Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Pudge Rodriguez

Just watched the presser on Pudge's retirement as a Texas Ranger. Johnny Bench was my baseball idol growing up, but Pudge is the best catcher who ever played the game. He had it all. I know him personally, he's humble, and he's a class act. Glad he retired a Ranger.

Always liked Pudge

Nice to hear good things about someone. I am always amazed by catchers. The wear and tear on their bodies has to be extreme. I was always partial to Earl Battey. I remember one year in the early 60s when he picked seven runners off third. When was the last time that you saw a catcher pick anyone off of third (or even try)?

Pudge has come through his 21 year career behind the plate in remarkably good shape.

I will be watching tonight. Pudge was my favorite catcher. Loved to watch him throw to 1st behind a left handed batter for a pick off!

Better living through chemistry?

He's been a great ballplayer, and had an extraordinarily long career behind the plate. Most catcher's bats will die in their early thirties from bodily wear and tear.

I remember the Reds trying to keep Bench in the lineup by moving him to 3rd. He wasn't the same offensive threat that he was a few years before. He was done.

Biggio moved to 2nd, which keep him going worthy of 3000 hits.

No he didn't. That's why he used steroids and HGH. To give himself what nature did not. He's a lowlife POS in my book.

One of Pudge's biggest regrets is that he's only 150 or so hits away from 3000. Oh well, he's a first ballot HOF'er anyway.

Never played much, did you?

Explain. I'm absolutely dying to hear your explanation of how taking steroids and HGH didn't give 'Pudge' an unfair advantage. Kiss my ass.

Ghost, can you post for us evidence of when/where he was caught using the "stuff"?

Canseco said he put it in his ass, others have said the same.

PLUS, he dropped about 60 pounds of pure muscle towards the end of his career. I've seen it before. He looked like a high school kid at the end.

Kirby Puckett is in the hall. I'm a Twins fan since day one of my life, and there's no doubt in my mind he was using, and it's why he's a dead man today.

I spent the past few days with him in Dallas. He's pure muscle now, and I know he never weighed 230 lbs because he weighs 175 now. Now I don't know whether he did or not, but just admit you pulled your assumption out of your wazoo and that will be fine and dandy.

No wazoo pulling. It's generally accepted by the people in the know that Pudge used.

Sorry if it makes you feel bad. He was a cheating sumbitch.

BTW he used to weigh around 220#.

There is little doubt that Pudge was using. Those Ranger teams of the early 90's had a high percentage of players that ended up being tied to steroid use.

The 1992-1993 Rangers had Raphael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzalez and Kevin Brown who were all on the Mitchell report and Pudge Rodriguez who was claimed by Conseco to have used and Ruben Sierra who has been alleged to have used.

Canseco is a monumental jerk, but he has been proven correct on just about everyone he named in his book as being on steroids.

Pudge was officially listed at 165 lbs in 1992.

He was officially listed at 205, just 2 years later in 1994.

40 lbs is a lot of weight to put on between the age of 20 and 22 especially with a 5'9" frame.


One of the telltale signs of the Roid users during this time was the rapid weight gain at the height of their career as opposed to late in their career.

This is true.

Just to be clear, I think Ivan Rodriguez is one of the greatest catchers in history and should be a HOF 1st ballot inductee.

I do believe he probably juiced though.

So in your world, cheating is justified.

Alleged cheating......