RICHARD RODRIGUEZ

7/5/84; NDFA '06 (San Diego); Bethune-Cookman
R/R; 6-0, 175

Level

W-L-Sv

BB/9

K/9

WHIP

OAVG

ERA

2006 A- (SD)

2-3-14

30.1

1.5

8.0

0.92

.207

1.78

2006 R (SD)

0-0-1

4.2

9.6

13.5

1.29

.059

0.00

2007 A+ (SD)

0-0-0

14.0

0.6

6.4

1.36

.305

4.50

2007 A (SD)

3-2-18

50.1

2.5

8.1

1.51

.302

4.11

2008 A+ (SD)

6-3-12

75.0

2.8

6.4

1.48

.298

4.92

2009 A+

6-3-27

49.2

4.9

7.4

1.29

.214

3.08

It's interesting, with all the mystique attributed to the closer's role, that teams will sometimes do things like signing a non-drafted college guy to serve as a closer for their lower level teams. The Padres did that with Rodriguez and the Pirates have done it on a number of occasions. If it's such a unique ability, shouldn't teams use prospects to close in the minors so they can develop the mindset that so many baseball people think is vital for a closer? Anyway, the Pirates signed Rodriguez at the end of spring training after the Padres cut him loose and he served as, you guessed it, the closer at Lynchburg. He did reasonably well, as he throws fairly hard with good movement and doesn't give up many hits. His command isn't very good, as shown by the high walk total. The Pirates will control his rights for several more years, so he could return to high A in the same role or they could try him in AA next year. At age 25, he doesn't have a lot of upside.

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