Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting the St. Louis Cardinals and C Yadier Molina may be very near to a much-anticipated contract extension:

Movement on Molina is significant enough that source familiar w/situation believes agreement could be reached w/in a week.

— Joe Strauss (@JoeStrauss) February 24, 2012

The Cardinals drafted Molina in 2000, and he has played his entire career with the Cards. In 2011, his age 28 season, Molina hit a career-best .305/.349/.465 with 14 homers. Widely considered one of the league's top defensive catchers, Molina threw out only 29% of attempted base stealers, but has a career caught-stealing rate of 44% and has three times led the league in that category.

The St. Louis Cardinals exercised their $7 million option on Molina's contract this winter, but Molina becomes a free agent after the 2012 season.

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