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‘Pudge’ Rodriguez reflects on Hall of Fame career, MLB All-Star Game memories
Ivan Rodríguez was 7 years old and living in Puerto Rico when he told his dad that he was going to be a major league baseball player. He wanted to be a pitcher or a third baseman, his favorite position.
His dad and baseball coach, Jose, told him he was going to be a catcher.
Ivan cried.
“My dad saw that I have a good arm and the body I had was good for being a catcher,” Rodriguez said.
By age 12, he was as a catcher and had stopped pitching and playing third.
“By God, I think he was right that I was playing the right position,” Rodríguez said, laughing. “He was a real hard worker with me, taking me to the park, doing the things that I needed to do to get better.”
Rodríguez made his professional debut in 1989, at age 17, as a catcher for the Single-A Gastonia Rangers of the South Atlantic League. In his first game, he went 3-for-3 at the plate.
“The key to my [playing] career was discipline, staying in shape [and] focusing on my job,” he said. “When I retired, Nolan Ryan told me: ‘Stay busy; don’t just sit on the sofa in your house, or you will get bored. Go out and do what you want to do.’
“I’ve met great people in my career, on and off the field. And I keep myself very busy nowadays.”
And what a baseball career he had. A first-ballot Hall of Famer, Rodríguez is considered one of the greatest catchers in MLB history. He played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals.
Rodríguez was the 1999 American League MVP and a 2003 World Series champion with the Florida Marlins.
In 2009, he set an MLB record by catching his 2,227th game, passing Carlton Fisk. He had the best career caught-stealing percentage of any major league catcher (45.68 percent), and had nine seasons with a caught-stealing rate of 50 percent or higher. Only one major league catcher (Yadier Molina) has more putouts.
Rodríguez had 2,844 hits in his career, the most of any catcher in MLB history.
“Catcher is one of the most important positions in the game the way that we study the game— video [sessions], meeting with pitching coach, sitting with the starting pitcher before the game to go over the [opposing] lineup,” Rodríguez said. “I was an aggressive hitter who put the ball in play. I was a good inside-out hitter and that helped me get a lot of hits throughout my career. That’s one of the reasons I had a great career offensively.
“But defense was No. 1 to me—throwing guys out [attempting to steal], blocking balls, calling great games, winning for the team.
“I’m very happy with my career, with all the teams that I played for. I never thought that I was going to be traded from the Rangers. I thought I would play my whole career for the Rangers, but it didn’t happen. But I went to five other organizations, and that was great.
“All six teams [that I played for]; all were great organizations. My 21 years, I cannot say anything [negative] from my career, and I’m very happy about that.”
PERENNIAL ALL-STAR
In 2,543 games, Rodríguez posted a .296 batting average with 1,354 runs, 311 home runs, 1,332 RBIs, 127 stolen bases and a .464 slugging percentage. Defensively, he recorded a .991 fielding percentage. He was a 14-time All-Star and 13-time Gold Glove Award winner.
“Being named [American League] MVP in 1999; that [honor] meant a lot,” said Rodríguez, who still remembers home games for the Rangers that summer, when the 7 p.m. game-time temperature inside the stadium was a steamy 108 degrees.
“[All of] the awards that I have are very special to me. Everyone wants to [collect] 3,000 hits. I was 156 [hits] short and, well, I probably could have done it. When I retired in 2004, I probably could have played a few more years, but it’s OK.”
His 1999 MVP campaign featured multiple season-bests, including hits, total bases, home runs (35), RBIs (113) and stolen bases (25).
“Playing in the All-Star Game was always fun,” he said. “Being in the [all-star] clubhouse with all those superstars was great, but I didn’t like all the [autograph] signings we had to do. There was always a huge [amount] of baseballs, helmets, bats and you name it to sign. But you had to.
“The [All-Star] activities were special. Being with your family [at the all-star game] was special. Those moments are priceless. I loved to participate in the All-Star Games.”
His first was in 1992 in San Diego at age 20.
“When I was there, Cal Ripken was on my right, Kirby Puckett was on my left. I was like, ‘Oh my God, look who’s here?!’ That was a great experience,” Rodríguez said. “Seeing all the players, that was incredible. Seeing them, at that age, was an unbelievable feeling.
“There was nothing better, especially in 1995 when we played in (Arlington, Texas, home of the Rangers). That was a great time.”
Rodriguez made his debut with the Rangers in mid-June 1991, becoming the youngest player to catch in a major league game that season at age 19.
“Growing up in Puerto Rico, obviously my hero was Roberto Clemente. He opened the door for all of us—all of us Puerto Ricans and all of us Latinos, giving us the chance to come to this beautiful country and play this beautiful game called Major League Baseball. Juan Marichal, too,” Rodríguez said. “If it wasn’t for them and others back in the day, we probably wouldn’t be able to play.
“Roberto Clemente is still a hero today in Puerto Rico.”
And someday Clemente’s No. 21 may get the same ultimate tribute as Jackie Robinson’s No. 42. Who knows, maybe it’ll be retired across Major League Baseball. Rodríguez said it should happen.
“When great players have great careers, on and off the field, especially what Roberto Clemente did off the field. He was a role-model for a lot of us,” he said. “One day, hopefully that can happen. I will be very happy to see that number retired.”
WORLD SERIES MEMORIES
Rodríguez won countless honors during his decades in the majors. None stand out more than the 2003 World Series title.
“I was privileged to have a lot of awards, but winning the World Series trophy, that’s the best thing that you can have,” he said. “The World Series is the ultimate team award, [for] a team effort that started in spring training, then [through] 162 games, followed by the playoffs against the best teams that season.
“That is the best trophy I have in my house, and I see it every day I go into my office, which is unbelievable. I still remember that [season] like it was today. I still remember that last out, and it was a great feeling.”
The 2003 Marlins needed six games to stop the New York Yankees.
“When we won in 2003, we had a lot of young players, many who had great seasons in the minor leagues. We brought them up and they did a great job,” Rodríguez said.
Rodríguez won his first of 13 Gold Glove awards in 1992, his first full season in the majors. He knows where all 13 are in 2024, though he gave some to various friends and family members. “They are all over the place, but trust me, they are secure,” he said, laughing.
Rodríguez announced his retirement on April 18, 2012. He signed a one-day contract with the Rangers on April 23, retiring as a member of the team.
“I had a lot of influential coaches,” he said. “Bobby Valentine gave me the opportunity to play in the big leagues. Johnny Oates was a mentor. Jim Leyland … I still remember him telling me, ‘You have the chance to run this team behind the plate.’ That was unbelievable. I had great managers throughout my career, including Jack McKeon. I was very lucky as far as that.
“Jim Leyland taught me a lot of things to be a better player. I’m very happy that he’s going into the Hall of Fame.”
Rodríguez was, and still is, long known as simply “Pudge,” a nickname that dates to his rookie season in professional baseball. A coach saw him as short, stocky and strong, and tagged him “Pudge.”
“Even when I introduce myself today as Ivan Rodríguez, people know me as Pudge,” he said.
Rodríguez was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017 and, sure enough, he was elected on his first ballot, receiving 76 percent of the vote. He became the first former Washington Nationals player in the Hall of Fame.
Two weeks after his induction in Cooperstown, the Rangers retired his jersey No. 7.
Johnny Bench was his favorite player growing up.
“He was the catcher who I watched when I was younger, at home. I saw a lot of Cincinnati Reds games in Puerto Rico,” Rodríguez said. “Even though I’m in the Hall of Fame, he’s still my guy, my favorite.”
Both Bench and Rodríguez were dynamic catchers, without question. Among today’s catchers, Rodriguez has high praise for Rangers catcher Jonah Heim as well as all-stars Salvador Perez and J.T. Realmuto.
“The best advice I can give is work hard and love the game of baseball,” Rodríguez said. “I know kids today play multiple sports and I think that is great because they are kids and they need to have fun. Regardless of the sport, they have to play hard and be disciplined.”
Catchers often make great managers after retiring, and yes, Rodríguez would accept the challenge if presented.
“If a team comes to me and asks me, obviously yes, why not,” he said. “Catchers always have a lot of knowledge to be a good manager.
“One day I would love to see that happen.”
