Pudge To Retire

[BGIF]

Pudge, one of the greatest ever, wanted to play forever - CBSSports

By Jon Heyman
4/18

If you have to ask you're not a baseball fan.

Pudge made 14 All-Star teams. That's one fewer than Yogi Berra for most ever by a catcher and the same number as Johnny Bench. He won 13 Gold Glove awards, which is one more than Bench.

He finished with 2,844 hits, the most ever for a catcher. He scored 1,354 runs and knocked in 1,332 runs. His game was about more than offensive numbers, of course. He was the prototype defensive catcher with a gun of an arm. Basestealers just didn't run on him. As good as Yadier Molina was, Rodriguez was even a bit better in his prime. The arm was a gift from God.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I thought Carlton Fisk retired back in '93?!?

*"Pudge Imposter" probably could have played forever. The steroids kept him in great shape.....

 

[johnnykillz]

I'll never forget Pudge gunning down runners...

Laser cannon of an arm.

I'm on the iPad, some can't embed a YouTube video. But someone, if given the opportunity, should try to find a montage of Pudge gunning down base runners...

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_c5LUIY9HGY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

When I lived in Dallas, he was still with the rangers. He was not popular around town for his personality, but he could ball.

 

[ClausentoTate]

Pudge was pretty popular in Dallas from what I remember. When he left he put out a full-page article thanking the community for their support and as far as I know his multiple charities are still in existence today. I was younger when I saw him play, however, so maybe I missed some tension...

I love Pudge. Him, Juan Gonzalez, Dean Palmer (once tried to buy my parents' house) and Rusty Greer (have a signed foul ball of his) were the guys I grew up imitating. They were all legends, to me anyway. I still remember watching Johnny Oats, playing in Dr. Pepper Park and getting to meet some of the players after winning our LL playoffs one year. Bleacher seats were $6 (and no longer exist). I also distinctly remember picnics in the park, multiple birthdays, fireworks on the old stadium grounds every 4th of July and hoping someone would hit the 500ft homerun "Free Suit" advertisement in right field. Great memories, it really makes me miss DFW.

I'm really glad that Pudge eventually got his championship and that he played the last few years on the Nats, so I got to see him a few times after I moved to DC.

How many Golden Gloves did this guy end up with? It's gotta be over 10. Edit: Just read it was 13.