Former National Ivan Rodriguez Could Coach Someday

It’s no secret that the catcher position is one of the more challenging spots on any roster. Catchers take the most wear and tear on their bodies having to be behind the plate day in and day out. But catchers are also arguably more directly involved, calling pitches and helping affect nearly every moment of each game. It’s why so many great catchers have gone on to great coaching and managerial careers. Just look at examples like Mike Scioscia, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Tony Pena, Bruce Bochy, and others.

Ivan Rodriguez could someday join that list.

Rodriguez recently sat down with Josiah Schlatter of NBC Sports, mostly to discuss what he’s been up to since retiring from Major League Baseball and some of the highlights from his Hall of Fame career. One of the questions that came up pertained to Rodriguez’s future and whether the game of baseball would play a prominent role – specifically, whether he’d consider a managerial or coaching role in that future:

"That’s something I could try. I might do it later on. It’s too early right now, but it’s something that could really interest me down the road."

Known as one of the greatest defensive catchers in baseball history and arguably one of the best offensive threats behind the plate, Rodriguez spent 21 years in the Major Leagues, finishing with a career batting line of .296/.334/.464 in over 10,000 plate appearances. He added 311 HR, 14 All Star Game appearances, 13 Gold Glove Awards, an MVP Award (in 1999), and a World Series (2003 with Florida).

The former National (he spent the final two seasons of his career in Washington, batting .255/.291/.341 in 558 plate appearances) has the on field credentials, there’s no denying that, but it could all boil down to whether he has the desire one day to get back in the dugout.