Addendum: Please note that the year and photo-matching details have been updated.
Yadier Molina has been the best defensive catcher in baseball for well over a decade. His streak of eight straight Gold Gloves finally came to an end in 2016, but as any current player or coach will tell you, Yadi still reigns behind the dish. Calling games and throwing out baserunners from his knees may be his specialties, but the guy can flat out hit, too. You don't make the N.L. All-Star team nine times in the last ten years without putting up impressive offensive numbers. A St. Louis Cardinal through and through, the .284 career hitter who regularly catches 120-140 games per season has batted over .300 five times and finished 4th or better in MVP voting twice. A catcher's mitt is as sacred to him as a toddler's teddy bear, so when one of Yadi's happens to pop up for auction it is a rare opportunity you don't want to miss. Presented here is Molina's game-used mitt dating to the 2015-16 seasons. Yadi finished off his incredible run of eight straight Gold Glove Awards in 2015, helping the Cards win 100 games and make the playoffs. And in 2016 he had one of his finest offensive seasons, batting .307 with a career-high 164 hits.
The Rawlings professional model Pro-YM4 catcher's mitt is absolutely pounded. Substantial wear can be seen in the pocket, face of the web and throughout the body of the glove. Dirt from the batters box is embedded in the ballistic mesh finger sleeves and the lacing in the web is stretched from use. Infield dirt can also be seen in the pocket. The glove is constructed of Rawlings top grade black tanned "Heart of the Hide" steerhide bound with black tanned laces and nylon stitching. The back of the finger and thumb sleeves are covered with ballistic mesh fabric. Embroidered on the back of the thumb in gold is "Pai #4". Attached to the edge of the heel is a custom velcro fastened padded wrist protector. Attached to the palm is a bright green palm pad. Manufacturer's tagging features a Rawlings Gold Glove label and "R" logo plus a "The Gold Glove Co." strip tag on the back of the ring finger sleeve. Molina has signed the glove with the notation "Game Used" in shiny 9/10 silver felt tip pen.
Game images throughout the 2015 season show Molina using this same style glove, and while we were unable to make a conclusive photo-match to that year, we are confident this glove is an exact match to at least two games from 2016 (Getty 604265954 and 608604320) based on the dirt mark locations, leather laces and green-toned Rawlings label (most likely stained from his green palm pad). The well-worn wrist protector and green palm pads present indicate that he likely used this whole set together before moving on to another "Teddy Bear."
Includes LOA from notable glove experts David Esken and John Taube of PSA/DNA. And to top it off, it has a Molina signed LOA, making this easily one of, if not, the finest Molina gamer ever offered. Includes Beckett LOA (A52319) for the autograph.