-31 start at the plate as the St. Louis Cardinals' new starting catcher, manager Tony La Russa never wavered in his confidence that good times lay ahead.

The foundation of skills for the youngest of three major league catching brothers was evident when he backed up Mike Matheny last year, convincing La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty to allow Matheny to leave as a free agent. At this stage of their careers, his arm is stronger than Matheny's, he's fearless on plays at the plate and his handling skills are developing fast.

Already, he's thrown out seven of 13 basestealers and his snap throws serve to keep the rest off-guard. And now the team's eighth-place hitter is adding pop to the bottom of the lineup.

"I said at the beginning he can go 0-for-the-season and he's our catcher because he's doing everything to stop the other team from scoring," La Russa said. "He's a proud guy, and he wants to win, and he's got his average climbing now."

It's climbing fast after his first career four-hit and four-RBI game Wednesday against the Pirates, coming on the heels of the game-winning 12th-inning single on Tuesday. Since the 1-for-31 beginning, he's batted .320 to raise his average to .252 entering a three-game series with the Nationals that starts Friday.

"His confidence is really starting to show," outfielder Reggie Sanders said. "As a young player, you go through your ups and downs, and for him to continue to go up in big situations and get hits for us, throw guys out, I definitely see what Walt Jocketty and Tony La Russa saw in him."

Molina has had a more upright stance in recent games, developed from sessions with batting coach Hal McRae and informal work with Albert Pujols.

"I think he and Hal have a good thing going, and I know Albert takes him in the cage and gives him pointers," La Russa said. "He's getting a lot of quality advice."

Molina could do worse than to learn from Pujols, who among other things has taught him patience and to trust his hands. On Wednesday, Molina doubled to the gap in left center, singled up the middle and doubled to right, pulling the ball only on a two-run single to left in the seventh.

Pitcher Mark Mulder, who won his seventh straight decision Wednesday, had an up-close view of Molina's new plate prowess from the on-deck circle.

"He struggled at the beginning of the year and now it seems like he's real comfortable in the box," Mulder said. "You see his swings and they're real effortless.

"He's not trying to do too much, he's going with the pitches, and it's fun to see that."

Noteworthy

* La Russa, who passed Whitey Herzog for second place on the franchise victory list earlier this week, drew high praise from Sanders, who said "he's probably the best manager I've been associated with." That means a lot coming from Sanders, who is in his second season with the Cardinals but before that had played for seven teams in seven years. "He's very thorough, dots his I's and crosses his T's in every situation," Sanders said.

* The Cardinals' 30-16 start is the franchise's best since 1944, when that team also began with that record.