Pudge, Texas Ranger

As I was watching the Tigers completely destroy the Oakland A’s in the ALCS (thus confirming for all interested that I have a singular talent for picking the losers), I found myself reminded. A couple of years ago, we watched a scrappy team, largely of unknowns, guided by a crusty, old-school manager, come out of nowhere and dominate on their way to a highly improbably World Series.

Do these Tigers remind anyone else of the 2003 Marlins? They had very solid pitching and just enough hitting to get the job done. Say, who was that pitcher that shut down the Yankees to win the Series? Boy, the Sox could sure use a pitcher of that quality.

The other thing that I noticed was the kid behind the plate. Pudge Rodriguez, the erstwhile Texas Ranger, was on that 2003 Marlins team. And here he is, front and center, leading the 2006 Detroit Tigers. That’s interesting, isn’t it? He had never really been regarded as much of a leader- let alone a decent handler of a pitching staff, but he’s certainly seemed to have cemented his first-ballot hall-of-fame status with his participation on his second World Series team in four years.

That brings up an interesting question that had been bugging me for a while. Assuming the Tigers win (which is not a given just yet, obviously), Pudge will have two series rings with teams other than the one whose cap he’ll probably wear in the Hall of Fame. He’ll probably go in as a Ranger. I wonder how much sense the logo-cap makes anymore in the Hall of Fame. Dave Winfield went in as a Padre, but I would guess most people outside of San Diego think of him as a Yankee. Gary Carter went in as an Expo, but he himself, and many others think of him as a Met. Reggie Jackson went in as a Yankee, despite spending nearly twice as long with the Oakland A’s. Carleton Fisk went in with a Red Sox cap, despite his longer career with the White Sox (I think that was the right decision, of course).

I know the Hall of Fame makes these decisions based on their impact, and for “historical archival” purposes, which is fine. They don’t really consider the player’s preference, which is fine. But why do it at all? Especially now, in the age of mega-free-agency. If Alex Rodriguez gets traded, to, say, the Cubs (good to see you again, Lou!) and spends four or five years there, then maybe his final three years with someone else, whose hat would you put on his head? The Yankees? The Mariners? The Rangers? Who does he represent? In a couple of years, when Roberto Alomar makes the Hall, whose hat will he wear? I guess the Orioles, or maybe the Blue Jays. But it could also pretty easily be the Indians.

I think that the Hall did the right thing with Catfish Hunter. He would be a really hard choice between the Yankees and the A’s- that’s a debate for true sports nerds. So they just left the logo off. Check out his hall-of-fame plaque. It’s got a blank cap. I think they should do this more often, except in cases like Robin Yount, George Brett, and Tony Gwynn. Unless a guy can be only identified with one team, just leave the hat blank and make note of the teams in the text. Or add the logos down at the bottom, all lined up. Otherwise, you’re just, in a minor way, cheating the memory of those fans in the other cities. I’m sure the Blue Jays fans have fond memories of Paul Molitor and the two World Series rings he helped them win. We Brewers fans wouldn’t begrudge them those memories, nor would we freely give up that hat.