Ivan Rodriguez Photomatch help!!

[spartakid]

Hello- I was thinking about bidding on this bat, but I can't find any pics of Ivan using it. It has an MLB holo that says it's from June 29, 2008. Can anyone help me in finding a pic of Pudge using this bat. Your help is greatly appreciated. thank you, Ricardo

[suave1477]

What bat?

[spartakid]

Haha wow, sorry this one:


http://i5.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/42/ce/a447_12.JPG (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220398229569&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting)

[spartakid]

I figured a match on the tape job would be enough, because it's so unique.

[suave1477]

I checked everywhere I could think of and I can't find photos from that game or even the game before. So I checked photos from games and agames before that and I couldn't find any of him using a bat with a taped handle.

That is a very interesting bat as I have never seen a Pudge with a taped handle.

[emann]

He taped his handles like this very early on in his career, but it wasn't a constant thing. I've seen alot of recent Pudge bats though (including the 5 that I own) and have never seen this tape pattern used on them.

Also, I looked up the boxscore for that game and Pudge didn't play in it. Maybe someone else grabbed his bat for a few innings.

[spartakid]

Ok thanks guys, I think I'll stay away from this one. It caught my eye because it was so unique, but because I couldn't find a pic of him using one with that tape job, perhaps it's "too unique" thanks again, Ricardo

[emann]

Just for reference, here's a shot of one of his older tape jobs, looks similar.

http://www.batreference.com/ivan-rodriguez

But like I said, I have not seen any recently (especially from the Tigers era) where he taped them like that. He does a little 1-2" tape wrap just above the knob, but that seems to be about it.

[cordovacollector]

Just my opinion, but that bat in question looks like it was taped by someone who had never taped a bat. I think a player would be too embarrased to take that out of a bat rack. I've got several taped bat of Cordova that are similar to the reference bat in this last post and that is much more like it. They are always consistent too.

[suave1477]

Here is a great Pudge bat



http://cgi.ebay.com/IVAN-RODRIGUEZ-SIGNED-GAME-USED-BAT-PUDGE-TIGERS-ASTROS_W0QQitemZ220404555506QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_ DefaultDomain_0?hash=item220404555506&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[sportscentury]

Here is a great Pudge bat



http://cgi.ebay.com/IVAN-RODRIGUEZ-SIGNED-GAME-USED-BAT-PUDGE-TIGERS-ASTROS_W0QQitemZ220404555506QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_ DefaultDomain_0?hash=item220404555506&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Not much game use, and the over-writing on the knob is odd.

Marc Himelstein had a boat-load of Pudge's bats when Pudge played for the Tigers (marc.himelstein@detroittigers.com (marc.himelstein@detroittigers.com)) - it might be worth an email to see if he still has some if you are interested in a Pudge Tigers bat. His prices were high, as I remember, so he may not have sold them all.