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| Subject: Pudge draws Marlins' interest Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:58 pm | |
| 02/05/09 4:54 PM EST Pudge draws Marlins' interest Florida reportedly a suitor for veteran catcher at right price
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
MIAMI -- For the right price, the Marlins have interest in catcher Ivan Rodriguez, a league source said on Thursday.
Cost, however, is key.
The Marlins are pretty much at their budget, in the neighborhood of $33 million. Whether the club is willing to guarantee about a $1 million contract and add incentives to the deal remains to be decided.
Internally, the organization has been weighing how heavily to pursue the veteran catcher, who was a standout on the 2003 World Series championship team.
Rodriguez finished up 2008 with the Yankees, with whom he appeared in 33 games.
Pudge broke in with the Rangers in 1991, and he signed as a free agent with Florida in 2003. In his lone season with the Marlins, he appeared in 144 games and batted .297 with 16 home runs and 85 RBIs. Rodriguez was a major contributor in Florida winning the franchise's second championship.
The 18-year veteran signed with the Tigers in 2004. Now with 2,267 big league games under his belt, his skills are naturally declining.
Rodriguez, however, is regarded as having value playing two to four times a week, the league source said. The source adds that the veteran's bat speed has slowed, and his arm is not the cannon it once was, but it is still above average.
The Marlins are prepared to go into the season with John Baker as the primary catcher. Mike Rabelo, who backed up Pudge with the Tigers, is the front-runner to be the No. 2 catcher as Spring Training approaches on Feb. 14.
Rodriguez would provide a right-handed-hitting alternative to the lefty-batting Baker.
Even if they sign Rodriguez, the Marlins still anticipate Baker receiving a great deal of playing time.
With such a young pitching staff, the Marlins would like as much experience behind the plate as possible.
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. | |
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