[uvaspina]

defensively: benny is up there, so was charles johnson (if we are gonna talk about defensively underrated)

all-time? id give it to ivan rodriguez for defense, and a lot of that has to do with how good he was for how long. really kind of incredible

As a Tigers fan, I liked pudge and appreciate what he did and meant to our franchise. He was definitely the catalyst behind the Tigers recent rise to respectability. Although I never subscribed to the belief, there were always loud whispers that he was overrated defensively and sacrificed a lot of game-calling aspects of the game to boost his CS numbers. (eg., with 2 strikes and a runner on, he didn't like calling for offspeed pitches.) Maybe that was only the case in his later years as he had to "cheat" a little to keep his percentages up. Hard to argue with the fact that he was one of the best all-around catchers ever.

-Also, although the Tigers kept it relatively quiet, he was involved in some clubhouse turmoil in his last season in Detroit. It seems weird that he had to bounce around his last few years. As a fan, I thought he had something left to give the Tigers, but apparently the ones who mattered thought differently. It's not like the Tigers had someone waiting in the wings either. (Laird?)

[stera8]

Ivan was awesome defensively. Even in his later years you couldn't run all over him..


Hitter wise... josh Gibson

[coimbre 21]

Bench . . . he completely changed catching from two handed style to one . . . Offensively he ranks with the best and could have been better longer term had doctors not sawed through his sternum to remove a tumor. That changed his hitting. Probably the best field leader of all time, no one directed the defense and pitchers as well as Bench, though Pudge Rodriguez was close. Bench had an absolute cannon for an arm and also improved the way catchers unloaded the ball to throw out a runner. He was an innovator and that sets him apart.

As for Benito, I am pretty sure I played against him in little league when I lived in Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1975. Great defensive catcher and decent hitter in the majors, but not near the top as far as offensive catchers go. Unfortunately he's another player tainted by PEDs towards the end of his career.

My qualifier here is that I never got to see Berra, Dickey, Hartnett, Campanella, and others from past eras catch.

[cweiland]

I would say #1. Ivan Rodriguez, #2. Johnny Bench and #3. Yogi Berra. Also none too shabby in his hey day was Joe Torre.

[kstjst]

very hard to say...it's like the age old comparison as to who was the best basketball player? you can't compare different eras. i honestly cannot comment on the likes of yogi as i've never seen him play. bench or the original pudge...i caught only the tail end of their careers.

what i have seen is santiago throw a guy out at second from his knees. i've seen the newer pudge flip a ball to first base to pick off a runner...from his knees. so if you have to base it on all around stats...pudge gets my vote...he hit for average (earlier in his career) and for power...played more...and had a cannon of an arm.

[nolan5000]

As a Tigers fan, I liked pudge and appreciate what he did and meant to our franchise. He was definitely the catalyst behind the Tigers recent rise to respectability. Although I never subscribed to the belief, there were always loud whispers that he was overrated defensively and sacrificed a lot of game-calling aspects of the game to boost his CS numbers. (eg., with 2 strikes and a runner on, he didn't like calling for offspeed pitches.) Maybe that was only the case in his later years as he had to "cheat" a little to keep his percentages up. Hard to argue with the fact that he was one of the best all-around catchers ever.

-Also, although the Tigers kept it relatively quiet, he was involved in some clubhouse turmoil in his last season in Detroit. It seems weird that he had to bounce around his last few years. As a fan, I thought he had something left to give the Tigers, but apparently the ones who mattered thought differently. It's not like the Tigers had someone waiting in the wings either. (Laird?)

I didn't know Ivan "Pudge" played for the Tigers.

[djohn]

I didn't know Ivan "Pudge" played for the Tigers.

He also played for the Marlins, Astros, Yankees, Nationals, and of course the Rangers.

[nolan5000]

He also played for the Marlins, Astros, Yankees, Nationals, and of course the Rangers.

Yeah, I know he played for my Rangers and the Astros. But a major bummer that he played for all those other teams. He's tainted now.

[jmc855]

Bench and Fisk tie and Ivan second until we see where Molinas career ends up

[lefou66]

1- Johnny Bench 2- Gary Carter