born november nicknamed rod retired major_league_baseball catcher career played texas_rangers different tours comprising majority career detroit_tigers new_york_yankees awarded mvp award widely regarded best defensive time won world series played world series tigers june set mlb record catching game passing career best caught stealing percentage major league catcher early years born raised father juan worked construction company mother elementary school teacher job involved delivering shopping puerto_rico learned baseball early age biggest rival played youth player moved pitcher catcher father coach thought throwing hard opposing players pitches attended rivera high school discovered scout reported showed leadership seen kids knew going signed contract texas_rangers july age began professional baseball career playing career minor leagues professional debut age catcher game hits bats playing selected best catcher league named star team placed 15th league batting led team runs batted played offseason beginning season rodriguez played games team batted bats considered number prospect middle season called texas_rangers bypassing aaa texas_rangers making debut texas_rangers june youngest player catch major league game season years age immediately established excellent hitter proficient throwing base catcher past years successful aspect game throwing attempted started rangers games end season including youngest player history texas_rangers hit home run august facing right named major_league_baseball mlb team finished fourth place rookie year voting placed throwing runners catching percent runners attempting steal started games plate youngest player major leagues second year row playing batting average playing games season batted runs batted hit home runs ranking fourth fifth fifth team respectively stretch straight hits games facing july july played final month regular season puerto rican winter league batting average runs batted named puerto rican star team league valuable player mvp led american_league batting average placed high team statistics placing second batting average tied doubles fourth hits total bases runs home runs walks games bats caught perfect game played puerto rican winter suffered severe knee injury kept playing rest season playing rangers season led team batting total bases doubles respectively named player year multi home run game playing boston_red_sox july hitting star pitcher played puerto rican offseason set mlb record doubles catcher course season broke previous mark set set major league record bats catcher single season surpassed record led texas_rangers doubles bats hits runs scored selected team played series japan japanese stars season played puerto rican season season placed categories major_league_baseball categories hits runs runs batted doubles placed second home runs cleveland indians home runs appeared cover sports_illustrated week august marked fourth time player texas_rangers cover sports_illustrated played puerto rican batting average home runs batted course games playing season led texas_rangers batting average placed eighth american_league multi hit games hits finishing seventh ninth mlb respectively finished second rangers hits total bases triples slugging percentage team doubles home runs stolen bases fourth runs batted hit game facing cleveland_indians season catcher history major_league_baseball seasons doubles selected named star teams associated_press selected american_league mvp set new american_league record home runs single season catcher home runs runs batted runs scored history major_league_baseball addition holds distinction catcher history league home runs stolen bases june career high game hitting streak stolen bases fifth history league led league times grounded double play ninth catcher history major_league_baseball win valuable player award win named ballots getting seven place votes second place votes sixth puerto rican win award fourth player texas_rangers win won silver award sixth time row selected valuable player named star teams associated_press hitting home runs wasn taking walks players active home runs season walks suffered season ending injury game anaheim angels trying throw second base thumb contact swing bat fractured right thumb underwent surgery day injury caused miss rest season appeared games fewest appeared season league home runs april matched team record shared injured named second team returned action star season selected ninth straight mlb star game tied time record set tied bench record straight row batted making seventh straight season batting average home runs hits runs batted final year texas_rangers came batting average seventh best american_league players eighth season row batting average doubles triples runs batted playing games rangers placed disabled list april suffering disk april injury require surgery playing class charlotte later returned rangers played remainder season season contract texas ran free agent season signed florida major league veteran decade helped lead young team victory world series regular season set single season records catcher batting average runs batted march tenth player hit home run team game season april set single game record drawing walks game new_york_mets game hitting streak june july batted seven doubles triples home runs june july drove run consecutive games single season record florida post season named time career closed holding ball dramatic game ending collision plate game chose return following season detroit_tigers season signed year million contract detroit_tigers selected mlb star game 11th time career 10th time starting player joining major_league_baseball start star game times career month june batted named month won 11th consecutive gold glove award making player detroit_tigers win award won won seventh career silver award tied cleveland indians fourth american_league batting average fourth major_league_baseball october recorded career rbi game prior season controversial book claimed personally injected time teammates texas_rangers denied allegations said shock claims asked reporter years later list players tested positive baseball survey testing responded god knows despite season controversy season turned year selected twelfth time career participated century home run derby day star game finishing second philadelphia_phillies home stadium end season batted home runs runs batted october major_league_baseball named catcher latino legends team returned throwing runners attempting steal base high percentage earlier career league category throwing percent runners attempting steal base played base tigers game loss baltimore_orioles time played position catcher major_league games august major_league appearance second base regular second baseman injured game boston honored fielding bible award best fielding catcher mlb help tigers upset yankees help detroit win pennant april batted runs way victory june caught hitter second hitter caught career walked percent plate appearances lowest percentage major leagues october tigers announced picking fifth year million dollar option contract keeping tigers team season team bought option million dollars allowed free agent spring training led major leagues home runs april boston got hit new_york_yankees july traded new_york_yankees relief pitcher starting yankee catcher season ending surgery wanted leave detroit tigers manager decision use rotating wound sharing catching duties yankee catcher starting remaining games season customary number having retired yankees changed jersey number finished year batting average time yankees worst season return puerto rican league preparation world baseball classic returned offseason following years absence playing gathered batting average runs batted home run games regular season leaving team vacation noted intention return action advanced playoffs returned action sudden death game final postseason space team lost eliminated january reclaimed turn special post season draft players eliminated teams selected reinforce qualified week december joined march signed year deal worth million given opportunity additional million performance bonuses situation similar tenure yankees customary number retired honor initially wore jersey number later changed number mid season hit career home run chicago cubs pitcher field june passed games caught career game team rangers arlington second stint rangers august traded texas_rangers minor league teammate switched uniform number wear previously wore rangers game rangers went rbi double singles hit home run rangers august solo shot finished season ranked major league history catcher ahead following season filed free agency declining rangers offer salary arbitration december signed year million contract hit home run member nationals facing new_york_mets field days later went drove eventual game winning rbi hitting placed day disabled list june returned time catch major_league debut debut struck batters walked seven complete innings game dubbed greatest major league pitching debuts time interview reacted impressed kid catching duties nationals world baseball classic represented puerto_rico world baseball classic major_league_baseball players committed represent organization tournament played puerto_rico world baseball classic named classic tournament team retirement announced retirement april signed day contract rangers april retiring member team rodriguez threw ceremonial pitch rangers home game new_york_yankees instead throwing ceremonial pitch mound went usual position plate threw home plate second base rodriguez inducted february joined analyst pre television coverage eligible induction argued hall fame caliber player writing batted better hits doubles home runs rbi accomplishment time hank aaron statement incorrect met far surpassed numbers incidentally year following justice publication article met criteria active players joined club hitting double justice acknowledges like bonds difficulty winning election hall_of_fame suspicion career personal life children picked 6th round mlb draft family divided time texas miami florida puerto_rico wife founded purpose help families puerto_rico dallas texas stated wish foundation charities choice year marriage ended remarried appreciation recording artist pointed world series star game
Iván Rodríguez