Ivan Rodriguez

Topps & Baseball Digest All-Star Rookie Catcher 1991
MVP American League 1999
Baseball Digest Player of the Year 1999 & 2003
Golden Glove Winner 1992-99, 2000-01
Silver Slugger Winner 1994, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99
11-time All-Star Selection 1992-2001, 2004
Full Name: Ivan (Torres) "Pudge" Rodriguez
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 5-9 Weight: 165 lbs.
Born: Nov 27, 1971 in Manati, P.R.
College: ?
Major League Debut: Jun 20, 1991
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CAREER BATTING STATISTICS
  BATTING
Year Team Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG OPS
1991 TEX .264 88 280 24 74 16 0 3 27 5 42 .276 .354 .630
1992 TEX .260 123 420 39 109 16 1 8 37 24 73 .300 .360 .659
1993 TEX .273 137 473 56 129 28 4 10 66 29 70 .315 .412 .727
1994 TEX .298 99 363 56 108 19 1 16 57 31 42 .360 .488 .848
1995 TEX .303 130 492 56 149 32 2 12 67 16 48 .327 .449 .776
1996 TEX .300 153 639 116 192 47 3 19 86 38 55 .342 .473 .814
1997 TEX .313 150 597 98 187 34 4 20 77 38 89 .360 .484 .844
1998 TEX .321 145 579 88 186 40 4 21 91 32 88 .358 .513 .871
1999 TEX .332 144 600 116 199 29 1 35 113 24 64 .356 .558 .914
2000 TEX .347 91 363 66 126 27 4 27 83 19 48 .375 .667 1.042
2001 TEX .308 111 442 70 136 24 2 25 65 23 73 .347 .541 .888
2002 TEX .314 108 408 67 128 32 2 19 60 25 71 .353 .542 .895
2003 FLA .297 144 511 90 152 36 3 16 85 55 92 .369 .474 .843
2004 DET .358 83 335 47 120 24 1 12 62 23 51 .399 .543 .943
  AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG OPS
Totals .307 1706 6502 989 1995 404 32 243 976 382 906 .347 .491 .838


  BATTING BASERUNNING MISC
Year Team HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
1991 TEX 0 10 99 0 2 1 0 1 .000 93.3 6.7
1992 TEX 1 15 151 2 7 2 0 0 .000 52.5 5.8
1993 TEX 4 16 195 3 5 8 8 7 .533 47.3 6.8
1994 TEX 7 10 177 5 0 4 6 3 .667 22.7 8.6
1995 TEX 4 11 221 2 0 5 0 2 .000 41.0 10.3
1996 TEX 4 15 302 7 0 4 5 0 1.000 33.6 11.6
1997 TEX 8 18 289 7 1 4 7 3 .700 29.9 6.7
1998 TEX 3 18 297 4 0 3 9 0 1.000 27.6 6.6
1999 TEX 1 32 335 2 0 5 25 12 .676 17.1 9.4
2000 TEX 1 17 242 5 0 6 5 5 .500 13.4 7.6
2001 TEX 4 13 239 3 0 1 10 3 .769 17.7 6.1
2002 TEX 2 13 221 2 1 4 5 4 .556 21.5 5.7
2003 FLA 6 18 242 6 1 5 10 6 .625 31.9 5.6
2004 DET 2 10 182 3 0 3 7 1 .875 27.9 6.6
  HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
Totals 47 216 3192 51 17 55 97 47 .674 26.8 7.2



CAREER FIELDING STATISTICS
Year Team POS G Ch PO A E DP FPCT RF ZR
1991 TEX C 88 0 517 61 10 6 .983 7.610 .000
1992 TEX C 116 0 764 84 15 10 .983 7.770 .000
1993 TEX C 134 0 800 74 8 7 .991 7.040 .000
1994 TEX C 99 0 600 44 5 2 .992 6.920 .000
1995 TEX C 127 0 707 67 8 3 .990 6.540 .000
1996 TEX C 147 19 850 80 10 11 .989 6.850 1.053
1997 TEX C 143 16 822 74 7 11 .992 6.710 .938
1998 TEX C 139 13 864 71 6 6 .994 7.030 1.000
1999 TEX C 141 12 850 83 7 13 .993 6.950 .917
2000 TEX C 87 9 507 34 2 10 .996 6.610 .889
2001 TEX C 106 15 631 52 7 11 .990 7.190 .933
2002 TEX C 100 11 631 46 7 6 .990 7.290 1.000
2003 FLA C 138 13 915 47 8 9 .992 7.650 .923
2004 DET C 74 9 472 30 6 4 .988 7.110 .889
  G Ch PO A E DP FPCT RF ZR
Totals 1682 117 9930 847 106 109 .990 7.070 .957


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Drafted: Not drafted by an MLB team.
Acquired: Signed by the Texas Rangers as a free agent to a minor-league contract on July 27, 1988.

Personal Information:

It was Ivan Rodriguez's stellar defensive skills that first drew the interest of scouts in his native Puerto Rico. But since joining the Texas Rangers in 1991, Rodriguez has matured into the best all-around catcher in baseball; his bat as dangerous to opposing pitchers as his arm is to opposing baserunners. "Pudge" -- so named for his chunkiness as a youth, not for any resemblance to catching great Carlton Fisk -- won a Gold Glove in each of his first eight seasons in the majors. Only Johnny Bench (10) had won more among catchers. Over the same span, Rodriguez has been named to seven All-Star teams.

A prized prospect in the Rangers organization, Rodriguez moved quickly through the minors. He was called up from the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate in Tulsa on June 20, 1991 -- less than 24 hours before than Pudge was due to marry his future wife between games of a doubleheader. The marriage was moved to the morning, and Pudge started his first major-league game that evening against the Chicago White Sox.

The nineteen-year old quickly became the Rangers' starting catcher, posting respectable numbers at the plate and impressing everybody with his throwing arm. He threw out 49% of would-be basestealers in each of his first two years in the league. In 1993, he started to hit, batting .273 with 10 home runs and 28 doubles, and made the All-Star team for the first time. He bulked up, and his reputation for blocking the plate and digging balls out of the dirt improved.

In 1994, Rodriguez started to hit with power. He slammed 16 home runs in a strike-shortened season, and the following year led the team with a .303 batting average and 32 doubles. Only the bravest ballplayers attempted to steal against Pudge. In 1995, Rodriguez foiled 31 of 71 baserunners in 132 games caught -- allowing fewer than one stolen base every three games.

Rodriguez set a new career high with 116 runs scored in 1996, more than doubling his previous best and tying Yogi Berra's record for the most runs scored as a catcher. He also set new records for catchers with 47 doubles and 639 at-bats. The following year he batted .313 with 20 home runs, and gunned down 51.9% of hopeful basestealers, leading the league for the fifth time in seven years. Only 37 runners in 150 games swiped successfully against Rodriguez, who picked off another nine baserunners.

Rodriguez continued to improve at the plate in 1998,, batting .321 and knocking in 91 RBIs. He would take his game to new heights the following season. While nailing 54.6% of base stealers in 1999, Pudge set career highs with a .332 batting average, 35 home runs, 114 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Narrowly beating Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez in a tight vote for the AL MVP, Rodriguez became the first catcher to win the award since Thurman Munson in 1976.

Married (Maribel) with two children (Ivan Dereck and Amanda Christine) ... Nickname: Pudge

Career Notes

2001
Ivan is a perennial Gold Glove winner at the most demanding position in baseball. Nicknamed "Pudge," he won his 10th straight in 2001, tying the all-time record for a catcher held by Johnny Bench. This despite suffering a season-ending injury for the second year in a row. Ivan underwent knee surgery in September, but still led American League catchers in batting average (.308), slugging percentage (.541), runs scored (70) and stolen bases (10).
It seems like Ivan has been around forever, but he won't turn 31 until well after the 2002 season. A free swinger, the right-handed hitter drives the ball well to the opposite field and he's got good speed on the bases. Ivan had his best season in 1999 when he won the American League's MVP award after recording 35 homers and 113 RBI to go along with a .332 batting average. For all his offensive gifts, though, he will always be known for his defense. Ivan has a powerful arm and can usually be counted on to throw out at least 50 percent of would-be base-stealers. He'll catch many runners napping off first base with a powerful throw to the bag.

Ivan is one of the more civic-minded players in the Dallas-Fort Worth community. He started the Ivan Rodriguez Foundation in 1993 to assist children with cancer and other diseases, both in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and his native Puerto Rico. He also made a substantial donation in 1998 to assist hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.

1999
Few catchers can match the all-around season Ivan Rodriguez had in 1999, when he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award. While hitting for the highest average by an AL catcher since Bill Dickey batted .362 in 1936, Rodriguez became the first Junior Circuit backstop to have 30 homers, 100 runs and 100 RBI in the same season. He also stole 25 bases, just nine fewer than he permitted behind the plate.

1998
As outstanding as Ivan Rodriguez has been, he manages to improve every season. The Rangers were counting on that when they invested $42 million in a five-year contract to keep him from free agency in 1997, and he rewarded them with the best year of his career. He set career highs in all three Triple Crown categories and won his seventh straight Gold Glove. Playing through a bruised thumb and back spasms, he caught more innings than any catcher in the American League.

1996
Won his fifth straight Gold Glove award, and his third straight Silver Slugger award ... Made his consecutive All-Star game, and fourth in a row as a starter ... Was third in the AL in doubles (47) -- the most ever by a catcher -- fourth in at bats (639), seventh in hits (192) and tied for eighth in multi-hit games (55) ... Led the AL in caught stealing percentage for the seconds straight season (48.9 percent) and the fourth time in six years.

1995
Led the Rangers in average (.303), total bases (221), and doubles (32), ranked 2nd in at bats (492) and hits (149), and placed 4th in RBI (67) ... Established career bests for average , average, hits, doubles , and RBI , the latter breaking his own club record for a catcher ... Topped AL backstops in batting , hits, doubles, and RBI, and had the best percentage of nailing would be would be base stealers for the 3rd time in the last five years ... Had 1st career 2-homer game on July 13 at Boston with both blasts off Roger Clemens ... Was elected to start All-Star Game for 3rd straight year and made 4th overall appearance in the mid-summer classic, matching Buddy Bell as the only 4-time Rangers' All-Star.

1994
Captured his third consecutive Gold Glove and was named to the Silver Slugger team ... Joins Lance Parrish as the only catcher to garner top defensive and offensive honors in the same season ... .298 average led American League catchers ... Played in 3rd consecutive All-Star game

1993
Caught the third most games in the American League (134) ... Won second straight Rawlings Gold Glove Award (second youngest repeat winner in history) ... Ranked fourth among AL catchers in hitting (.273) ... Carried a .352 average through the first 22 games of the season ... Posted eight straight hits in two games (July 26 and July 28) ... Swiped eight bases to lead all AL catchers ... Ranked second among AL backstops in assists (76) and passed balls (14) ... Amassed a .991 fielding percentage (sixth in AL) ... Had a 41 game errorless streak (his longest of season) ... Tossed out 38.5 percent of would-be base stealers (fourth in AL) ... Set career highs in homers (10) and RBI (66).

1992
Started 112 games as the majors' youngest player for the second year in a row ... Batted .260 (third among AL catchers) ... Hit eight homers with 37 RBI in 123 games.

1991
Started 81 of Texas' final 102 games behind the plate, after a June 20 call-up from Tulsa (AA) of the Texas League ... At 19 years and seven months, became third youngest player in club history ... Ranked third among AL rookies in batting (.264) ... Youngest Ranger ever to tater ... Picked as backstop on Major League Rookie All-Star team selected by both Topps and Baseball Digest.

The following information has been provided by Lee Sinins, member of SABR, and creator of Baseball Immortals

RANKINGS AMONG CATCHERS:
4th in AVG (.304), SLG (.480); 5th in OPS (.821),
9th in ISO (.177), 11th in HR% (3.56), 12th in BPA (.480), tied for 12th in
GIDP (162), 13th in EBH (483), 15th in 2B (288), 17th in R (715), 18th in RC/G (5.55), TB (2308)
1st in Percent of career games played for team's games with .7852
RANGERS RANKINGS:
1st in H (1459), 1B (976), 2B (288), GIDP (162); 2nd in G (1260), AB (4806), R (715), RBI (704), TB (2308), EBH (483); 3rd in 3B (24), HR (171), RC (740), HBP (33), PA (5152), OUTS (3599); 4th in AVG (.304), RCAP (139); 5th in SLG (.480), tied for 5th in SF (42), 6th in SO (619), OPS (.821); 7th in RC/G (5.55), 8th in HR% (3.45), ISO (.177), IBB (37); 9th in BPA (.480), tied for 10th in CS (33), 12th in OBA (.340), 13th in OWP (.519), 14th in SB (65), RCAA (34); 16th in SEC (.237), 17th in BB (256)
SET RANGERS RECORD FOR MOST HITS, CAREER: 1459
SET RANGERS RECORD FOR MOST SINGLES, CAREER: 976
SET RANGERS RECORD FOR MOST DOUBLES, CAREER: 288
SET RANGERS RECORD FOR MOST GIDP, CAREER: 162
RANKINGS AMONG CATCHERS DURING HIS CAREER:
1st in G (1260), AB (4806), R (715), H (1459), 1B (976), 2B (288), 3B (24), HR% (3.56), AVG (.304), SLG (.480), OBA (.340), OPS (.821), OWP (.519), RC/G (5.55), EBH (483), ISO (.177), SEC (.237), BPA (.480), PA (5152), GIDP (162), OUTS (3599); tied for 1st in SF (42), 2nd in RBI (704), RC (740), TB (2308), CS (33); 3rd in SB (65), tied for 4th in HR (171), 6th in IBB (37), 7th in SO (619), RCAP (139); 9th in RCAA (34), tied for 12th in HBP (33), 15th in BB (256)
RANKINGS AMONG CATCHERS DURING 1990S:
1st in AB (4443), R (649), H (1333), 1B (908), 2B (261), EBH (425), GIDP (145), OUTS (3334), PA (4763); 2nd in G (1169), RBI (621), AVG (.300), RC (660), TB (2066); 3rd in SB (60), SLG (.465); 4th in 3B (20), OBA (.337), OPS (.802), OWP (.506), RC/G (5.34), CS (28); tied for 4th in SF (36), 5th in ISO (.165), BPA (.468); 6th in HR (144), HR% (3.24); 7th in RCAP (109), SEC (.226); 9th in SO (571), IBB (32); tied for 11th in HBP (32), 12th in RCAA (11), 16th in BB (237)
LED CATCHERS IN AT BATS, 1990S: 4443
LED CATCHERS IN RUNS, 1990S: 649
LED CATCHERS IN HITS, 1990S: 1333
LED CATCHERS IN SINGLES, 1990S: 908
LED CATCHERS IN DOUBLES, 1990S: 261
LED CATCHERS IN EXTRA BASE HITS, 1990S: 425
LED CATCHERS IN GIDP, 1990S: 145
LED CATCHERS IN OUTS, 1909S: 3334
LED CATCHERS IN PLATE APPEARANCES, 1990S: 4763
AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP, 1999: Rodriguez led the AL in 1 category, finished in the top 5 in 3 & the top 10 in 8. Rodriguez led the AL in GIDP (32). Rodriguez ranked tied for 3rd in CS (12), 5th in H (199), 7th in AVG (.332) & TB (335), tied for 7th in R (116), 9th in 1B (134) & 10th in SLG (.558). LED AMERICAN LEAGUE IN GIDP: 1999 Rodriguez's had 2 years with 100+ R. Rodriguez's 24 BB in 1999 were the worst ever by a MVP. Rodriguez's .356 OBA in 1999 was the 2nd worst ever by a player with a .330+ AVG & the 16th worst by a player with a .300+ AVG. Rodriguez had a season with 30+ HR & more HR than BB, 1999 (35 HR/24 BB).