An Amazing Baseball Journey: The Career of John Rodriguez
June 27, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
Every baseball player has a story of how they got into the game of baseball.
Some have stories of how they made it to baseball's pinnacle--the Major Leagues.
One of those stories, a fascinating one, belongs to Wingnuts' designated hitter John Rodriguez.
Rodriguez grew up in New York City in the Bronx, the same neighborhood that the New York Yankees call home. Rodriguez was not drafted out of high school and he did not play college ball.
His rise to the Majors is almost a Walt Disney type story that all started with a favor that was granted by a friend of âJ-Rod's' uncle.
"My uncle knew a cop who knew the scout who was running a tryout in 1996. The cop told him that there was a kid he really needed to see. Cesar Presbott was the scout and he had 100 kids for the tryout, and I was number 101," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez admitted that he was happy to participate in the tryout, but that his expectations were low.
"I was 18 at the time and I was the only kid who hit three balls into the upper deck. It was just a favor, though, so I didn't put too much thought into it. I was there, I did what I was asked to do and I ended up leaving early.
"Just being there as a fan watching the guys play was amazing. I enjoyed every minute of it and was happy to be a part of it thinking about all of the Hall of Famers and legends who had played there (Yankee Stadium)," Rodriguez said.
The Yankees and Presbott were impressed with Rodriguez's tryout, but the youngster disappeared for a couple of months. Rodriguez was not completely off the baseball radar and Presbott caught up with him at a summer league game.
"I played in a wood-bat league in the Bronx with players who were ex-minor leaguers. I ended up playing well. I won the Rookie of the Year, batting title, and RBI title--and I was a couple of home runs short of winning the triple crown. The president of the league called five scouts to come down and they came to see me play one day. I played well, going 3-for-4 with two home runs (against a left-handed pitcher). One of the scouts that came happened to be Cesar Presbott," Rodriguez said.
Apparently Presbott had been looking for the left-handed slugger ever since the tryout at Yankee Stadium, and Rodriguez was signed for $1,000. Rodriguez played eight seasons in the Yankees' organization, reaching Triple-A Columbus where he was briefly a teammate of current Wingnuts' manager Kevin Hooper.
Two other future Major Leaguers that Rodriguez played with during his time with the Yankees were outfielders Juan Rivera and Marcus Thames. In 2001, the trio put up huge numbers for the Double-A Norwich Navigators. Thames paced the club with 31 home runs, while 'J-Rod' addded 22 to go along with Rivera's 14.
"Those (Rivera and Thames) are two good friends of mine. We had a great year in Double-A. That team was stacked. Marcus had a great Big League career and Rivera is still going. We had great times together," Rodriguez said.
The native New Yorker never did get a chance to don the Yankee pinstripes, and signed a free agent deal with the Cleveland Indians for the 2005 season. Rodriguez hit five home runs for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in June.
"We were in Syracuse, and the manager called me into his office and told me I was being traded to St. Louis. I just took it as a positive that somebody else wanted me. I went out there and had a great month," Rodriguez said.
It indeed was a great month, and perhaps the best of his career. In 34 games for the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in Memphis, Rodriguez hit .343 with 17 home runs and 47 RBIs. Rodriguez earned his first Major League call-up in July after St. Louis' outfielder Reggie Sanders went down with an injury. In 56 games with the big club, Rodriguez hit five home runs and drove in 24 during the final year of the 'old' Busch Stadium.
He played well enough in St. Louis to earn another chance with the Cardinals in 2006, and was included on their postseason roster that culminated with a World Series championship.
"Knowing what to expect the following year was the biggest thing. I knew what my role was and I knew what to expect. In the beginning when I got called up I played every day, but was not sure what to expect. When Reggie Sanders got back I knew I could be a left-handed bat off the bench. I expected to play more in 2006, but I knew my role was going to be to provide power off the bench," Rodriguez said.
It's been seven years since his last major league at bat, and he's been playing independent baseball for the last four years--two with the Long Island Ducks and now his second with the Wingnuts. At an age when most ball players would look for coaching gigs if they weren't playing with an affiliated team, Rodriguez shows no signs of slowing down.
After winning team MVP honors last year, Rodriguez is hitting .323 in 2013 with seven home runs, 15 doubles, and 29 RBIs in 40 games. The 35-year-old described what drove him while making his Major League dreams come true and why he still plays the game.
"I did not let things from the outside distract me. I knew what I wanted and I wasn't going to let anything or anyone distract me. I always felt that if you knew what you wanted and you dedicate yourself to putting every tear and drop of sweat into it, then it's not impossible," Rodriguez said. "I've played as hard as I can for 17 seasons, and I feel like I could play three or four more. I just love playing this game."
As I wrapped up my interview with Rodriguez for this feature I played a name association game with him. I asked him to just comment briefly on some of the guys he played with, against, and for. Here is what he said about each one.
Ivan Rodriguez: "Greatest catcher of all time, but Yadier Molina is right behind him."
Hal McRae: "Knows a lot about hitting and kept me in the video room teaching me what pitchers were trying to do to me."
Bucky Dent: "A legend. He was a great person and a great friend. A person who understands what young guys go through."
Larry Walker: "An unbelievably great guy, and the funniest guy in baseball. He is a Hall of Famer in my eyes."
Carlos Zambrano: "A great competitor, loves to play the game and loves to win."
Adam Wainwright: "Another tremendous guy. He does a great impression of me and my New York accent. I love the kid."
Roy Oswalt: "He had the dirtiest, slowest curve ball I have ever seen."
Tony LaRussa: "Greatest manager of all-time and most intelligent manager I have ever worked with. He knows how to bring out the best in his players."
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