With 14 All-Star appearances, 13 Gold Gloves, a Most Valuable Player Award, and, of course, a World Series ring, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez has more than earned his spot in Cooperstown as one of the best Major League catchers of all time. In They Call Me Pudge , Rodriguez tells the story of his unforgettable baseball journey, from signing his first professional contract as a 16 year-old in Puerto Rico, to his years in Texas, Detroit, and beyond, to the World Series stage in Miami, and behind the doors of the Texas Rangers front office. Rodriguez's accomplishments, his teammates, and his biggest challenges all receive time in the spotlight in this refreshing memoir of a life and Hall-of-Fame career. Widely regarded as one of baseball's all-time great defensive catchers, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals during his 20-year Hall-of-Fame playing career. He was named the American League MVP in 1999 and won a World Series championship with the Florida Marlins in 2003. The 14-time all-star and 13-time Gold Glove winner was born and raised in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, and he now serves as special assistant to the general manager for the Texas Rangers. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 2017.   Jeff Sullivan is a columnist and feature writer for the Dallas Cowboys as well as the editorial director at Panini America. His first book, America's Team: The Official History of the Dallas Cowboys , was published in 2010. He lives in Arlington, Texas.    The all-time leader in strikeouts and no-hitters, Nolan Ryan pitched in the major leagues from 1966 to 1993 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.   Jim Leyland managed the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies, and Tigers. They Call Me Pudge My Life Playing the Game I Love By Ivan Rodriguez Triumph Books LLC Copyright © 2017 Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Sullivan All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-62937-394-2 Contents Foreword by Nolan Ryan, Foreword by Jim Leyland, 1. Hall of Fame and Clearing the Air, 2. More Than a Pastime, 3. Living the Baseball Life, 4. Bound for the Big Leagues, 5. Breaking In, 6. Behind the Plate, 7. The MVP, 8. A-Rod and the Departure, 9. Forever a Champion, 10. A New Home, 11. Umpires and the Empire City, 12. A Return to the Lone Star State, 13. Retirement, 14. All-Star Games, 15. A Catcher's Legacy, Appendix, Acknowledgments, Photo Gallery, CHAPTER 1 Hall of Fame and Clearing the Air The days before the Hall of Fame results were announced on January 18, 2017, I was a mess. I'm pretty sure that's the most nervous I have ever been in my life. I was barely sleeping. I've never been much of a drinker, but I had a few those nights. I knew the vote was going to be close — someone told me the night before that mine could very well be the closest vote ever. This was my first time on the ballot. Some didn't see the big deal of being selected the first time around, but for me it was incredibly important. There was a lot of praying those days before the announcement. My wife, Patricia, stayed with me almost every moment. As always, she was my spiritual guide when I needed her most. We stayed up late, which I have always been guilty of, even as a kid. The only difference was that I wasn't really going to sleep when the sun came up. The more stressed I became, Patricia would pray more and more. First, since I was seven years old, my goal has been to enter the Hall of Fame. There were obviously other goals — daily, seasonal, long-term — but first and foremost, nothing drove me more than wanting to be a Hall of Famer. To me that's the ultimate. That's everything; that's how we as athletes, as baseball players, are validated. Also, my favorite player, my hero really, growing up was Johnny Bench. I wanted to do everything like him. And he was the only catcher to ever be elected on the first ballot. Well, just because I'm not a kid anymore doesn't mean I stopped wanting to do everything like Johnny Bench. I wanted to join him in being elected the first time around. I wanted to have that honor. I wanted to stand on that stage in Cooperstown with him as equals. In fact, nothing made me happier in the days leading up to the vote when I saw some comments from Bench in The Dallas Morning News, saying: "He should be a lock. As complete a catcher as I've ever seen. He was intimidating behind the plate, a real solid hitter and incredibly durable. He is everything you'd hope for at the position." Told that I had caught 20,000 innings, more than any other catcher and 650 more games than him, Bench said, "Those are crazy numbers. I had 17 broken bones in my body. I got to a point where I simply couldn't physically do it anymore. He kept doing it — and at a high level — for much longer. For him to endure the beating he took back there and keep playing, those numbers alone show that he belongs