Can Pudge Be MVP?

The talk of Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez capturing the Most Valuable Player award is heating up.  I've heard some of the national media guys say Rodriguez is probably in the top three American League MVP candidates right now.  Two local writers discussed the Tigers' catcher this week.  Jim Hawkins at the Daily Oakland Press and Gene Guidi the Free Press beat writer both shed light on Pudge's season. 

I have to admit that I was never much of a Rodriguez fan before his arrival in Detroit.  I didn't dislike the guy, but I had no idea what a force his presence is.  Since the first day of Spring Training, Pudge has literally led the team.  He does it with his bat, his glove and his attitude.  He shows up early, stays late.  His workout regime is unlike that of anyone else on the team.  He talks of the playoffs.  He hits.  And hits.  And hits.  He sells tickets.  He has awakened an apathetic fan base.  Basically, Rodriguez does what every fan expects a man making ten million dollars a season to do. 

Rodriguez has been a revelation to a town starving for some good news from Comerica Park and he has completely floored me.  If Rodriguez can play at 80% of this level, maybe even 75%, over the course of his four year deal, Rodriguez will be a Tiger legend.  I don't say that lightly.  This is the team of Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, Harry Heilmann, Mickey Cochrane, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg and Al Kaline. 

Just based on Pudge's play over the first half of 2004, he is probably the best player to wear the Old English D since Kaline patrolled rightfield at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.  Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish, Cecil Fielder were all good.  The first four are, at worst, borderline Hall of Famers.  There has been nothing borderline about Rodriguez in this campaign.

A year ago, the Tigers were well on their way to becoming the worst team in American League history.  Today, they have already eclipsed their win total from '03 and harbor playoff ambitions.  Rodriguez has not done it alone, Carlos Guillen, Rondell White, Jason Johnson and others merit much of that credit, as well, but Pudge has been the centerpiece for the Tigers' rebound.  Hopefully, Rodriguez' ability to led an entire organization out of the worst decade in their over one hundred year history should give him some extra credit.  It should.