Lynchburg Closer Rodriguez Named To Postseason All-Star Squad
September 2, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
Lynchburg Hillcats closer R. J. Rodriguez was selected to the Carolina League's postseason All-Star team on Wednesday. Rodriguez, who was also named to the league's mid-season All-Star team in June, was the lone relief pitcher on the postseason squad. He went 6-3 with a league-leading 27 saves and a 3.08 ERA in 47 appearances with Lynchburg.
In addition to leading the league in saves, Rodriguez posted the second-best single-season saves mark in franchise history. Rodriguez' 27 saves in 28 opportunities rank second to Chicago White Sox reliever D. J. Carrasco, who amassed 29 saves for the Hillcats in 2002. Rodriguez is the lone Hillcat that was chosen to the 2009 Carolina League postseason All-Star team.
Rodriguez signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent after pitching in San Diego's farm system from 2006 through 2008. He was assigned to Lynchburg just before the start of the 2009 season and helped the Hillcats win the 2009 first-half division title in the Carolina League's Northern Division. Rodriguez was selected to the league's mid-season All-Star team and pitched in the 2009 California League/Carolina League All-Star game in Lake Elsinore on June 23. The game served as a homecoming for Rodriguez, who played for Lake Elsinore in 2007 and 2008.
Rodriguez will pitch for Puerto Rico in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, which begins September 9. The Pirates have placed Rodriguez on the Temporary Inactive List and he has left the Hillcats. He joins former Hillcats Pedro Alvarez and Dustin Molleken, who were both promoted to Double-A Altoona from Lynchburg in June, as participants in the Baseball World Cup. Alvarez will play for the U. S. national team and Molleken will compete for Canada in the World Cup.
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