October 26, 2003
Deserving Players
Two players I'm very happy for are Ivan Rodriguez (Everybody's Rod) and Mike Lowell. Ivan came up the majors at the age of 19 and immediately impressed everyone with his tremendous throwing arm. As the years went by, he developed into one of the best hitting catchers of all time as well. I-Rod thinks this is only the beginning for this team:
Maybe the Marlins could be more than just a one-year wonder. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez would love to see ownership keep the team intact.
"We have very good players in this clubhouse, and I think if this team stays together the way it is, I think they can be like the Yankees, they can win pretty much every year in the playoffs and win more World Series," Rodriguez said.
"I think this team right now is the thing that a lot of teams want to have, a team that can do everything: guys that can bunt, good pitching, guys that can move the guy over, power in the middle of the lineup," Rodriguez said. "I think overall, this team has all that, and if you have a team like this, you should keep this team for two or three or four years."
Cabrera, just based on his age, is likely to develop into a great hitter. Beckett and Cabrera gives a team a great base to build around.
Mike Lowell came up with the Yankees, but was never given a chance to develop. He survived cancer, and has developed into a good hitter, a better hitter than Brosius was with the Yankees from 1999-2001. This has to be sweet for him. It was very sweet for his father.