The Case For Luis Rodriguez To Play More

Dave · April 12, 2011 at 10:50 am · Filed Under Mariners 

It’s no secret that I’ve been a fan of Luis Rodriguez for a while, and I was pretty thrilled when he made the roster. So, obviously, I enjoyed the end of last night’s game a little bit more since it was Rodriguez who had the great at-bat to win it.

I’d also like to suggest that we should see more of Rodriguez in the line-up going forward. No, I don’t think he should play everyday, as I realize the infield is crowded with guys who have better resumes than Rodriguez does. And no, I don’t think he’s going to repeat his 2010 season line from Charlotte in the majors any time soon. I do think, however, that Rodriguez possesses a somewhat interesting skillset, and he offers one thing that none of the other guys who play second or third bring to the table – a little bit of power.

He’s diminutive in size, but Rodriguez has more oomph in his bat than is often assumed. Last night, you saw him jump on an off-speed pitch from Camp and crush it down the right field line – he just got out in front of it and hit it foul. The winning hit was hit to the warning track in right-center field, so even though it officially went down as a single, that was an extra base kind of hit. Despite his pedigree as a 5’9 utility infielder, Rodriguez is not a slap hitter. Of the nine balls he’s put in play this year, only one was a ground ball, because he’s taking a pretty decent cut up there at the plate.

Chone Figgins is fast, Jack Wilson is better defensively, and Adam Kennedy… well, people seem to like him as a teammate. There are reasons for all of these guys to play, but realistically, the one who might have a future in Seattle is Rodriguez. Even though Figgins is signed through 2013, this doesn’t seem like a marriage that is going to last. The M’s had a chance to ship him out last winter and declined, but I doubt that they’ll be all that attached to him the next time a team calls and offers to take most of that contract off their hands. Wilson and Kennedy are just stop-gap solutions until Dustin Ackley is ready to take over at second base, and at this point of their careers, both are looking at each year as if it could be their last.

With a good 2011 season, Rodriguez could actually earn himself a real job on this team going forward. He’s only 30 and he’s ideally suited for the reserve infield role as a switch-hitter who can play all three spots without much of a problem. He doesn’t have the entitlement thing of a career starter who might not like getting moved around the diamond or getting irregular playing time – Rodriguez is the kind of guy who would be thrilled with 300 plate appearances a year.

The M’s will probably need a guy who can play second base and hit right-handed for the next few years, as Ackley still struggles against southpaws. They also need an infielder besides Justin Smoak who can hit the ball with some authority, and Rodriguez is the one guy from the cabal of utility infielders on the roster who can do that. This year is an opportunity for the M’s to find out what they have in different guys, and Rodriguez should be one of the guys who is getting a longer look.

There’s still room for Wilson and Kennedy to play some, but perhaps those two shouldn’t share second base exclusively. Perhaps Chone Figgins could use more frequent days off, if for no other reason than to give the fan base a breather from having to watch him play. Perhaps when a fly ball guy takes the hill, Brendan Ryan can start the game on the bench and the team can put out a better offensive unit, sacrificing a little defense on the infield. There are ways to get Luis Rodriguez some playing time, and I’m hoping Eric Wedge takes advantage of those opportunities.

Comments

24 Responses to “The Case For Luis Rodriguez To Play More”

  1. jordan on April 12th, 2011 11:17 am

    As much as everyone has been ready to jump down Chone Figgins throat for sucking… Brendan Ryan has been a disaster at the plate.

    I am all for Luis getting regular time at SS.

  2. MrZDevotee on April 12th, 2011 11:29 am

    Dave,
    What do you think of the possibility of Wilson getting sent to Los Angeles, after Furcal broke his thumb? The latest headline has Furcal contemplating retirement, and L.A. doesn’t really have anyone at real Major League level to take his place…

    I bet even Wilson might be on the phones with them (his agent anyways): “I’m one of the top short stops in the game, and these guys have me benched, or playing 2nd base… I’d love to be your short stop!”

    That frees up a spot right away for Rodriguez and Kennedy to rotate around, until Dustin comes up…

    They were actually looking at going after Wilson when going after Furcal:

    “If the Dodgers miss out on Rafael Furcal, they may again look into acquiring the Pirates’ Jack Wilson , according to MLB.com.”

  3. Shanfan on April 12th, 2011 11:35 am

    I’m not sold on Ryan yet either. There’s a reason LaRussa – no idiot – got tired of him. Described as an “energetic puppy”, I’ve noticed several mental mistakes he’s made and I’m afraid he might be another Eric Byrnesesque ADHD case. And the bat has to get better.

  4. jordan on April 12th, 2011 11:39 am

    I am still holding out hope that maybe the M’s swing a deal for Jed Lowrie. It seems the Red Sox don’t need/want him.

  5. Edgar4Hall on April 12th, 2011 11:39 am

    he might be another Eric Byrnesesque ADHD case
    You know I was kinda creeped out last night when I looked at him and he looks very similar to Byrnes. But I say give him a bit more of a go. LaRussa is smart buthe plays favorites. Look at how sick Colby Rasmus and him are of each other.

    As for Lu Rod, here’s another similarity that I was thinking of last night: does his batting stance, his style of play and his little bit of pop remind of Joey Cora at all?

  6. joser on April 12th, 2011 11:50 am

    So, best case kind of another Mark McLemore?

    MrZ: I like the idea of trading Wilson — and I expect both he and the M’s might also, and probably phone calls are happening (and have been since the self-benching at least, if not all the way back to ST). But he’s a couple of years older now than he was the last time the Dodgers were looking at them. Of course beggars can’t be choosers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were more interested in Ryan (who might hit a little better back in the NL).

  7. msfanmike on April 12th, 2011 11:50 am

    By Tim Dierkes [April 12 at 1:06pm CST]
    1:06pm: Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer ended the retirement talk, telling Yahoo’s Tim Brown, “He’ll be back. He’s just frustrated” (Twitter link).

    7:34am: Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal broke his thumb last night, and MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick has his postgame reaction:

    “I think about retiring if I’m not healthy. I feel so good with my back, now this — what do you think I am thinking?”

    The recovery time could be four to six weeks, but Gurnick says Furcal will see a hand specialist today. Most likely, the 33-year-old shortstop was just emotional in the aftermath of yet another injury. He’ll probably be talked out of the retirement idea by Dodgers teammates and management as well as his agent.

  8. justinh on April 12th, 2011 12:21 pm

    L-Rod does remind me of a McLemore for sure. He also reminds me of what the Giants picked up in Andres Torres two years ago. Torres was a major reason the Giants made the playoffs and won the World Series. A 30 yr old vet whom was well travelled and could play outfield and even second base. I totally agree L-Rod should be seeing more AB’s here soon. This is the type of game that can make a team hot and give guys confidence. It will be interesting to see if the M’s can ride the big rally.

  9. Mid80sRighty on April 12th, 2011 1:20 pm

    He’s diminutive in size, but Rodriguez has more oomph in his bat than is often assumed

    Just look at the size of his legs, they’re like tree trunks. Getting his lower body into his swing is probably what’s generating the extra power that a guy his size doesn’t normally have.

    And I’d just like to say that was an outstanding AB he had. I can say, as a pitcher, nothing frustrated me more than when a batter fouls off a bunch of pitches like that. Made me feel like there was nothing I could throw him. I don’t have the stats to back it up, but it seems like the batter usually wins in those situations. At least they did against me. 🙂

  10. Celadus on April 12th, 2011 1:32 pm

    Height is useful in a slugger, but not necessary–witness Hack Wilson. Maybe the next underutilized resource to be exploited in baseball is shortness.

  11. Transient Gadfly on April 12th, 2011 1:34 pm

    After last night, no doubt he gets his playing time upped for at least awhile. I’d be un-surprised seeing him in the starting lineup tonight.

  12. msfanmike on April 12th, 2011 2:10 pm

    Maybe the next underutilized resource to be exploited in baseball is shortness.

    In sports, if you are good enough – you are big enough … but it is especially prevalent in baseball. It’s one of the things that helps make the sport great.

    Good observation above by mid-80’s Righty in regard to leg size, though.

  13. mkd on April 12th, 2011 2:38 pm

    L-Rod does remind me of a McLemore for sure

    If we are ever going to end the tyranny of nicknaming every new player First Letter First Name-First Syllable Last Name, we must nip these things in the bud. No to L-Rod. No forever.

    (but yes to Luis Rodriguez!)

  14. Diehard on April 12th, 2011 2:47 pm

    Is it bad of me that I was hoping Figlet was DL bound last night? I hated him when he was with the Angels and he has rubbed me the wrong way last year and this year. Definitely Jack Z’s worst signing. Hopefully he gets back to being respectable and Jack Z can ship him off. Don’t need an angry little bitch hobbit in the clubhouse who hits shallow popups and weak grounders all the time.

  15. Westside guy on April 12th, 2011 2:50 pm

    A-Rod works. K-Rod works. But, like mkd, I vote NO! on L-Rod.

    Thank goodness they didn’t call “Pudge” I-Rod – although that’s still better than “L-Rod”.

  16. ivan on April 12th, 2011 2:54 pm

    @ Diehard:

    I disagree with you about Figgins — but I bow in admiration before the utter genius of “angry little bitch hobbit in the clubhouse who hits shallow popups and weak grounders all the time.” Well played, sir!

  17. joser on April 12th, 2011 2:55 pm

    How about Lu-Rod then? No? (We could pronounce it “Lurid”) He probably needs to show he’s actually going to stick around to justify a more imaginative nickname, but if you have a problem with the obvious then you have to suggest an alternative.

    And I’d just like to say that was an outstanding AB he had. I can say, as a pitcher, nothing frustrated me more than when a batter fouls off a bunch of pitches like that. Made me feel like there was nothing I could throw him.

    Reminds me, in the NYTimes Sunday sports section there was a Q&A with Pedro Martinez (who isn’t retired, BTW, and says he could be ready to pitch in four to six weeks). One of the questions was

    Q. Which hitter gave you the most trouble?

    A. Edgar Martinez. He’d foul off so many pitches! He’d foul off 11 or 12 before you’d get him out or he’d get the hit. He had my pitch count really high.

    Considering the recent Fangraphs article that highlighted Pedro’s late-90s / early-00s seasons as some of the best by any pitcher ever, which also overlapped some of Edgar’s peak years, it makes me wonder if M’s fans who were enjoying those matchups nevertheless realized the greatness of what they were witnessing.

  18. danelboones on April 12th, 2011 6:15 pm

    I dont get why everyone is so stoked about that at bat. Yea, I’m glad we won and all. But it was not a good at bat IMO. He only saw one strike.

  19. nathaniel dawson on April 12th, 2011 6:17 pm

    If we are ever going to end the tyranny of nicknaming every new player First Letter First Name-First Syllable Last Name, we must nip these things in the bud. No to L-Rod. No forever.

    Thank you.

    It started with A-Rod, and that was great, because it was unique and seemed to be very fitting for that person. Now it’s extended to every Latin player in sports. F-Rod, I-rod (yes, I’ve heard him called that many times), V-Mart, J-Lo (which thankfully never caught on because it was already long ago extended to entertainment individuals), and from there to just about any famous sports figure: K-Mart, D-Wade, T-Mac.

    Good God, can we quit with the ridiculous, mindless copy-catting and come up with cool nicknames for players again?

  20. MrZDevotee on April 12th, 2011 6:35 pm

    Good God, can we quit with the ridiculous, mindless copy-catting and come up with cool nicknames for players again?

    You got it, N-Daws

  21. Oh The Stank on April 12th, 2011 7:08 pm

    I dont get why everyone is so stoked about that at bat. Yea, I’m glad we won and all. But it was not a good at bat IMO. He only saw one strike.

    What was he supposed to do? Wait for the ump to call him out on strikes?
    Dr D says it better than me.

  22. danelboones on April 12th, 2011 7:38 pm

    So you think the ref just had it out for us?

  23. joser on April 12th, 2011 8:04 pm

    Impossible to say. But when you’re the last out, with the game-tying and game-winning run in scoring position, and the first pitch you see is called a strike despite being well outside and clearly a ball, you have to assume the next ball will be called a strike also and start fouling off everything. The amazing thing is, he did — and even held off swinging at a couple of balls when he already had two strikes, including that more than questionable one, against him. Seriously, if you don’t think that was a great at-bat you really weren’t paying attention.

  24. danelboones on April 12th, 2011 8:18 pm

    Swinging to stay alive is one thing. What he was swinging at dumbfounded me.

    Seriously.

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