Sean Rodriguez

by rmarx on Sep 1, 2009 6:10 PM EDT

If you guys have had too much Sean Rodriguez talk, then let me know and I'll delete this. Otherwise, I'm curious to hear everybody's thoughts on him.

I'm sure everybody knows by now that Sean Rodriguez is the PTBNL in the Kazmir trade, and I'm surprised that there hasn't been anything posted on here about it today. What do you guys think of Rodriguez? Where do you think he'll be next year? All accounts that I've heard say that he'll be a utility man, with Jason Bartlett and Ben Zobrist entreanched as the starting SS and 2B, respectively. Bartless and Zobrist are both having unbelievably good seasons (especially for them), so I understand this move, but what are the chances that Rodriguez dethrones one of them? Otherwise, I could also see him as the full-time DH (with spot starts at the MI positions).

Here are Rodriguez's numbers, according to The Baseball Cube:

Scouting Report
Power:	90
Speed:	71
Contact:	26
Patience:	72

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Level	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2003	ANG	Ariz	18	Rk	54	216	30	58	8	5	2	25	11	4	14	37	0.27	0.33	0.38	712
2004	PRO	Pio	19	Rk	64	225	64	76	14	4	10	55	9	3	51	62	0.34	0.49	0.57	1055
	CED	Midw	19	A	57	196	35	49	8	4	4	17	14	4	18	54	0.25	0.33	0.39	726
2005	CED	Midw	20	A	124	448	86	112	29	3	14	45	27	11	78	85	0.25	0.37	0.42	793
2006	RAN	Calif	21	A+	116	455	78	137	29	5	24	77	15	3	47	124	0.3	0.38	0.55	922
	ARK	Tex	21	AA	18	65	16	23	5	0	5	9	0	3	11	18	0.35	0.46	0.66	1124
	SAL	PCL	21	AAA	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0
2007	ARK	Tex	22	AA	136	508	84	129	31	2	17	73	15	8	54	132	0.25	0.35	0.42	768
2008	SAL	PCL	23	AAA	66	248	68	76	19	1	21	52	4	1	29	45	0.31	0.4	0.65	1042
	LAA	AL	23	MLB	59	167	18	34	8	1	3	10	3	1	14	55	0.2	0.28	0.32	593
2009	SAL	PCL	24	AAA	102	362	81	109	17	6	29	93	9	2	50	116	0.3	0.4	0.62	1024
	LAA	AL	24	MLB	12	25	4	5	0	0	2	4	0	0	3	7	0.2	0.28	0.44	716

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Comments

i hope u dont get smashed for putting up his baseball cube ratings

i think hes pretty good, his power is awesome for a middle infielder. He walks alot so his obp should be solid but his average will probably be low because of how often he strikes out

by jarjets89 on Sep 1, 2009 6:56 PM EDT reply actions

the strikeouts are what is holding him back , if he could cut them down a decent amount i think people would be higher on him

by jarjets89 on Sep 1, 2009 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Hahaha.

I didn’t read anything, just saw a baseballcube scouting report and rec’d it.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Sep 1, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions

baseball cube

I just copied whatever was on the page…I don’t actually go by it (and quite franky. I have no idea how they calculate it)

by rmarx on Sep 1, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions

It's a very fast-and-loose measurement of how a player's raw numbers compare to everyone else's

Since it doesn’t adjust for parks or levels— like, at all (college is the same as MLB)— it’s more or less useless to compare two prospects unless they’ve played at almost identical levels and parks in their careers. What it does do a decent job of is for comparing a player to himself, i.e. telling you what parts of his game are strong and what parts aren’t strong.

It can be useful but you have to be very careful about it.

Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving

by PaulThomas on Sep 1, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

his ISOP is .317 this year in AAA

i know its a hitter’s park but damn.

to put it in perspective Ryan Howard’s ISOP this year is .296

by daveh33 on Sep 1, 2009 7:03 PM EDT reply actions

I like to believe

That Sean-Rod can play short and hit 30 homers.

"Chicks dig the long ball, although fat chicks will settle for warning track power" - Nick Diamond

by hero66 on Sep 1, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I like to believe

in the tooth fairy. But neither is particularly realistic.

by realitypolice on Sep 1, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I didnt say I think it could actually happen

Just said I like to believe it

"Chicks dig the long ball, although fat chicks will settle for warning track power" - Nick Diamond

by hero66 on Sep 2, 2009 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions

You mean Rodzilla

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Sep 2, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

I need to start a campaign

in baseball to stop recycling nicknames.

by METSMETSMETS on Sep 3, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Everyone hits 30 home runs if they play a full season in that ballpark, except for Reggie Willits

by PaulThomas on Sep 1, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions

yes but his ISOP is all i'm talking about

neutralized for park, his SLG is still .608… not sure what his ISOP would be… but a SS/2B that ISOPs even ~.280 is well, an all-star

by daveh33 on Sep 1, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Unless you think home runs and ISO are unrelated, my comment is highly relevant...

The place is an insane bandbox. There might be 3 or 4 worse parks in the minors (Albuquerque, Lancaster, Colorado Springs, maybe a few others) but it’s right up there. You can’t take unadjusted numbers from that park seriously.

by PaulThomas on Sep 1, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

just checked his road/home splits

.562 SLG on the road, .660 at home.
ISOP of .315 on the road, .320 at home

…so apparently he hits for power everywhere. better at home, yes, but a .562 SLG from your 2B is elite

by daveh33 on Sep 1, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions

facepalm

This notion that home and road splits can indicate anything about whether a player’s numbers are “legitimate” needs to die. In fact, it needs to be tied to an anchor and tossed off the Brooklyn Bridge.

by PaulThomas on Sep 2, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

You don't think they might be the slightest bit relevant when assessing how a guy will be when he moves?

Padres hitters look bad, Texas hitters look good. Is this coincidental? When comparing a Padres hitter’s numbers to a Ranger’s numbers, you’re going to have to take into account the park in which they play. If Kinsler put up the numbers he does in Petco, he’d be significantly better than he currently is (which isn’t to say he’s not good, just not as amazing as those numbers would be from Petco).

by Fanon on Sep 2, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

The way you do that is not by looking at home/road splits

It’s just a flatly wrong, innumerate methodology.

by PaulThomas on Sep 2, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

You are missing his point

He is talking about drawing conclusions from single year H/R splits, not dismissing park factors.

by aCone419 on Sep 2, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

how?

you criticized his numbers because of his home park, so i provide numbers that are not from his home park, and you say they are irrelevant?

well then please tell me what magic crystal ball you use to “neutralize” his numbers, because i’ve done that at minorleaguesplits too. he still SLGs .608

by daveh33 on Sep 2, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Park-neutralizing still puts it in the context of the PCL, the most hitter-friendly league in baseball

There is no one “neutral” location for all of baseball, but the next best thing is probably to translate his line into his own major league park (now Tampa Bay, a fairly neutral locale).

by PaulThomas on Sep 2, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't be a dick

You railed against the home park numbers that were being cited, you were then presented with information that invalidated the numbers as being a product of the home park. Get over it. Move on to another argument. But don’t jump on the guy for legitimately addressing your stated concern.

by Ophidian on Sep 2, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I just want to never see individuals' home/road splits cited as evidence of anything ever again

because they’re utterly useless.

by PaulThomas on Sep 3, 2009 4:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Jason Bartlett is almost certain to be traded this off-season

unless the market is completely dry for him which I doubt. That being the case I think Rodriguez will be a super platoon/utility guy for the Rays. I think he will play either SS or RF against LHP with either Brignac or Joyce getting a day off and he will find his way against RHP somewhere on the diamond those games. Having both Zobrist and Rodriguez next year is going to give Joe Maddon a lot of flexability with his line-up.

by Dbullsfan on Sep 1, 2009 7:11 PM EDT reply actions

Uggla

I see a lot of Uggla in Rodriguez’s numbers. NUMBERS only – not talking about his swing or defense or anything…just numbers.

by rmarx on Sep 1, 2009 7:38 PM EDT reply actions

Kazmir trade for the Rays went from good

to excellent IMO.

by cowboy4eva on Sep 1, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

2nded

I really liked the trade for them when it was just Torres/Sweeney, but even though I’m not a big Sean Rodriguez fan, this was a really solid move on their part. An understandable gamble by the Angels, I think, but a very sweet trade for the Rays, showing some foresight.

by toonsterwu on Sep 2, 2009 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Zobrist could move back to the outfield.

S-Rod doesn’t necessarily have to dethrone Bartlett or Zobrist.

by CaptainCanuck on Sep 2, 2009 6:28 PM EDT reply actions

+1

The Rays still kind of have a hole in RF. With CC and BJ in left and center respectively and Jennings probably not ready until sometime after June (probably in late August/early September) for his cup of tea, Zobrist should have a home in RF while still backing up at SS and 2b.

The only issue I see with this is that Reid Brignac should be given a shot whether it’s at 2b or SS. The guy doesn’t have much else to prove in the minors.

"When Justin Upton faces Lincecum, I think Christ might appear in the heavens, and the world will end." -JakeFree

by JT12340 on Sep 2, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions

We have Matt Joyce, Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez all more than capable of playing RF.

Not to mention Fernando Perez is a monster defensive OFer and while he’s not a full time player, would make a great platoon partner with Joyce.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Sep 2, 2009 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions

My personal opinion of Joyce,

has never been that high. I’ve always thought of him as a 4th OF personally. Then again I think of the same thing when Fernando Perez comes to mind. I could see the platoon situation. Depending on who is better with the glove (Rodriguez or Zobrist), that person should be starting at 2b while the other platoons and becomes another super utility guy I guess.

"When Justin Upton faces Lincecum, I think Christ might appear in the heavens, and the world will end." -JakeFree

by JT12340 on Sep 4, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions