Let me state this up front: I have an unabashed love for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. On the field, Molina is probably the best defensive catcher of his generation and one of the hardest strikeouts in the game. His physical skills are matched pound for pound by his intensity to win and his loyalty to those lucky enough to be his friend. In the Cardinals clubhouse, Yadi is that dog who will stand up to an opponent of any size to protect and defend those he loves.

He had that opportunity once more on Tuesday night, and Yadi did not disappoint.

I won’t get into the cowardly words of Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips on Monday that ignited this entire feud. I think anyone who calls themselves a man can see that Phillips, by calling the members of the Cardinals “bitches,” actually called himself onto the carpet to perform like a man – something he certainly did not do. Phillips failed utterly in both contests of the series, demonstrating once more that it’s always the loudmouths who have little to back up their bravado speech. Real men know this from experience.

On Tuesday manhood was defended, not by words to the press or even by violence, but by Yadier Molina in the bottom of the first inning. When Phillips approached Yadi to have his at bat leading off the inning, he tapped Molina in a traditionally friendly gesture between catcher and hitter. A real man knows that, after what Phillips had said about the Cardinals, such a gesture is hollow and phony. Frankly, it’s a bitch move that no real man would ever accept.

And Yadi didn’t accept it. You see, Phillips had, with his remarks, insulted Yadi, his teammates, and the entire Cardinals organization that Yadi intensely loves. A real man doesn’t say words like that about someone and then pretend like everything’s okay to their face. If Phillips really “hated” the Cardinals, then, as a real man, he should’ve just walked up to bat silently and did his thing (which is, to say, probably strike out). But greeting Yadi like a friend after what he said was a punk move that deserved to be confronted.

When Yadi stood up and mouthed off to Phillips, he wasn’t doing that to grandstand or settle a personal dispute. He was standing up like a man on behalf of his teammates and his friends. No man ever wants to fight, but there are times when a man needs to fight. Such a time comes when the honor and integrity of your friends and loved ones have been insulted by someone who needs to be taught a lesson.

Yadi realized in that moment that there were larger and more important issues at hand than a silly baseball game. Any real man will tell you that you must defend and protect your family and friends first. By standing up to the phony, cowardly Phillips, Yadi really stood up in defense of his family and for the integrity of what is most important in the lives of real men everywhere.

Thank you Yadi for showing baseball fans young and old what it means to be a real man.