MLB WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS

October 27, 2023

Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. What would it mean to you to see these players win a World Series championship in a Rangers uniform? And having won a championship after you left, what would your advice be to handle this?

IVÁN "PUDGE" RODRÍGUEZ: I think it's going to be awesome. It's going to be great. I'm going to be very happy. Obviously this is an organization that I grew up, since 1988, '89, something like that, and to see the development and the growth and the ballpark change and all this stuff happening in this organization has been amazing.

Seeing these kids now at this level and seeing four more games left to have that trophy in their hands is awesome. I feel like I'm part of it even though I'm not a player. I'm not there.

I'm outside as a fan and work for the Rangers, but we all feel the same. We all feel like this is the year. The year I think is now. I think this group of kids are playing the game the right way -- offensively, defensively, pitching, fielding the ball -- you name it, they're doing a great job. And so far they have been playing a great postseason, and I think that's the key.

So I think for me -- and I think Bochy's message to his team is just to keep doing what they're doing; don't make mistakes; don't do anything on the field to give the other team an extra out. And if you do that, we're going to be okay.

Q. You mentioned that you felt like this was the year. Was there any specific moment in this season or before the season where you thought to yourself, hey, this team is special, you see something in them?

IVÁN "PUDGE" RODRÍGUEZ: We've seen that since Spring Training. When we signed the boss, Bochy on the team, right out of the gate, I said we're going to be good. I don't think there's nothing better than to have Bruce Bochy as a manager.

The guy is like a player. He supports the culture, supports the teams, supports the players and never give up. And obviously when you start with that court and follow with the coaching staff and with the players, obviously good things are going to happen.

And that's what we've been seeing all year-round. The way that these kids are playing, these players are playing, for 162 games, and we all see it. I've seen it, you see it, everybody in this room see the ups and downs we had this year injury-wise and struggling, losing games, two-week losing streak.

But then we came back and come back to the level that we can play. And that's a good thing that it's all about. When you get out of those slumps quickly and you go back to the level that you can play and win, that's where you win games and that's why you're here.

And the playoff, what can I tell you about the playoffs that we have? Beat great teams. Go to Tampa and beat them, sweep them. And then play Houston and win four games in Houston. That's what amazed me the most. When you go there and win in Houston, beat that team four games in their home is amazing. So that tells you how good of a team we have.

Q. You played for some very good teams in the late '90s, mid to late '90s here, but couldn't quite advance in the playoffs. Would winning a championship now, being part of the organization, be kind of like finishing some unfinished business for you as a Texas ranger?

IVÁN "PUDGE" RODRÍGUEZ: Absolutely, yes, absolutely yes. Winning this year the World Series, for the Texas Rangers, I would be very happy for that.

I always want to see the Texas Rangers organization win a trophy. And I think we are there. So four games that we've got to play. It's not easy to win four games in the World Series. It's a different ball game. It's a different baseball.

But obviously we have the team to win. We have the pitching to win. We have the position players to win. We have the offense to win. And so we have the manager to win.

And so I think we have all the tools to finally accomplish what we want. For so many years we've been very close, like you say. I've been in three playoffs. Unfortunately we got eliminated in three games by the Yankees back in my days.

Later on, the Rangers almost win one, lost with St. Louis. But that's in the past.

This year is another year. This year is a team that I think, God willing, they go all the way to the end. But they've got to keep doing what they're doing.

Q. What impresses you the most about how Jonah Heim has developed himself into a really good catcher?

IVÁN "PUDGE" RODRÍGUEZ: Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Great job. Incredible, obviously, offensively and defensively. For me, I know that he's a great hitter, both sides of the plate.

But the game that I love him the most is behind the plate. The way he's calling games. The way he's blocking balls. The way he's throwing balls. The way that he anticipates the game.

They don't teach that. That comes natural. He has that. He knows situations. He knows when the situation is coming. He's ready for it as a catcher, and he's doing an excellent job.

And I'm going to be very honest with you, you know, sometimes the position of catching is the most underdog in the game of baseball. And I think that's the most important one. And he's doing a great job because one of the reasons that I think the Rangers are where we are is because of the job that he's doing behind the plate.

When you see a guy with runners on third base, when the game is on the line, and he blocks a great ball and the ball stays in front. And then we strike out the guy and then Garcia came and hit a home run.

For me, the MVP is Jonah. You know, him, right? Because if he doesn't do that, Garcia wasn't able to hit the home run. So those are the little things in baseball that a lot of people don't see, especially in the defensive part of the game. And he does that very well.

Q. Do you have any advice for President Bush throwing out the first pitch tonight?

IVÁN "PUDGE" RODRÍGUEZ: Don't bounce it. (Laughter).