Meet Derek Rodriguez

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 11, 2008 12:27 PM EST Comment 49 comments

The Rays Rule 5 pick.

A 25-year-old starter-turned-reliever, Rodriguez was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 14th round of the 2005 amateur draft. In 2008, the White Sox decided to transition Rodriguez into relief and in his initial season working from the bullpen looked pretty decent. This mini-scouting report is from Sox Machine:

He's got an interesting style. He throws from three arm angles -- a short-armed overhand, a three-quarter slot and sidearmed, and can hit 93 from the overhand slot. It definitely makes a sound when it hits the mitt.

He topped out at 93 overhand, and worked around 88 from sidearm, and three-quarters registered in between. He also threw variations of a slider from 75 to 81 m.p.h., and liked to backdoor it on lefties.

His numbers paint him as a groundballer capable of getting strikeouts, which are good. His near 9% swinging strike rate in limited Triple-A data is also decent. Rodriguez appears to hold lefties and righties down equally well, with his career numbers actually favoring him against lefties. Here's a video on him, but what can I say, he's a no risk, potentially good pen arm.

Derek Rodriguez (via soxmachine)

Also: Eduardo Morlan was selected by the Brewers. No idea if he can make it in their bullpen or not. Let's bank on him eating through enough Brewer dogs and cheese to make it back to us.

The Rays passed in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft.

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Comments

So a right handed loogy

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 11, 2008 12:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If nothing else, he's more fun to watch than Jason Hammel.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 11, 2008 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

First reaction, just by looking at his numbers was:

We got Ruddy Lugo II. Then i looked at his delivery, and I do like how throws a ball. It Will be interesting to see how he does.

Go Largo!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Dec 11, 2008 12:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Can he pitch in long relief?

He was a starter in the minors until last year, and he is much more reliable than Hammel.

The Rays Party

by therayspartyleader on Dec 11, 2008 12:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What's important here is that we got our own -Rod

It’s important for all successful major league teams to have one. D-Rod will prove to be, on name value alone (+15 NVAR), the most important off-season acquisition in Rays history.

Also, his 3.64 FIP in the minors ain’t bad.

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 12:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

And for using D-Rod you earned a ban for life

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 11, 2008 12:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

/charlie brown sulk

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

DEREK jeter + alex RODGRIGUEZ =

Derek Rodriguez, mofo.

www.raysprospects.com
Trade for Billy Butler!

by Imperialism32 on Dec 11, 2008 12:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

his scouting report sounds like he might be good enough to make it out of spring training

anyone else think he is going to make it?

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Dec 11, 2008 12:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

also im pretty sure that eduardo morlan is going to make it with the brewers

about half of their bullpen is gone and morlan is good enough to make their team

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Dec 11, 2008 12:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

hammel is good enough for the Brewers

The Rays Party

by therayspartyleader on Dec 11, 2008 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

anyone have a link so i can see the AAA and AA portion of the draft?

or it is on baseballamerica.com?

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Dec 11, 2008 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

can we trade hammel yet?

please

by plasticman on Dec 11, 2008 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I will beat that furry little bastard in a staring contest...

Must… stay… focused…

by floridaroar on Dec 11, 2008 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

impossible/

don’t even try!

by daveh33 on Dec 11, 2008 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that is the creepiest thing these eyes have ever seen

Regressing to the mean streets of St. Pete

by stpetelawyer on Dec 11, 2008 2:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If Morlan stays with the Brewers

And DY does get traded, then that deal would’ve been Pridie/Harris for Garza/Bartlett.

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 1:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

+ the player(s) the Twins would get in return for DY!

By the way: I hate it to see Morlan go … wouldn’t it have been wiser to demote Orvella earlier to AAA and put Morlan on the 40-man?

by BurGi on Dec 11, 2008 1:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ya i think so, but unless morlan had an injury last year, he wasnt the same guy that we traded for

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Dec 11, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You'd still have to consider that a tremendously lopsided trade, though.

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 1:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In which direction?

by plasticman on Dec 11, 2008 1:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the direction the ALCS MVP went

by joeybw on Dec 11, 2008 1:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Really?

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 11, 2008 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Lame.

We need more bullpen moves like this!

by RATW on Dec 11, 2008 1:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

too much money for the rays

The Rays Party

by therayspartyleader on Dec 11, 2008 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't pay a reliever like Farnsworth 4,5 Mio. each year ... so ... good luck Royals!

by BurGi on Dec 11, 2008 1:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wasn't the whole point of dealing Nunez/Ramirez Moore's incredible bullpen skills?

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 11, 2008 1:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The dude discussed Frency(ANOTHER OF) for Grienke

none of his skills are incredible

by joeybw on Dec 11, 2008 1:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Neyer, Posnanski and Rany are going to have a hostile takeover of the Royals FO soon

by Erik Hahmann on Dec 11, 2008 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, mad skills at efficiently building a good bullpen.

Whoops.

by RATW on Dec 11, 2008 1:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If that is the case,

by bobr on Dec 11, 2008 1:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We just got rid of our own version of Farnsworth.

His name was Edwin Jackson.

by floridaroar on Dec 11, 2008 1:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oops. If that is the case,

I bet the Orioles would pay us something to take Baez. So that would be a better deal even than giving Farnsworth over $4 million/year. Same big name, closer panache in his history and probably just as bad a pitcher.

by bobr on Dec 11, 2008 1:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like the pick up of Derek Rodriguez

Having pitchers with different throwing angles is a plus.

by floridaroar on Dec 11, 2008 1:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Lets say he makes the team

Whats the bullpen looking like right now?

RH Derek Rodriguez (but hes more like a loogy)
RH Jeff Niemann
RH Troy Percival (ugh)
LH J.P Howell
RH Dan Wheeler
RH Grant Balfour

1 Open spot: Salas, Hammel, Thayer, Talbot and probably some others would be the choices right now.

Anyone wanna predict the 7 guys who make our pen?

by joeybw on Dec 11, 2008 1:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

forgot Bradford

ok so anyone think those will be the 7?

by joeybw on Dec 11, 2008 1:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have a sinking suspicion

that Wheeler is going to get moved. His ERA was way better than he pitched and it would be selling him high. The Mets could probably still use him.

I could be wrong though

by staplemaniac on Dec 11, 2008 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bradford is far from untouchable, too

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wish we could dump the three making a combined 12 million.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 11, 2008 2:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

More than agreed.

Especially if we signed someone like Shouse with that money and called up Thayer and Talbot/Salas.

by PlayOnWords on Dec 11, 2008 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The KLaw

Corey (Chicago): Keith, What am I missing? The Rays are looking for help in the pen but leave Morlan unprotected?

Keith Law: (2:03 PM ET ) Velo down, out of shape, throwing poorly in winter ball. I was fine with it.

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 11, 2008 2:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

dont have much of a prob with it either but

what the hell happened to him? Had to go to like the best RP prospect in baseball to a Rule V pick? If he gets returned to us, what you say we all chip in and get him a gym membership?

by joeybw on Dec 11, 2008 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

lazy ass is a lazy ass

gym membership or not

by daveh33 on Dec 11, 2008 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So bottom line is

In a head to head battle Drod is MORE Major League ready then Morlan. Right?

Go Largo!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Dec 11, 2008 4:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

D-Rod reminds me of Bradford

Both throw from odd arm angles, were drafted by the white sox, ground ball machines, and eventually traded to another team (Bradford was traded to the A’s) because the Sox didnt like their stuff, even though they put up great numbers in the minors.

by BossmanJunior333 on Dec 11, 2008 4:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs