What do we know about....

by Spidz34 on Mar 9, 2008 5:05 PM PDT

Henry Rodriguez?? Who is he and was he part of one of our recent trades??

I was reading through Peter Gammons blog and came across this.

heres the link to the blog

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3284876&name=gammons_peter

and heres an exert from it

"From one scout in Arizona: "The best young pitcher I've seen in two years out here is Oakland's Henry Rodriguez. He throws 98 with a devastating breaking ball." The 21-year old Venezuelan won't open the season with Oakland, but he will get there in a hurry if he stays healthy."

Thats some pretty high praise. The A's are my favorite team and I follow them religiously but I've never heard if this kid. Always good to hear we got guys like this in the future

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Not From a Trade

He's actually a homegrown player.

He spent 2006 in the Arizona rookie league, and 2007 the A's gave him a shot in A- Kane County where he excelled and became an important part of their excellent staff that year. What you herd about him in the article is mostly true. He throws 98 and has a nasty breaking pitch, but two things are holding him back and keeping his name from being mentioned with the likes of Anderson, Cahill, and GoGon: his command and the lack of a good third pitch.

This year he will be part of a historically good rotation in A+ Stockton, and depending on if he can fix those two things, you'll be hearing his name as candidate for the A's rotation or pen for years to come.

Here are his stats for the last 2 years.

Here is a link to a fan post where I did some research on him.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Mar 9, 2008 5:49 PM PDT reply actions

The guy appears to be

at least where Cahill and Simmons are on the depth chart, if not higher. If he has a strong season I wouldn't be surprised to see him make his major league debut in 2008.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Mar 9, 2008 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

Sounds like a closer to be.

Why not let him keep throwing those two pitches, and having him be as dominant (if not as irritating) as another reliever in our division named Rodriguez?

So it goes.

by jeepers on Mar 9, 2008 6:46 PM PDT reply actions

I agree. When you have a guy like H-Rod

who is dominant but lacks command, have him work on better command of his best two pitches, not on adding pitches.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Mar 9, 2008 7:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Lest...

He become another Rick Ankiel.

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 9, 2008 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Ankiel had great command

It was his best attribute. He wasn't a crazy dominating thrower like Randy Johnson.

He just went off the rails mentally.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Mar 9, 2008 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions

No he didn't.

Unless you think that great command includes throwing way over the batter's head.

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 9, 2008 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions

That's not really true ...

he was walking ~3 per 9 over the course of his minor league career. That's solid from a HS kid at his age -- but it was hardly his best attribute. (his best attribute being his ability to strikeout 13 per 9). He was also walking 4.63/9 over the course of 2000 before becoming completely unhinged in the the third inning of game 1 of the LDS. 11 walks and 9 wild pitches over four innings of play ... wow.

I do find it a little odd that he (effectively, if not technically a rookie), not Daryl Kile (the veteran ace of their rotation and opening night starter who had finished 5th in the Cy Young voting), was starting game 1, despite the fact that LaRussa's Cards had won the division by ten games and had plenty of time to get his rotation aligned. How thoroughly might history have been changed for Ankiel if he was held back to game 2, had the chance to watch his first playoff game and adjust to the pressure and have a little bit relieved by the Cards being up a game to one when he stepped to the mound?

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Mar 10, 2008 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions