VIDEO: Yadier Molina's bat explodes after harmless tap on home plate

Even after 15 years in professional baseball, a dozen of them spent at the game's highest level, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina still doesn't know his own strength.

On Wednesday afternoon, the 33-year-old tapped his bat on home plate as he prepared for a 2-2 offering from Chicago Cubs left-hander Jon Lester in the seventh inning, but was forced to retrieve a new piece of lumber after his bat exploded into two pieces.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Molina is more renowned for his defensive prowess behind the plate, but the seven-time All-Star is no slouch with the bat - he even earned a Silver Slugger award back in 2013 - though Wednesday's episode makes one wonder if the Puerto Rico native truly respects woods.