Pudge, all-time favorite

I am thrilled to learn of the trade between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers involving Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. I saw Rodriguez play live for the Rangers in the very first Major League Baseball game I ever attended in 1992, and he has long been my all-time favorite baseball player. He played 12 seasons with the Rangers which is a very long time in MLB terms and I believe is the best catcher of all time (if you have an alternate opinion, you had better come strong with your argument). He belongs with the Rangers for the close of his excellent career, and frankly, Texas needs him right now. They have been weak at catcher even when their top guy has been healthy, and he is not healthy. Texas is in position to make a run in the playoffs and Pudge will be an asset.

After Pudge and Nolan Ryan and Juan Gonzalez and Raphael Palmeiro and Will Clark and Jose Canseco and Julio Franco and Ruben Sierra et al moved on, I stopped paying attention to the Rangers and the MLB. But periodically, I'd check in on my favorite guys and the Rangers to see if anything interesting was going on. For instance, I stayed in tune with the fact that Pudge was winning Gold Gloves and MVP honors.

And recently, I jumped back into MLB interest with both feet by joining a fantasy league with some friends. So I am even more interested in the goings on of my old favorite team and my all time favorite player. Cheers to the Rangers and to Pudge, great decisions, good luck.