Free agent Rodriguez is Marlins' prized catch(er)

By Chuck Johnson, USA TODAY

MIAMI — Ivan Rodriguez didn't get the contract offers he expected last winter, but the lukewarm interest gave the Florida Marlins an opening they couldn't resist.

Few expected the cost-conscious Marlins to be playing in October, and their chances at acquiring Rodriguez seemed just as unlikely before they signed the veteran catcher to a one-year, $10 million contract as a free agent a month before spring training. ( Related item: Quality behind the plate )

"We had no idea if he would be receptive," general manager Larry Beinfest says. "But it was worth a try. We thought he'd fit right in with what we're trying to do here."

Rodriguez, a 10-time All-Star in 12 seasons with the Texas Rangers, will be a free agent again this winter. He shouldn't have any problems getting a multiyear deal this time around after what he's done in leading the Marlins into the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Rodriguez hit his second home run of the series — and third of the postseason — Sunday as the Marlins won 4-0 in Game 5. The Cubs lead the series 3-2 going into Game 6 tonight at Wrigley Field.

Aside from giving the Marlins a big bat in the middle of a potent lineup, Rodriguez, 31, has provided the young pitching staff with experienced leadership behind the plate.

"Pudge is back to his All-Star status again," Marlins manager Jack McKeon says. "I think last year was a case where maybe he had an off year, and it was due to injuries. But this year he seems completely healthy. He's playing remarkably well. And, really, in the playoffs he's been spectacular."

Cubs expressed interest

Much of the credit for the Marlins' success goes to Rodriguez, who has hit safely in all nine of the Marlins' playoff games.

The carcass of what was the San Francisco Giants' promising season lay in a heap at home plate in Game 4 of the NL Division Series as Rodriguez put the block and tag on J.T. Snow to end the best-of-five series in four games. Rodriguez's defensive play came after he jarred the ball loose on a play at the plate in the eighth inning to score the go-ahead run. He also singled and doubled, had an RBI and picked off Snow at first base.

"It was a great game," Rodriguez says. "I think it was one of the best games of my career. I've been playing great in the postseason. I'm just trying to keep doing my job and see how far we can go."

Rodriguez hit .353 (6-for-17) with one homer and six RBI in the four games against the defending league champion Giants. He has continued to be at the forefront in the NLCS, hitting .350 (7-for-20) with two home runs and eight RBI in the series. His 14 RBI is nearing the Marlins' postseason mark of 15 set in 1997 by Moises Alou, who's now with the Cubs.

Rodriguez also might have been playing this season for the Cubs, who were one of the few teams that expressed serious interest early on in signing him last winter.

"Pudge and his representative felt early on it was going to be a longer-term deal for a lot of money," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry says. "He had every right to ask for it because he's a good player. But in the end we decided it wasn't going to be conducive to invest that much and then have so many more holes to fill."

Signing Pudge 'no-brainer'

Rodriguez twisted in the wind as the market took a bad hop for him and most free agents. Teams were reluctant to add payroll in a slow economy, and another obstacle was a luxury tax that penalized the biggest-spending teams.

Some teams were curious but backed away because of concerns about the catcher's health. A herniated disk in his back forced Rodriguez to miss nearly two months early last season.

"This was the first time in my career that I was in the free agency market," Rodriguez says. "Unfortunately, it was in the wrong time, in the wrong year."

Realizing time was running short, Rodriguez eventually adjusted his insistence on a long-term contract. His thinking changed when the Marlins got involved late in the process and offered him a chance to play in Miami, where Rodriguez makes his home.

"Leaving Texas was tough because I was there my whole career," he says. "But they went in another direction, so I respect that."

It wasn't so surprising that Rodriguez would want to play for Florida as much as that the Marlins would add an expensive free agent.

"It wasn't something we had considered," Beinfest says. "We were at budget and had accomplished the things in the offseason that we wanted."

But then Beinfest and Dan Jennings, the vice president of pro scouting, were going over a list of available players.

"The immediate reaction was, 'Wow, Pudge Rodriguez is still available in the middle of January,' " Beinfest says. "I picked up the phone and called (Marlins owner) Jeffrey (Loria) and asked if he was open to us making a call (to Rodriguez's agent).

"He said yes almost immediately."

Loria, who made his fortune as an art dealer by recognizing value that others might not, figured Rodriguez was just the right piece to fill the Marlins' puzzle. He called the decision to sign Rodriguez "a no-brainer," and a deal was worked out within five days.

Rebound season in '03

Rodriguez answered questions about his health this year by hitting .297 with 16 homers and 85 RBI in 144 games, the same number of games he played in 1999 when he was the American League MVP.

He's also been a positive influence on the Marlins' young staff.

One of the memorable scenes from the NLCS is of Rodriguez, his arm around Dontrelle Willis in the dugout, moments after the rookie left-hander had been knocked around in Game 4.

"During the game, I let Pudge do what he needs to do," pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal says. "I hardly ever talk to him about something until after the game. But during the game, he's pretty much the general out there."

Rodriguez, who hired Scott Boras as his new agent, doesn't know if the Marlins will try to retain him. Given the team's payroll of $48 million, about one-third the amount of the New York Yankees, the Marlins still might not be able to keep him despite the added revenue from making the playoffs.

The Marlins are non-committal about whether they'll make a pitch to keep Rodriguez.

"I would like to stay here," Rodriguez says, "but I don't know what's going to happen. I hope things are better this winter in the free agent market, but that's really not in my thoughts. I'm just concentrating on baseball and winning right now."

Quality behind the plate

Posted 10/13/2003 11:40 PM