Reds Hall of Famer Johnny Bench with Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ARLINGTON, Texas — Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez have been the subjects of many who's-the-best-catcher arguments.

        But you won't find them fretting over it. They're too busy complimenting each other.

        Bench was here Monday to present Rodriguez, the Texas Rangers catcher nicknamed “Pudge,” with his 10th Gold Glove. The 10th, which came in Rodriguez's 10th season, equaled Bench's record for the most by a catcher.

        “At least I'm tied with him for awhile,” said Bench, a Hall-of-Fame Reds catcher who played from 1967-1983. “He'll be going past me this year. That's great. I'm proud of him and what he's done for catching.”

        Bench and Rodriguez are two of the three catchers to win an MVP since 1970. The late Thurman Munson is the other.

        “There are only eight or 10 catchers who have really distinguished themselves,” Bench said. “They come along once a decade.”

        Bench and Rodriguez are from different decades, but Bench was clearly the best catcher of his era, and Rodriguez is clearly the best of his.

        So who's the best of the two?

        Reds manager Bob Boone, a seven-time Gold Glove catcher himself, is something of an authority on the subject.

        “As far as throwing and hitting, Rodriguez is the best of all-time,” Boone said. “But he can't touch Bench's power. They're both kind of the standard bearers as far as scouting. You say, "What's an 80 arm? Johnny Bench?' Now you say that about Rodriguez.”

        Bench was a .267 career hitter; Rodriguez a .304 career hitter. Bench twice led the league in home runs and led it in RBI three times. Rodriguez has only driven in over 100 runs once in his career.

        Bench did it six times in an era when runs were harder to come by.

        The Rangers brought in Bench to coincide with the first Reds-Rangers regular-season game. Bench was glad to come.

        “I remember when I caught my 100th-game season for the 13th year, Bill Dickey came,” Bench said. “That was a great honor. That meant a great deal. It means a lot to know the other catchers have an appreciation for what you did.”

        Bench and Rodriguez actually go way back.

        “He was always my favorite when I was growing up,” Rodriguez said. “He was the one I wanted to be like.”

        Early in his career, Rodriguez decided to meet his hero. The Rangers often play the Reds in spring training, and Texas' home in Port Charlotte, Fla., is one of the closest camps to the Reds' Sarasota complex.

        “He came looking for me,” Bench said. “I think it was his third year.”

        Bench had already heard of Rodriguez. What he saw impressed him.

        “When you watch a catcher, you watch two things: The feet and the transfer,” Bench said. “He's great at both. Then you've got to have heart and want it. You have to put up with foul tips, the heat and everything that goes with it.”

        Rodriguez has shown that and he's spent time on the disabled list each of the last three years. But he played 144 games in '99, 145 in '98, 150 in '97 and 153 in '96.

        “He loves the game,” Bench said. “He's so talented behind the plate. To watch the way he does it is great.”

        Rodriguez resists rest.

        “It's not easy for me to sit down,” he said. “I like to be out there every day. I know it's impossible to catch 162 games. But I want to be out there every year for 100, 120 games.”

        Rodriguez, who is only 30, will likely surpass Bench's Gold Glove mark and other records.

        “But that's OK,” Bench said. “They'll be other kids who watch the way he catches. There will be better catchers who come along. That's the way it should be.”

Rangers 8, Reds 2 Reds box, runs Reds great Bench 'proud' of Pudge Kearns' aim: Settle down Astros 4, Cubs 2 Interleague roundup Notes from Monday's games Congress plans look at steroids Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10, Louisville 8

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