J-Rod builds strong case in Puerto Rico
01/06/2006
While the Cardinals add outfielders, John Rodriguez keeps sending reminders that he hasn't gone anywhere.
Rodriguez, who enjoyed a surprising rookie season with St. Louis in 2005, has kept up his hot hitting with a fine winter campaign in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez's chances of winning a job have slimmed with the trade for Larry Bigbie and the signing of Juan Encarnacion, but he clearly won't give up without a fight.
It was an all-over-the-place kind of season for Rodriguez, who thought he had a chance to make the Indians out of Spring Training but was sent to Triple-A instead. After struggling in Cleveland's system, he was dealt to the Cardinals organization, where he went on a staggering tear. Rodriguez hit 17 homers in 34 games, earning a callup to the Majors.
And though the power faded in St. Louis, Rodriguez remained an effective batter. He put up a line of .295/.382/.436 (batting average/on-base/slugging) in 149 at-bats, marking himself as a player to watch in 2006.
Now playing for Manati in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez has done nothing to change that perception in winter ball. Manati, which finished with the best regular-season record, will play in the Puerto Rican playoffs, and Rodriguez is a big reason why.
The left-handed-hitting outfielder put up a .346/.448/.679 line in 78 at-bats, stroking seven home runs -- including a three-run walk-off homer in the 11th inning of the final game of the Winter League season -- five doubles and driving in 28 runs. If Rodriguez had enough at-bats, he would have ranked fourth in the league in batting average, third in on-base and first in slugging.
When Spring Training starts in six weeks, Rodriguez won't have anything guaranteed. He'll have to beat out a stiff field of competitors if he wants to start in left field, and it won't even be a given that he'll make the roster. But if he keeps hitting like this, he'll be hard to send back to Memphis.
Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/
While the Cardinals add outfielders, John Rodriguez keeps sending reminders that he hasn't gone anywhere.
Rodriguez, who enjoyed a surprising rookie season with St. Louis in 2005, has kept up his hot hitting with a fine winter campaign in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez's chances of winning a job have slimmed with the trade for Larry Bigbie and the signing of Juan Encarnacion, but he clearly won't give up without a fight.
It was an all-over-the-place kind of season for Rodriguez, who thought he had a chance to make the Indians out of Spring Training but was sent to Triple-A instead. After struggling in Cleveland's system, he was dealt to the Cardinals organization, where he went on a staggering tear. Rodriguez hit 17 homers in 34 games, earning a callup to the Majors.
And though the power faded in St. Louis, Rodriguez remained an effective batter. He put up a line of .295/.382/.436 (batting average/on-base/slugging) in 149 at-bats, marking himself as a player to watch in 2006.
Now playing for Manati in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez has done nothing to change that perception in winter ball. Manati, which finished with the best regular-season record, will play in the Puerto Rican playoffs, and Rodriguez is a big reason why.
The left-handed-hitting outfielder put up a .346/.448/.679 line in 78 at-bats, stroking seven home runs -- including a three-run walk-off homer in the 11th inning of the final game of the Winter League season -- five doubles and driving in 28 runs. If Rodriguez had enough at-bats, he would have ranked fourth in the league in batting average, third in on-base and first in slugging.
When Spring Training starts in six weeks, Rodriguez won't have anything guaranteed. He'll have to beat out a stiff field of competitors if he wants to start in left field, and it won't even be a given that he'll make the roster. But if he keeps hitting like this, he'll be hard to send back to Memphis.
Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/
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