Yadier Molina Makes Bold Statement About His MLB Legacy and Talks Hall of Fame Chances

It's well-documented that St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is one of the most self-assured players in baseball, but his latest comments on the legacy he hopes to leave behind once he retires are as bold as can be.

When ESPN reporter Marly Rivera asked Molina how he wanted fans to remember him, he uttered, "As the best catcher to ever play baseball."

Slow down there, Yadi. Only a few folks out there have ever denied your greatness, but this assessment is straight up ridiculous.

Next came the nine-time All-Star's take on his Hall of Fame chances. While most of the quote is easy to stomach, he finished his response off with another impulsive assertion.

"All I've done is work hard to get better and better every single year to become the best catcher I can be," said Molina, to Rivera. "And my numbers are obviously there. I think that, because of the way I catch, that I'm one of the best catchers to have ever played baseball."

There's a difference between one of the best catchers of your generation, and one of the best catchers to ever play. With guys like Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Piazza, Roy Campanella and Carlton Fisk (we could continue) ahead of Molina, most would argue that the two-time World Series champ doesn't belong inside the top 10.

Molina's confidence is commendable, but it's led him down a path that will see him catch a wave of criticism, and rightfully so. He can't go around disrespecting baseball's greats like this.