Molina sees business side after Pujols leaves

Now that Albert Pujols has gone to the Los Angeles Angels, catcher Yadier Molina is the longest tenured position player on the Cardinals. With his contract up at the end of the season, Molina could move on, too.

Molina said he loved St. Louis but the Pujols offseason departure showed him a different side of baseball.

"We've been through a lot of the same things together," said Molina, an early reportee at Cardinals camp in Jupiter, Fla. "When you see a guy like Albert leave the club, you have to know this is business.

"Albert had to make a decision. He made the decision that was good for him and his family. I wish him the best. I'm going to miss him. But it's part of business."

The club picked up the $7 million option on the 2012 contract for the 29-year-old Molina, a four-time Gold Glover, and general manager John Mozeliak said he hoped he would be able to work out an extension.

"I'm open to staying here," said Molina. "I love the city. I love the fans. I love the ballpark. But it's out of my hands. Whatever they like to do is how it is. They let Albert go."

Though Molina, who led the world champions in batting average at .305 in 2011, would prefer the matter be resolved before opening day, he won't cut off the possibility of negotiations during the season.

Molina said: "I would like to concentrate and keep my focus on what's happening in the game rather than worry about a contract and what they're talking about. It makes it tougher. But I'm not going to say we couldn't listen to something once the season started. Until something is close, that's between the team and my agent (Melvin Roman). When something is close, he'll call me."

When Molina didn't show up for the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up in St. Louis or the baseball writers' dinner or the trip to the White House, some perceived it as his being angry that good friend Pujols had not been re-signed by the Cardinals. Molina said he was doing charity work in his native Puerto Rico.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it the last two years, but I had something I had to do back home," Molina said. "It doesn't mean I won't come next year or hopefully the next five or six years."

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