Throngs of excited fans greet Pudge with rock-star welcome.

Byline: Drew Sharp

LAKELAND, Fla. _ Eager 60-year-olds acted like restless 6-year-olds in the backseat of the family car on an endless vacation drive.

"Is he here yet? Is he here yet?"

As noon Wednesday arrived, Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez had yet to "officially" arrive at his new spring training home. Manager Alan Trammell had heard that the Tigers' big free-agent acquisition briefly stopped by Marchant Stadium on Tuesday night to check out the facilities after everyone was long gone.

"It won't be official until I see him walk through these gates," said one woman Wednesday who had been camped out at the clubhouse entrance since 8 a.m., "because I still won't really believe that he's actually here until I see him."

They saw …