hot4beckett Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Pudge shows Tigers anything possible By Steve Gorten Staff Writer Posted March 18 2004 Lakeland -- They all wanted a peek. The moment it arrived in Detroit's spring training clubhouse for a fitting last week, Tigers players surrounded their new teammate and gazed at that dazzling, diamond-covered symbol of baseball glory. Outfielder Rondell White said the ring Pudge Rodriguez will receive for last year's World Series victory with the Marlins is the biggest he has seen. It's more impressive than his fiancee's engagement ring, White added, laughing. The sight of World Series jewelry in this clubhouse so soon after the Tigers finished with the second-worst post-1900 record adds a tinge of pride, even if it doesn't belong to them. "He brings them instant credibility," manager Alan Trammell said. Rodriguez does that because while other top free agents "turned us down and said they would never sign with us," outfielder Dmitri Young pointed out, the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. The Tigers offered a four-year, $40 million deal, a longer-term contract than the Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, Mariners and Orioles wanted to give. So Rodriguez settled on Detroit, where he is perceived as a savior of sorts. Just what can he do to help a franchise that lost only one fewer game than the 1962 Mets, and then only after rallying from an 8-0 deficit to beat Minnesota on the next-to-last day? The Tigers want him to produce as he has in a 13-year career that has produced a .304 batting average, 10 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Gloves and the 1999 American League MVP Award. Perhaps as important, they want him to help cultivate a young pitching staff -- Mike Maroth (9-21 last season), Jeremy Bonderman (6-19) and Nate Cornejo (6-17) -- that Rodriguez compares favorably to the Marlins'. "What I did last year with the Marlins with [Josh Beckett, Brad Penny and Carl Pavano], I'm going to do the same here with these guys," Rodriguez said. "This is a young ballclub, young pitching staff, and I have to keep them very positive and make them do their job -- keep the ball down and throw strikes." The fear is that Rodriguez's acquisition will fail as miserably as that of his former Texas Rangers teammate, Juan Gonzalez. In his only season (2000) with Detroit, Gonzalez was hampered by injuries and played 115 games (his lowest total since 1995), batting .289 with 22 home runs and 67 RBI. "[Rodriguez's] presence on the team has been great because it's something we haven't had," Maroth said. "He's one of those guys who comes in here and is looking to help the team, not just himself. "That's what I've really noticed in his first couple of weeks of spring training. He's not just coming here to collect a paycheck and go about his own business. He's here to help improve this team and make other guys better. He proved that with the Marlins." Said former Marlins closer Braden Looper, now with the Mets: "He was everything that the hype was." Despite wearing a different uniform for the second consecutive spring, Rodriguez said he feels comfortable. Trammell says he plans to have Rodriguez in the lineup at catcher in approximately 140 games and as a DH the rest of the time. "He's been better than I expected, honestly, at this point," said Trammell, who was the shortstop when the Tigers won the 1984 World Series. "He's been assertive as far as a leadership role. ... He's been more outgoing than I expected this early." Said Young: "When you have a field general like that who thrives on winning, a lot of guys who don't know how to win, they can feed off of that." Rodriguez hasn't paraded through the clubhouse reflecting on his championship, White said. But just knowing what Rodriguez and the Marlins accomplished has given the Tigers hope. "They got all excited," Rodriguez said of his teammates when they saw the ring. "So I tell them, `We can win one.'" Before Rodriguez's arrival, the Tigers traded for shortstop Carlos Guillen and signed White, second baseman Fernando Vina and right-hander Jason Johnson. "We're walking around here with a lot of confidence, like we won [the World Series]," White said. "The past is behind us." Steve Gorten can be reached at [email protected]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickGold Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I feel sorry for the guy. Even if the Tigers win 20 more games this year, they'll still lost over 100 games! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugg Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I feel sorry for the guy. Even if the Tigers win 20 more games this year, they'll still lost over 100 games! I don't. He chose his own path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTrizzle Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 You never know... Pudge did teach us how to pitch even though we probably had more talent to begin with... But in that division, playoffs may not be too hard to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersfan1 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I feel sorry for the guy. Even if the Tigers win 20 more games this year, they'll still lost over 100 games! I'm not trying to nit-pick here, but if the team won 20 more games than last year they would be under 100 losses. Still absolutely terrible, I admit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickGold Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I feel sorry for the guy. Even if the Tigers win 20 more games this year, they'll still lost over 100 games! I'm not trying to nit-pick here, but if the team won 20 more games than last year they would be under 100 losses. Still absolutely terrible, I admit. Ah, well its still pretty close to 100 and a 90+ loss season still sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catchoftheday Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 :censored Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minus Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Tigers are my sleeper pick this year! :lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miamimarlins04 Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. what a loser! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickGold Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Tigers are my sleeper pick this year! :lol :lol and who's your other pick for sleeper in NL....Milwaukee? Montreal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beinfest4Prez Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. what a loser! And you wouldn't? BTW: Interesting tidbit about Maroth, Walter Johnson lost 20 games his first year with a terrible Washington Sens club and look where he went. Maroth does have the talent, just not the team. I'm not saying he's going to be Walter Johnson but he could go on to have a great career... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 KC or Minny is probably winning the division. Perhaps if all things go right the Tribe can win and MAYBE and thats a big Maybe for the Sox. The Tigers still have far too many holes to win anything, unless all the signs are aligned in their favor....which means the probability of that is extremely slim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miami15 Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. what a loser! And you wouldn't? I wouldn't!!! If you're gonna have that much money whats the difference between 2 million dollars? Instead of having 52'' screens on his yatch he has 56'' screens? It don't make no sense. You coukd stay in your hometown to be with your family not to mention win 40 more games!!! :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarHeel324 Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 I wouldn't!!! If you're gonna have that much money whats the difference between 2 million dollars? Instead of having 52'' screens on his yatch he has 56'' screens? It don't make no sense. You coukd stay in your hometown to be with your family not to mention win 40 more games!!! :blink: weve all heard it before but the argument remains true whats worse is that people in sofla still love him. we gotta be mad at him if he ever tried doing that to a city like new york or philly, hed be branded for life in miami, we let him throw out the first pitch at a baseball game. AND we cheer him but watching him lose 100 games in beautiful detroit will be punishment enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beinfest4Prez Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. what a loser! And you wouldn't? I wouldn't!!! If you're gonna have that much money whats the difference between 2 million dollars? Instead of having 52'' screens on his yatch he has 56'' screens? It don't make no sense. You coukd stay in your hometown to be with your family not to mention win 40 more games!!! :blink: Your right, but if it was just money, you wouldn't take it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minus Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Tigers are my sleeper pick this year! :lol :lol and who's your other pick for sleeper in NL....Milwaukee? Montreal? I was being sarcastic .... :confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catchoftheday Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 the 32-year-old catcher left a Series winner for a club that lost 119 games -- even if his motivation primarily was money. what a loser! And you wouldn't? I wouldn't!!! If you're gonna have that much money whats the difference between 2 million dollars? Instead of having 52'' screens on his yatch he has 56'' screens? It don't make no sense. You coukd stay in your hometown to be with your family not to mention win 40 more games!!! :blink: Your right, but if it was just money, you wouldn't take it? no ... winning is better ... either way your gonna get a pretty good sum of cash, so its no big deal. i rather have fun and win with some sun, south beach, and friends than to lose with bad weather, crappy team, and an even crappier enviroment. and im not saying that only with pudge, i would have said the same with every althete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.