Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez had a CANNON of an arm! One of the best catchers ever

Watch Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez throw out base runners with his rocket of an arm. Pudge is one of the best defensive catchers of all-time, taking home an outstanding 13(!) Gold Glove awards.
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[@nattyps3160]

I think his most spectacular pick off was from his knees getting posada out on a strike out throw out.

[@pika62221]

Posada wasn't a fast runner, it's like throwing out Pujols, anyone could get him!

[@stevespin2384]

The Posada out was insane: on his knees, over the batter and the absolute perfect throw for the tag. Wow.

[@TestSubj3ct9]

I replayed that at least 10 times, absolutely insane

[@chrisphillips348]

You can not improve that 1 @ all!

[@josephsaez590]

@steve I legit just laughed so hard, tears came out. Forgot this even happened

[@pika62221]

It was also Posada, it's like celebrating throwing out Pujols trying to steal.

[@stevespin2384]

@@pika62221 you clearly don't know baseball if you don't appreciate that throw, even the analys does. keep watchin football

[@ericsigersmith2831]

In 2003 one year and a ten million dollar contract worked out pretty good for the marlins lmao

[@sluggerr]

he was so clutch

[@mosesmartinez4364]

THE BEST CATCHER EVER

[@yusufabdullah5008]

ROIDS

[@TheDtruth29]

@@yusufabdullah5008 Roids don't give you talentented and after the Roids he still managed to hit almost 3000 hits, catched everyday, and still was putting runners out

[@TheDtruth29]

and he made a different to every team he played with

[@danacoleman4007]

I hate to say it but that title belongs to Johnny bench

[@mosesmartinez4364]

@@danacoleman4007 IN YOUR DREAMS

[@EvanMurphyCapstone]

Texas here- so much love for PUdge!!!!!!!!! was up in arms when Rangers opted for A Rod and lost our hero! Was so glad to see him get his World series with the Marlins .....Just an awesome player ! Deserved his HOF and every accolade!

[@cmac7384]

I loved watching pudge throw. Like a damn lazer.

[@maatkheru1042]

Put more focus on Pudges throws to 1st base! What he was the greatest at was his pickoff throws to first….

[@CyberSamurai84]

Pudge was a damn badass!

[@marcusrios8517]

Savage. Love the way he just winked like "that's right buddy."

[@ruxp12]

Dude also almost had 3000 hits. No idea why people think yadier molina is so great. Hes a poor mans version of pudge and like a really poor mans version. Dude shouldnt even be in the same sentence

[@emmanueldejesusperez7007]

Bro Yadi is great the thing is that Pudge is the greatest ever that’s the difference!

[@anthonysalvatore9318]

I saw him play many times in Detroit my favorite tiger of all time

[@ericsigersmith2831]

Signing him changed their culture

[@paintedwarrior516]

No Detroit highlights? Seriously?

[@eddierivera1860]

The best defensive catcher I've ever seen❤

[@johnrogers9065]

THE best catcher ever

[@keithsowder4308]

Pudge was incredible ! But 2nd all - time defensively to Bench. Bench revolutionized the position and to this day had the best arm of any Catcher I have ever seen, but Ivan is a CLOSE second. I saw Bench make a play against the Cubs that was unreal. Reds were at Wrigley which at that time had an acre ( 55 feet ) of foul room between the plate and the screen. Bobby Murcer was on 1st for Cubs, 1 out. The Batter hits a foul pop towards the back screen...Bench flips off the mask and goes after it, Bench plants his right foot onto the screen and pushes up to get to the ball before it hits the screen. Murcer tags up. Bench has to throw this ball 185 feet, Murcer ( who could run ) has to run 90 feet. In one motion Bench grabs the foul pop, pivots pushing off the back wall with his right foot...and delivered a STRIKE to the SS covering 2nd....Murcer was out by 15 feet...he just stared at Bench incredulously shaking his head !

[@chadnoswal9243]

At 3:25, before the ball even gets to Pudge’s glove, he’s already getting set to fire it to second. It’s almost like he’s trying to hurry the pitch to his glove, so he can send it. What a legend.

[@chrisphillips348]

Pudge’s arm was RIDULOUSLY superior!

[@8kigana]

Before Y. Molina there was Pudge, that dude was a catcher with a bazooka arm.

[@aaroncostello8812]

It wasn't just how hard he threw. It was also his pop time and his accuracy. Doesn't do any good to rifle a ball into center field. 😂😂

[@danacoleman4007]

Some great stuff here but completely blocking the bag is a b******* move. That should get a guy punched.

[@CalebsCars]

You sound like your dad left and never came back

[@drewstice992]

Steroids steroids steroids! You can’t be considered one of the best when you cheat

[@7srchoed]

How is it legal to block the base? If he was standing, blocking the base path it would be interference, but if he blocks the base path right in front of the base then it’s fine. That makes no sense.

[@eljoelo2459]

If the player is in position to catch a throw it is not considered interference. If the player is just standing there then it is.

[@Mr16emmanuel]

It was before. They changed the rules

[@CalebsCars]

Those were the rules when baseball was great, you could block the plate, the bag, etc.

[@ALLGRIT_DETROITLIONS]

Pudge is a BEAST

[@leorc564]

Excelente, HOF!! potencia y puntería al lanzar a las bases!!

[@theinfamousone1208]

Nasty cannon Minister of Defense!!

[@abcowan]

Not taking anything away from Pudge, but Griffey was safe

[@omegamanGXE]

Griffey tested positive for ligma

[@jairmorales2462]

Sorry, I have to disagree the tag was there by a millisecond before Griffey got to the bag

[@CalvinHikes]

Cool but some of those runners were safe.

[@BigKy-Mart]

This is funny as a highlight reel ... because 2 of 3 in that Nats highlight would've been safe.

[@bradbradshaw-i4n]

nobody talks about his steroid use. when his name was mentioned in steroid use he left the detroit tigers all of a sudden and when he came back he was a lot lighter.

[@philb.1502]

Pudge got voted into the HOF when he was a known steroid user..If he got voted in, then vote all of the steroid guys in.

[@getreal1175]

@3:54, today that is obstruction! Then it was just good baseball

[@charlesbird781]

1:53 That is an absolutely wicked throw!

[@MyParis2008]

Not one of the best, THE BEST!!

[@jockoadams3377]

Aaron Boone was practically interfering (may have been called if he blocked the throw) but Rodriguez still manages to get off a perfect strike to get Posada.

[@ibuprofenPill]

I remember when he picked Nick Johnson off third, that was in the World Series.

[@kcooke00]

He was The Man! I loved watching this guy! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@QuarterlyNewsCrew]

Pudge and Tatis were my favorite rangers to watch.

[@whoischris28]

Pudge is my top 3 favorite with Yadi and Varitek

[@TPTGopher]

My favorite Pudge stat: he caught the last (Nolan Ryan) and first (Stephen Strasburg) pitches of pitchers who won World Series games 50 years apart.

[@JonahLoeb]

nolan ryan never won a world series game but this is still extremely cool

[@Pwnzistor]

He did pitch for the Mets in 1969 but not get a win. He only appeared out of the bullpen for 2.1 innings.

[@danacoleman4007]

That is an interesting stat. Especially since it's complete nonsense.

[@billymadison8036]

GOAT

[@josephhensley3634]

I'll never forget when I was a kid, the times my and dad went to see the rangers in arlington and it was a sight to behold seeing pudge pop squat and arm Canon to second base to get the base stealer out. He was phenomenal

[@CalebsCars]

Baseball back then was so much better than now

[@aloysiusdevadander19]

Best catcher ever

[@doriona.1093]

He was insane!

[@LeoWhalen1933]

1:24 did not happen. I dont care that it is on video. No way that was real.

[@nattyps3160]

Yea that was the most spectacular pick off I've ever seen from his knees a perfect throw right there. That was sick.

[@junserafin5241]

Posada was laying back never though he could make that throw (catcher himself). As soon as he threw it he knew Posada was out- saw him look away into the dugout. Didn't even have to watch Posada get tagged out. First time I saw anyone dominate from a catchers position. Kind of like Hextall (a goalie) in hockey.

[@tornadotom2390]

R O I D S

[@reybat4969]

Prove it

[@charleynewman4783]

Prove it hater

[@texasrangers4]

1st

[@江維翰]

Nolan Ryan^^

[@michaelatwood5428]

Johnny Bench is the best catcher ever.

[@SyndicateSuperman]

Johnny Bench was a fantastic catcher but he was superior to Pudge in hitting only. It took time but Pudge developed into a steady hitter that got on base and had the ability to drive the ball into the gap and bring runners home. Great glove, arm, pitch framing and instincts you can't teach. Being second to Pudge all time isn't a bad thing.

[@luishumbertovega3900]

​@@SyndicateSuperman Also, Pudge had better batting average, .296 vs .267.

[@omegamanGXE]

Benny Jonch

[@ericwilliams398]

2:25 right call?

[@DarrylBarnes]

Best I ever saw

[@JoshGibson-fb7mf]

The best homosexual mlb catcher ever