Rodriguez has Tigers in the hunt
Ivan Rodriguez hit .500 in June and started Tuesday with a .377 average, easily the best in the major leagues.
He was voted to the All-Star game for the 11th time and is the man most responsible for the transformation of the Detroit Tigers from a record-setting loser and perennial doormat to a team in the middle of the pack in the A.L. Central.
“I’m very happy and pleased with the season,” he said. “We’re playing great baseball. We just have to keep playing.”
The Tigers showed a lot of faith in Rodriguez when they gave him a $40 million, four-year contract in February.
The star catcher has been worth every penny.
“I played with Vladimir Guerrero and Sammy Sosa,” teammate Rondell White said. “And I’ve seen Bernie Williams get as hot as anybody, but what Pudge is doing is unbelievable.”
Many thought the same of Rodriguez’s decision to sign with the Tigers this offseason after being the MVP of the N.L. Championship Series and helping the Florida Marlins win the World Series last season.
Detroit lost an A.L.-record 119 games last year — one short of the modern-day record set by the 1962 New York Mets — and hasn’t had a winning record since 1993.
But Rodriguez focused on the positive things about the once-proud franchise, which has produced numerous Hall of Famers and won four World Series in nine appearances since 1901.
Granted, the Tigers offered the 32-year-old catcher more money than any other team was prepared to. But Rodriguez’s performance thus far has justified the team’s confidence.
After the misery of last season, Detroit now has a chance in every game — thanks in no small part to Rodriguez’s bat, 10-time Gold Glove arm and fiery leadership.
“We are doing pretty good,” he said.
Through Monday, the Tigers had 37 wins. They had 43 all of last season.
Manager Alan Trammell said Rodriguez, the A.L. player of the month for June, deserves a lot of credit.
“He’s an elite player who continues to amaze even myself,” he said.
Reeling Red Sox need a pitcher
It isn’t tough to figure out how to fix the Boston Red Sox — acquire another quality starting pitcher.
Now.
When Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling start, Boston is 23-11. When anyone else starts, the reeling Red Sox are 20-26, a big reason Boston began Monday 7 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the A.L. East.
“Every team is looking for starting pitchers,” Boston general manager Theo Epstein said Sunday after Derek Lowe wasted a 4-0 lead in a 10-4 loss to the Braves.
While Schilling is 11-4 with a 3.08 ERA in his first season with the Red Sox and Martinez is 8-3 with a 3.74 ERA, it gets pretty ugly after that. The rest of the rotation includes Tim Wakefield (3-4, 4.27), Bronson Arroyo (2-7 — including 0-6 since May 15 — 4.50) and Lowe (6-8, 6.02).
Nevin has knee surgery
San Diego Padres slugger Phil Nevin was in a surprisingly decent mood following arthroscopic surgery that could sideline him for up to three weeks.
“I feel 100 percent better today than I did when I left yesterday just because it was locked yesterday,” Nevin said. “It’s just amazing what they can do now.”
Nevin was hurt breaking out of the batter’s box after hitting a single in Sunday’s 7-1 win over Kansas City. Doctors shaved a loose flap off the articular cartilage and smoothed fraying of his meniscus.
Clearing the bases
Melvin Mora was placed on 15-day disabled list by the Baltimore Orioles, who figured the third baseman needed at least two weeks to recover from a hamstring injury. … The Cleveland Indians activated outfielder Ryan Ludwick and catcher Josh Bard from the DL and optioned them to Triple-A Buffalo.