By The Star Staff
Yadier Molina has decided not to continue at the helm of the champion Caguas Criollos ahead of the 2024-25 season of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC.
The decision was made after multiple conversations with Criollos President Raúl Rodríguez Font and General Manager Jesús “Motorita” Feliciano, according to reports earlier this week.
“Yadier Molina has made the decision to take a well-deserved rest,” Feliciano said in a written statement. “As soon as he finished his career as a Major League baseball player he went to manage Venezuela, then he was in the World Baseball Classic and the Criollos de Caguas. His desire is to share more time with his family and it is something that we respect as the human beings that we are.”
With Molina as leader, the Criollos regained the throne of winter baseball and won the franchise’s 21st league title. It was the 10-time MLB All-Star catcher and nine-time Gold Glove winner’s first stint as a manager in the LBPRC.
“We know that Yadier Molina has a great future in baseball and he is going to achieve what he wants,” Feliciano added. “We wanted him to return after having won the championship, but these are things that you have to give him the space to deal with. On our part and the Caguas Criollos, we are very proud that he wanted to be part of our organization for the second time, since he also achieved a championship as a player.”
The general manager said the organization’s doors will remain open to Molina.
“We are sure that in the future, when he makes the decision to want to be in our league again, he will always have open doors with the Criollos,” he said.
Molina expressed gratitude to the Criollos, the administration and the fans for the support they provided while he led the team in the 2023-24 season.
“I want to thank Caguas for the opportunity and trust,” the two-time World Series champion said. “It was a great year, which ended with the 21st championship. I decided to take a year off and not manage.”
“I thank the president of the Criollos, Raúl Rodríguez, and the general manager, Jesús ‘Motorita’ Feliciano, for the trust and respect they gave me,” the career St. Louis Cardinal added. “Thanks to my coaches, my players for all the sacrifice and dedication day after day. Thanks to the fans who, in good times and not so good times, were always there giving support. Thanks to all the staff working inside the clubhouse and outside on the field.”
Feliciano announced that in the coming weeks, the Criollos will work on the candidate evaluation process to form the new coaching staff for the 2024-25 season.