ST. LOUIS - Yadier Molina came back ahead of schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals were not surprised one bit. The All-Star catcher was activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday and was batting sixth in the opener of a weekend series against the Chicago Cubs. "Hes probably one of the toughest guys Ive ever seen in the big leagues," general manager John Mozeliak said. "He looks great." The 32-year-old Molina tore a ligament in his right thumb sliding into third base on July 9 and he underwent surgery two days later. He missed seven weeks, beating the original prognosis of eight to 12 weeks and perhaps the rest of the season. "I feel good, 100 per cent good," Molina said. "Every part of my body feels great and Im ready to go." Bringing him back so quickly is a bit of a gamble, but Molina passed every test. "We are doing it with a little bit of caution or holding our breath to some degree," Mozeliak said. "But he feels like he can protect himself to allow himself to contribute. He really wants to be out there." Outfielder Shane Robinson, who was placed on the DL on Tuesday, underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on Thursday. Manager Mike Matheny said it will be a month before Robinson can begin rehab. Molina was batting .287 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 83 games and was voted the starting catcher on the NL All-Star team. He was 5 for 6 with three doubles and two RBIs in two rehab games at Springfield. "I saw the ball pretty good," Molina said. "Hopefully I keep seeing the ball here." Molina is a big upgrade defensively, lauded for game management in addition to an arm thats perhaps the best in the majors. Runners had been successful stealing on Molina just 18 times out of 35 chances. A.J. Pierzynski is 1 for 11 and Tony Cruz 5 for 19. "Yaddy has a reputation and they know hell pick them off if they get too far off," Matheny said. "And if they dont get a good jump and the pitcher doesnt give them much of a chance, theyre not going to have much of a shot. Hes a prolific throw in my opinion and I think hes proven that every year." Cruz, batting .195 with 12 RBIs in 44 games, was optioned to Double-A Springfield and will return when rosters expand on Sept. 1. The 37-year-old Pierzynski, batting .265 in 21 games with four homers and 31 RBIs, will be the backup. Molina was being eased back, to a degree. Hes batted fifth 71 times but was one slot behind Jhonny Peralta. The Cardinals also plan to recall left-hander Marco Gonzalez from Triple-A Memphis and add him as the 26th man for a day-night double-header Saturday. The 22-year-old first-round draft pick in 2013 is scheduled to start the second game. Gonzales has pitched at all four levels this season, including three starts with St. Louis. Fake Nike Air Max 270 . -- J.R. 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LOUIS - Michael Sam dismissed the thought that his sexuality has cost him a spot in the NFL.I dont like to think that way, Sam said in an Oprah Winfrey Network documentary that aired Saturday night. But I do believe Im a very talented football player and Im going to continue working hard and try to get that opportunity to play in the league.The first openly gay player drafted in the NFL has no regrets.I did everything I was supposed to do. I did everything right, Sam said. I am proud of how I handled things.Sam said coming out was the right thing to do. He would have preferred the news come out after he informed the team that drafted him, but he feared it would be revealed and felt pressure to control the situation.It didnt need to be public, Sam said. Why do gay people have to do it?The production was billed as the players first TV appearance since being cut by the Dallas Cowboys in mid-October and played like a personal Hard Knocks. The 90-minute program was followed by a one-on-one with Winfrey, who asked Sam whether he believed sexual orientation is hurting his chances, and how long hed keep trying.As long as I can, Sam replied.The documentary details countless anxious hours during the NFL draft, which Sam called the longest three days of my life. The New York Jets telephoned his agents to say they werent interested, and the Cowboys texted to say they were out, too.Sam, who rose to stardom after a difficult childhood in tiny Hitchcock, Texas, asked that the sound on the TV be turned down at one point before the St. Louis Rams took him late in the seventh round.Am I going undrafted? a frustrated Sam asked agent Cameron Weiss. This phone still has not beeped.Sam said the reassuring hand of his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano, on his shoulder during the wait to get picked affirmed the decision last February to reveal his sexual orientation to the nation. He informed Missouri coaches and players befoore his senior season and was the team MVP and SEC co-defensive player of the year.ddddddddddddIn that moment, I was like I dont care what happens. I made the right choice to come out, Sam said.Sam broke down in sobs when Rams coach Jeff Fisher telephoned just before the team made him the 249th pick of the 256-pick draft. He had been projected to be chosen as early as the fourth round.Sam kissed and hugged Cammisano and then the two smashed cake in each others faces as a national television audience looked on.Some say the kiss, the cake, it was all just too much, Winfrey said in the voiceover prom for the program. Some say he wasnt good enough. Others say he should have never come out, one saying during the introduction to the program that he would be the mother of all distractions.Sam called it the infamous kiss. He said it was spontaneous and added hed thought the cameras had been turned off.Everyone made a big deal out of it, Sam said. Its just a kiss. Did you forget that I was gay? Should I be kissing a woman instead?Sam was among 21 players waived by the team to reach the 53-player limit before the season opener.Echoing his remarks after making the pick, coach Jeff Fisher said several times it was purely a football decision. The Rams were well-stocked with pass rushers, and undrafted Ethan Westbrooks grabbed the final defensive end spot.I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike, Fisher said then. I really was, and I dont say that very often. Mike came in here and did everything we asked him to do.On Twitter, roughly an hour after he was cut, Sam thanked the Rams and the city of St. Louis. He also wrote The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson Ive always known. The journey continues.Sam spent seven weeks on the Cowboys practice squad before being released and is currently a free agent.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '