A Refund for Pudge?

Remember that my favorite ballclub is the Texas Rangers. Well, my brother in Detroit called a week or so ago. He was mad. At me. Evidently, he needed to vent for the failings of his catcher. Since I kind of sold him on I-Rod, he wanted to talk about the terms of a warranty. I know how he feels. I was angry too, when WE lost him.

For the record, I didn't sign-off on Ranger Management's decision to allow Pudge's exit. At the end of 2002, second-guessing Hicks for not opening the wallet yet again for the future Hall of Famer, was the Muzac filling my home. In '03, Pudge validated my disappointment by hitting .297, having his second best year in OBP, 85 RBI's and winning a World Championship in Florida. He finally received credit for calling games as well as flaunting all his other gifts. But, Arlington's rationale had included arguments about age, catchers' longevity and the need to spend dollars on pitching. Good reasons all, but he was OURS. I was sorry to lose him.

Before Pudge, no catcher had ever before had a 20 HR/20 SB season. In 1999, he raised the bar by going 35/25. He was just 19 when he took over behind the plate in Arlington. And, who can forget how quickly he established himself as the most feared gun in Texas, setting the MLB standard for throwing out base-runners? His quicks earned him 10 consecutive AL Gold Gloves. He made himself a Cooperstown lock.

So, what was my anguished sibling up there in Detroit so upset about? He had a list of offenses, for which he felt Pudge needed to be held to account. It seems that the Tigers' record, the firing of the legendary Allen Trammell, I-Rod's percieved selfishness and Congress' crackdown on steroids have led to the events that (in retrospect) makes Tom Hicks look pretty savvy.

Something was afoot back in February of this year, when Pudge reported to camp weighing 193. Keep in mind, he finished the previous season at 213 pounds. Hmmm.
Did this new streamlined appearance have anything to do with Congressional Hearings in March, involving (among others) old teammates Rafael Palmeiro and Jose Canseco? And, hadn't Canseco impugned Pudge by name as a steroid user? Certainly, Jose Canseco's credibility lies somewhere on the spectrum between Jon Lovitz and Jim Bakker. But, one must admit, this confluence of events really seemed to be seriously confluencing.


Performance and perception suffered this year. In 2005, Pudge had a .276 BA, .290 OBP and .444 SLG. All these numbers were well below his career averages. And, to make matters worse he had to shut it down early due to a lingering calve condition. Back in August, Pudge turned a four-game suspension into a personal trip to Columbia. He then showed up late (after the suspension) to the team's series with Kansas City. This led to an unhappy, closed-door session with Trammell. Then, instead of observing the seemingly advisable golden hue of silence, I-Rod dropped the following verbal Daisy-Cutter Bomb on the entire team on September 10th: "I've been here two years and I don’t see any changes. ... I love to be in the playoffs. I would love to see my teammates the same way, but I don't know. I don't have their minds ..."
From this point forward, teammates and management have questioned their mutual commitments where it regards Pudge, even causing doubt relating to the severity of his season-ending calve injury.

The Tigers think Pudge wants out. They know that arguably baseball's best all-time catcher wears the Olde English "D". But, he's not the best if he doesn't want to be. Lefthander Mike Maroth summed up the team's evident posture in an interview October 3rd, with Tom Cage of the Detroit News: "I want him back if he wants to be back," Maroth said. "If he doesn't want to be back, then no, I don't. That's up to him. What I know is that we need everyone on the team pulling in the same direction -- not just everyone saying they are." Those are at once the most appeasing and incendiary words I have ever heard, relating to the former AL and ALCS MVP. My, what a difference a year makes.

The venom in Detroit is bubbling just under the surface. Players and fans feel that Pudge was behind the movement to rid the Tigers of Trammell, the 1984 World Series MVP and the team's last connection with its former greatness. There is a sense that Trammell was the scapegoat for a bad season. There is also the realization that the team has made its bed with Pudge. There are 2 years and $20 Million left on his contract. And, as he carries the baggage of 2005 into Spring Training on those 35 year old knees, there is no team in the MLB that is likely to take that contract, without saddling the Tigers with something as bad or worse. Given the current emotional climate at Comerica, I-Rod better both PUT-UP and SHUT-UP.

Still, while listening to my brother's frustrated long-distance phone-rant,
I kept a level head. I was not about to pile-on Pudge because I have seen the man’s whole career. One bad year couldn't even scratch the glorious finish on his tenure. It occurred to me that I chose #7 for my jersey, when I coached my son's baseball team in 2003. I recalled Rodriguez' baby-fat in '91, when (after one game) he said he was never going back down to the minors. I'll always recall the imperturbable tenacity on his face during those glorious years in Ranger Red. And, you know what? We have done alright in Arlington at the Catcher Position over the past few years. But, Pudge is an upgrade.

This brings us back to that call from the brother in Detroit who was now writhing on the floor of his living room and raging into the phone about loyalty and commitment. He really seemed to want a refund. Of course, we're not kids anymore. There are no take-backs. But, in light of all Pudge did in The City of Arlington; and assuming Detroit would pick up a third to half that contract to atone for their frivolous fiscal largesse, I'd take him back with no further questions.

My Son Went 2 For 3. Therefore, I am.

Thank you for visiting my blog. This is the place for like-minded dads to share ideas, experiences and expertise that relate to our ballplayers, and the psychoses that cause us to obsess about their performance. Chime in with your two cents. But, for heaven's sake, keep it clean.