Ivan Rodriguez endured an onslaught of criticism this offseason when he opted to play for the Detroit Tigers rather than returning to the Florida Marlins or seeking a smaller contract with another contender.

Sports writers and reporters everywhere accused Rodriguez of selling out for the big money with no consideration of success on the field or the impact playing on a losing team would have on his legacy. Even his former manager, Jack McKeon, commented that the 32 year old catcher could be torpedoing his chance to pursue entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame by joining the lowly Tigers. As of now, it appears Rodriguez knew exactly what he was getting into.

A .370 batting average and Detroit