Texas Rangers All-Time Team: The Final Reveal

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Your all-time catcher happens to be one of the most highly regarded catchers in MLB history, Ivan Rodriguez, who fans affectionately refer to as ‘Pudge’.

I could write pages upon pages praising Pudge. To me, he is the ultimate catcher. He is the reason we expect catchers to play in 130+ games behind the dish well into their 30’s. He’s the reason expect catchers to make runners to think twice on stealing.

There is a reason that he was the ONLY player who received a unanimous win.

Don’t worry, I’ll keep the number of videos down. Mainly because there are not many of him with the Rangers.

In 1988, at just 16-years old Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez signed with Texas, and three years later made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers June 20, 1991. He hit his first career home run on August 30, 1991.

In 1992, only 20-years old, with Nolan Ryan on the mound (that had to be intimidating for a kid), Pudge shows of his power skills behind the dish when he throws out Ken Griffey, Jr. attempting to steal second.

September 11, 1997 Pudge hit three home runs and 5 RBI against the Minnesota Twins.

Over the course of his 21-year career Rodriguez played for six teams, Texas Rangers (1991-2002, 2009), Miami Marlins (2003), Detroit Tigers (2004-2008), New York Yankees (2008), Houston Astros (2009) and Washington Nationals (2010-2011), of course most fans remember him in the best uni of all, the Texas Rangers uniform.

August 19, 2009 he was traded to the Rangers by the Houston Astros and receives a lengthy, well-deserved standing ovation in his first at-bat.

During the same game he fields a grounder, tosses it to first and gets Delmon Young out.

And, of course Pudge drives in a run in his first game back.

Next: One Door Closes, Another Door Opens