This report that Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez is returning to the Texas Rangers is a shot of fresh air to this ornery old boycotter.
See, I swore off the team after the Rangers dumped Pudge in 2002. He was their hardest worker at the time, the best catcher in baseball, a loyal, solid guy who stayed out of trouble and did his job without complaining. He wasn’t asking for Fort Knox after his contract ran out in 2002. He was willing to give his hometown team a little bit of a discount to keep him around.
But the Rangers let him go and then turned around and signed the biggest sandbagger around, Juan Gonzalez.
In 2003, the Rangers sucked. Meanwhile, Pudge won a World Series that year, so justice triumphed after all.
Now, I’m willing to exorcise my bitter demons, bury the hatchet, and cheer for my hometown team again.
I too bailed on the Rangers after they screwed Pudge. I’ve refused to be sucked into their vortex of fail ever since. Now, they turn around and finally do something right. Pudge belongs in Arlington.
Welcome home Pudge!!!