Ricardo Rodriguez
Cleveland Indians
Position: RHP Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Born: 5/21/78 Bats: Right<
| Year |
Team |
Level |
G |
GS |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
W-L |
ERA |
| 2000 |
Great Falls |
R |
15 |
15 |
95.2 |
66 |
32 |
20 |
23 |
129 |
10-3 |
1.88 |
| 2001 |
Vero Beach |
A |
26 |
26 |
154.1 |
133 |
67 |
55 |
60 |
154 |
14-6 |
3.21 |
| 2002 |
Jacksonville |
AA |
11 |
11 |
68 |
56 |
21 |
15 |
13 |
44 |
5-4 |
1.99 |
| 2002 |
Las Vegas |
2 |
2 |
11.2 |
13 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
7 |
1-0 |
3.86 |
| 2002 |
Buffalo |
AAA |
4 |
4 |
25 |
26 |
10 |
10 |
7 |
14 |
3-1 |
3.60 |
| 2002 |
Cleveland |
AL |
7 |
7 |
41.1 |
40 |
27 |
26 |
18 |
24 |
2-2 |
5.66 |
Background
Ricardo Rodriguez was signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 1996. He spent three years in the Dominican Summer League, before debuting in the short-season Pioneer League in 2000, where he was lights-out. Following a strong '01 season in the Florida State League, he was generally regarded as the best prospect in the Dodgers farm system. He started off well in Double-A in '02, then was traded to the Indians as part of the Paul Shuey deal in July. He made seven starts for Cleveland down the stretch, and is pencilled into their starting rotation for 2003.
Scouting report
Rodriguez is compared by some scouts to Pedro Astacio. He has a fastball that ranges anywhere from 90 to 95 mph, depending on what grip he uses. His curveball is his best pitch; it breaks hard enough that it is often confused with a slider. He also has a decent changeup that he'll need to use more at the major league level. Left-handers hit .342 against him in the majors last year, right-handers just .121, so he may need to change his approach when pitching against lefties. He has the pitching aptitude to do so. Rodriguez throws strikes, and does a fine job of mixing his pitches and keeping hitters off stride. He is also competitive and intelligent. Rodriguez is reasonably athletic, and handles the general chores of mound work like a veteran. He gained an extra year on his birth certificate in AgeGate, and at 24 he is ready for a full trial in the Show.
Performance
With a career minor league ERA of 3.06 and a 38-19 record, it's hard to find holes in his numbers to poke at. In 462 minor league innings, he gave up just 398 hits, while walking 186 and fanning 455. He was brilliant in Double-A in '02, and won four of six starts at the Triple-A level. One possible warning sign is a reduction in his strikeout rate since reaching Double-A. His control has remained solid, and he's still getting people out, but he hasn't dominated upper-level hitters to the same extent that he did guys in A-ball. The drop in strikeouts is a sign he'll need to make adjustments before zipping through the majors, but he should be able to do so.
Health record
Rodriguez had no health problems until 2002, when he missed the first few weeks of the season with a sore shoulder. He showed no ill effects when he returned to the mound, so it appears not to be a serious problem, though the Indians should monitor his workload carefully just to be sure.
What to expect
Barring a return of the shoulder problem or a total spring training collapse, Rodriguez should be in the Cleveland rotation to start the year. The Indians are relying heavily on young pitching to carry them back into contention, and Rodriguez is the closest of the new group to being ready. For 2003, we should expect numbers around league average, perhaps slightly better as he adjusts to his new environment. In the long run, Rodriguez should be a reliable No. 2 starter in a major league rotation.
John Sickels is the author of the 2002 Minor League Scouting Notebook, and is now working on the 2003 Baseball Prospect Book. His biography of Bob Feller will be published next spring. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at JohnSickels.com.
