Fernando Rodney...Twitter: @F_Rodney56...has six children: Fernando Jr., Gavin, Jaden, Ferna, Emma and Jennessy...traveled to South Korea prior to the 2014 season on a goodwill trip visiting Little League teams and putting on baseball clinics...Rodney wears his hat tilted to the left for a variety of reasons, mostly in memory of his father, Ulise, who was a fisherman and wore his hat sideways to block the sun while he worked...he also cites deception to the hitter and baserunners for his hat positioning, as well as having a little fun...began his bow-and-arrow save celebration on April 16, 2012 when playing for the Tampa Bay Rays...he says he doesn't know where the idea came from, it's "just something after the last out. Out 27. You know the game is over. I shoot the moon. I shoot the arrow, just to let them know game over."
2017
Pitched in three games for the Dominican Republic at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, allowing one earned run in 3.1 innings pitched ... Signed by Arizona as free agent December 2, 2016 ... Became a U.S. Citizen on May 1 in Miami, FL ... Held the opposition hitless in 29 at-bats in June, making him the fourth pitcher all-time to face 28-plus hitters in a single month and not allow a hit, joining Edwar Ramirez in June 2008 (37 BF), Bryan Harvey in August 1989 (33) and Sparky Lyle in April 1970 (29) ... Went 15-for-16 in save chances with a 0.00 ERA (19.1 IP) and a .035 opponent average (2-for-57) in 20 games from May 1-July 1 ... Recorded 20 saves in first-half, fifth most in franchise history, behind Jose Valverde (26 in 2007), Byung-Hyun Kim (22 in 2002), J.J. Putz (21 in 2011) and Addison Reed (21 in 2014) ... Earned his 20th save in Arizona's 70th game, the second fastest to that mark in team history; Jose Valverde accomplished that feat in 58 games in 2007 ... Recorded 12 saves in August, a Diamondbacks monthly record, surpassing J.J. Putz's 11 in May and August 2011 ... Saved 300th career game September 22 vs. Marlins, the 28th player in baseball history to do so ... His .154 opponent average after May 1 was second among NL relievers behind Carl Edwards Jr. (.144) ... Held right-handed hitters to a .165 average (16-for-97) with just four extra-base hits (3 2B, 1 HR) ... Opponents hit just .151 (13-for-86) against his changeup, the best mark among NL relief pitchers and second best in baseball (Chris Devenski, .138) ... His 39 saves were tied for third most in the NL with Corey Knebel behind Greg Holland (41) and Kenley Jansen (41), and the third-most in franchise history, behind Jose Valverde in 2007 (45) and J.J. Putz in 2011 (45) ... Was one save shy of becoming the second pitcher with 40+ saves at age 40-or-older (Mariano Rivera; 44 in 2013 [43] and 33 in 2011 [41]).
2016
Selected to his third All-Star Team, going 2-4 with 25 saves, 3.44 ERA (25 ER in 65.1 IP) and 74 strikeouts in 67 games with the Padres and Marlins...Posted a 0.31 ERA (1 ER in 28.2) and 17 saves in 28 games with San Diego before being traded to Miami on June 30 for RHP Chris Paddack...Began the season with 25 scoreless outings (25.2 IP) through June 21, the longest streak in Padres history to start a season...Ranked third among Major League relievers in the fi rst half with a .147 opponents average and fourth with a 1.04 ERA...Signed as a free agent on Feb. 2.
2015
Played in 54 games for Seattle before being acquired by the Chicago Cubs on 8/27, going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA (1 ER, 12.0 IP) in 14 outings for Chicago…overall on the season went 7-5 with a 4.74 ERA (33 ER, 62.2 IP) over 68 games total between Seattle and Chicago....Began the season with the Mariners, appearing in 54 games before being designated for assignment on 8/23…acquired by the Cubs on 8/27 for a PTBNL or cash considerations....Over his first 25 games for Seattle from 4/6-6/10, went 2-3 with 14 saves in 17 opportunities to go with a 7.03 ERA (19 ER, 24.1 IP)…posted a 3.16 ERA (9 ER, 25.2 IP) over his next 27 outings from 6/11-8/16 before allowing four runs over his final two games with Seattle and being designated for assignment....Allowed one earned run in 12.0 innings total for the Cubs, with three unearned runs allowed on 10/1 at CIN…recorded 15 strikeouts against four walks and eight hits allowed....Also pitched in two postseason games for the Cubs, working 0.2 scoreless innings in the National League Division Series before allowing two runs over 1.0 inning in the National League Championships Series.
2014
All-Star closer led MLB with 48 saves and went 1-6, 2.85 in team-high 69 appearances... Led MLB with 48 saves, becoming first Mariners pitcherto lead the Majors (or AL) in saves... Broke the Mariners' single-season saves record, passingthe old record of 45 set by Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2001…recorded record-breaking 46th save Sept. 18 at LAA... Ranked 2nd in AL and 3rd in MLB converting 94.1% ofsaves (48 of 51)... Recorded only 3 blown saves, tied for 12th-fewest in MLB history by a closer with 45 or more saves... Allowed at least one baserunner in 47 of 69 appearances (68%), including 34of 51 save opportunities (67%)... Recorded his second season with 45+ saves, tying his career high set in 2012 with TB…one of 16 closers in MLB history with at least two seasons with 45+ saves... Recorded his 200th career save July 26 vs. Baltimore…one of 46 pitchers in MLB history with 200+ saves (1 of 7 active pitchers)…39th all-time with 220 career saves... Recorded 9 saves in each May, June, August and September,accounting for 4 of the 16 9+ save months in club history... Converted 21 consecutive save opportunities July 26-end of season... Led the AL with 64 games finished, tied for 2nd-most in club history(Putz, 65 in 2007).. Appeared in his second All-Star game (also 2012)…recorded one walk and onestrikeout in 0.1 IP in game played at Target Field in Minneapolis... Averaged 10.31 K/9.0 IP (76 K's)…recorded at least one K in 53 of 69 games... Recorded a save in all three games of the Mariners 3-game seriessweep at Kansas City June 20-22…fourth Seattle pitcher (5 times) to save all three gamesin a 3-game sweep: Mike Schooler (2x: 7/4-6/89 vs. MIN & 9/11-13/89 vs. BOS), Jose Mesa (7/30-8/1/99 vs. BAL) and J.J. Putz (6/8-10/07 at SD)... Recorded 133 saves over the last three seasons: 2012 - 48, 2013 - 37, 2014- 48, 2nd-most in MLB behind Craig Kimbrel (139).
2013
Appeared in 68 games with Rays, the second consecutive season and fourth in last five with 65+ appearances. Posted a 1.88 ERA (8 ER, 38.1 IP) with 46 strikeouts over his final 39 appearances…posted 5.40 ERA (17 ER, 28.1 IP) in his first 29 relief outings. First in Rays history with two 35-save seasons…ranks 2nd all-time on Rays list with 85 saves (R. Hernandez, 101). Entered game in a non-save situation 23 times, going 4-0 with 2.59 ERA (7 ER, 24.1 IP)…in save situations, had a 3.95 ERA (18 ER, 41.0 IP). Recorded 18 straight saves from May 29-Aug 4, posting a 2.22 ERA (6 ER, 24.1 IP) with 33 strikeouts in 25 relief appearances. On May 21 at Toronto, threw a fastball 100.7 mph in the 9th inning vs. Colby Rasmus, the highest velocity of his career according to PITCHf/x.
2012
Ten-year veteran had a historic season as the
Rays closer after signing as a free agent on
Jan 4...his 0.60 ERA (74.2-IP, 5-ER) set a major
league record for a relief pitcher (min. 50
IP), breaking OAK Dennis Eckersley's record of
0.61 in 1990...Allowed only one ER in 45 IP over his final 45 apps (HR to TOR David Cooper on Aug. 8), beginning June 16 (0.20 ERA)...Earned a club-record and career-high 48 saves (prev. 45, by Rafael Soriano in 2010)...joined Eckersley (48 saves, 0.61 ERA) in 1990 as the only pitchers in major league history to post 40 saves and a sub-1.00 ERA...Finished fifth in the BBWAA AL Cy Young voting...received 38 points (one 1st-place vote) in the 7-4-3-2-1 point system...since 1995 only one AL reliever has received more Cy Young voting points: NYY Mariano Rivera with 68 points
in 2005...also became just the fourth Ray to receive votes for the Cy Young joining David Price
(2010 and 2012), James Shields (2011) and
Rafael Soriano (2010).Named the AL Comeback Player of the Year, chosen by the 30 club beat reporters for MLB.com...he was the second Ray to earn the honor, joining Carlos Peña (2007)...Also finished 13th (two points behind David Price) in the AL MVP balloting.His 0.60 ERA was 0.98 better than the next closest AL reliever (BOS Scott Atchison, 1.58)...this was the largest lead by an AL relief pitcher since 1950, when BOS Mickey McDermott (1.67) led CLE Sam Zoldak (3.04) by 1.37 runs...Ranked second in the majors in saves behind BAL Jim Johnson (51)...Led the majors with a 96.0 save pct. (48-for-50), breaking Rafael Soriano's club record of 93.8 (45-for-48) in 2010...Appeared in a career-high 76 games (prev. 73 in 2009), tied with teammate Joel Peralta for
second most in the AL...finished 65 games, second
most in the majors...his 76 SO were a career high...Four of the nine runs he allowed were unearned...Averaged 1.81 BB/9 IP and 5.06 SO/BB (74.2-IP, 76-SO, 15-BB) after entering the season with career ratios of 4.88 BB/9 IP and 1.65 SO/BB...
in fact, in 2011 his 7.88 BB/9 IP ratio (32-IP, 28-BB) was highest in the majors among pitchers
with at least 25 innings...Of the Rays 10 victories over the Yankees, he recorded two wins and seven saves, tying the major league record for most saves vs. the Yankees in one season (also TB Danys Baez in 2005, CWS Bobby Thigpen in 1990)...Opponents hit only .167/.219/.198 (43-for-258)...ranked fourth among AL relievers in opp avg., second in opp OBP and 1st in opp SLG...yielded only two HR, and has allowed only three HR in his last 143 apps...Had a 22-inning scoreless streak from June 14-Aug. 7, longest ever by a Rays reliever at the time, but was surpassed days later by J.P. Howell (27.1)...broke Joe Borowski's club-record streak of 21 innings set in 2005...the streak ended when he allowed a solo homer to David Cooper in the ninth inning on Aug. 9 vs. TOR...Allowed only 2 ER at Tropicana Field, posting a 0.44 ERA (41-IP, 3-R, 2-ER) in 42 apps at home, best among major league relievers...Earned his 100th career save on May 19 vs. ATL...following the game, he gave the game ball to Nathan Johnson, a man celebrating his 100th birthday at Tropicana Field that day...Converted his first 15 save chances, one shy of the club record to start the season...blew his first save on May 26 at BOS on a two-run, pinchhit walk-off homer by Jarrod Saltalamacchia
in the ninth inning...it was only the second walkoff homer allowed in Rodney's career, the first coming in his second major league game with
Detroit on May 8, 2002 at ANA (Troy Glaus)...After his first blown save, converted his next 22 consecutive save opportunities to set a club record...the prev. record of 19 was held by
Rafael Soriano (2010) and Roberto Hernandez (1999)...the streak ended on Aug 14 at SEA, when he lost on two unearned runs following an error by Carlos Peña in the ninth...His only two saves of longer than one inning both came in September...on Sept. 1 at TOR worked 1.2 IP for his 40th save as the Rays won on a game-ending outfield assist by B.J. Upton...on Sept. 14 at NYY pitched 1.2 innings for his 43rd save...ALL-STAR GAME: At age 35, became the oldest
first-time All-Star in Rays history...only four
active players have made their first All-Star
Team at an older age: SEA Jamie Moyer (40) in 2003, NYM R.A. Dickey (37) in 2012, LAD Takashi Saito (37) in 2007 and PHI Raul Ibañez (37) in 2009...was the 20th different Ray to make the All-Star Team...pitched a perfect ninth inning for the AL in the 8-0 loss, retiring PIT Andrew McCutchen, CIN Jay Bruce and CHC Bryan LaHair all on groundouts...had a 0.93 ERA and 25 saves at the All-Star break, becoming the seventh pitcher to earn 25 saves with a sub-1.00 ERA in the first half since the save became an official statistic in 1969...Pitched for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League playoffs.
2011
His 32 innings pitched were his fewest since
2003...began the season as the Angels closer
and saved their Opening Day win at KC...yielded
that role to rookie Jordan Walden in April...was
3 of 7 in save chances, earning his last save on
May 30 at KC...Was 2nd on the staff in appearances through
May with 25 while holding opponents to a .195
avg., but appeared in only 14 games the rest
of the season including only 2 of the final 29
games...missed 35 games while on the disabled
list with a strained upper back, June 9-July 21...Held right-handed hitters to a .180 (11-for-61)
clip...in the 7 seasons following his rookie season (2003), has held righties to a .216 (160-for-
741) mark...Allowed 1 HR (B.J. Upton, April 29 at TB), the
only homer he has allowed in his last 67 apps...
the next day he threw a wild pitch in the 10th
with 2 outs and Matt Joyce on third base to
give the Rays a 2-1 win, their first ever on a
walk-off wild pitch...also lost to the Rays in the
10th inning on June 8 at LAA...went on DL the
next day...Averaged 7.88 BB/9 innings (32-IP, 28-BB),
highest in the majors among pitchers with 25
or more innings...all but one of his apps were
less than 2 innings...5 times he entered the
game before the 8th inning, something he had
not done since 2008.
2010
In first season with Angels and sixth full Major League season, posted a 4-3 record with 14 saves and a 4.24 ERA (68
IP - 32 ER) in 72 appearances...Allowed 70 hits (4 HR) while walking 35 batters and striking out 53...Led Halos 'pen
with 72 appearances and 68 IP while trailing only K. Jepsen (61) in SO...His 13.1 scoreless inning streak (April 10-May
10) was longest by a Halo reliever in 2010... Had string of 27 consecutive home saves snapped June 25 vs. Colorado...
Converted just nine of final 16 save opportunities and 14 of 21 save opportunities overall...Has converted 53 of 61 save
opportunities dating back to 2008...21 for 26 in hold chances...Posted a 2.25 ERA (12.0 IP - 3 ER) in August after a
7.84 (10.1 IP - 9 ER) showing in July...Registered a 5.65 ERA (14.1 IP - 9 ER) over his final 15 outings.
2009
In fifth full Major League season with Tigers, was 2-5 with 37 saves and a 4.40 ERA (75.2 IP - 37 ER) in 73 appearances...
Allowed 70 hits (8 HR), walked 41 and struck out 61...Converted 97.4 percent of save opportunities (37/38), tops among
all American League pitchers...Set career-highs in saves, appearances, innings pitched and games finished (65, tops in
the AL)...Became just fourth pitcher in Tigers' history to record 30-or-more saves in a season...Converted each of first 22
save opportunities, April 11-July 24, marking the longest such streak by a Tigers pitcher since Matt Anderson converted
22 straight save opportunities in 2001..Compiled a 2-1 record with 14 saves and a 1.52 ERA (23.2 IP - 4 ER) over a
22-outing stretch, July 7-September 2...Only blown-save came August 1 at Cleveland (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO)...Served
a two-game suspension from Major League Baseball, September 14-16, for his actions following the Tigers game at Tampa
Bay, September 4...Made 300th career appearance, September 22 at Cleveland.
2008
Appeared in 38 games for the Tigers after he missed the first 11 weeks of the 2008 season with right shoulder tendinitis-- recorded a career-high 13 saves as he served as the club's closer over the season's final two months...Assigned to Triple A Toledo as part of an injury rehab assignment on June 3 -- appeared in four games with Toledo before being recalled from his injury rehab assignment and reinstated from the disabled list by the Tigers on June 16...Surrendered five runs over his first two outings with the Tigers June 16-20, retiring one of the seven batters he faced -- compiled a 1.98 ERA (13.2IP/3ER) and 12 strikeouts over his next 12 appearances June 24-July 25...Posted a career-long six-game losing streak June 20-September 16 -- longest losing streak by a Tigers reliever since Steve Sparks dropped six straight decisions in relief May 25-August 18, 2003...Equaled a career high with three innings of relief on August 5 at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox -- fanned a season-best five batters in the outing...Finished 0-1 with a 3.29 ERA (13.2IP/5ER), six saves and 21 strikeouts in 11 outings during August -- tied for fourth in the American League with six saves during the month...Tied for sixth in the American League with six saves during September...Tied for sixth in the American League with six blown saves...Limited righthanded batters to a .186 batting average (13x70)...lefties hit .256 (21x82) with Rodney on the mound...Compiled a 0-2 record, 2.61 ERA (20.2IP/6ER) and seven saves in 19 outings at Comerica Park...finished 0-4 with a
7.32 ERA (19.2IP/16ER) and six saves in 19 appearances on the road...Appeared in four games with Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, posting an 8.10 ERA (3.1IP/3ER), one save
and five strikeouts.
2007
Limited to 48 appearances with the Tigers due to two
stints on the disabled list...Tied for third among American League relievers with
six losses...Suffered the loss in four straight decisions April 13-
June 13, establishing a career high...Compiled a 2.19 ERA (12.1IP/3ER) over a 10-outing
stretch April 24-May 19 -- posted a 7.88 ERA (8.0IP/7ER)
in his first eight appearances of the season April 2-21...Sidelined May 21-June 5 with biceps tendinitis...Did not allow a run in 13 straight outings June 20-
August 31, tossing 13.2 scoreless innings...Posted a 7.36 ERA (7.1IP/6ER) in eight outings in June
before landing on the disabled list on June 24 with right
shoulder tendinitis...Assigned to Triple A Toledo on an injury rehab assignment
on July 27 -- worked three scoreless innings in four
outings with the Mud Hens...Recalled from his injury rehab assignment with Toledo
and reinstated from the disabled list on August 4...Tabbed the Tigers Pitcher of the Month for August after
holding the opposition scoreless in all 11 of his outings --
fanned 17 batters in 12.0 innings of relief...Compiled a 2-2 record and 3.66 ERA (19.2IP/8ER) in
21 outings on the road...posted a 0-4 record and 4.65
ERA (31.0IP/16ER) in 27 appearances at Comerica Park...Finished 1-5 with a 5.40 ERA (28.1IP/17ER) in 27
games prior to the all-star break...went 1-1 with a 2.82
ERA (22.1IP/7ER) in 21 outings following the all-star
break.
2006
In his first full season at the major league level, he established career highs with seven wins, 63 appearances,
71.2 innings pitched and 65 strikeouts...Sixth among all American League relievers with a .196 batting average against, while he was seventh with 6.40 hits per nine innings...Posted seven wins in relief, marking the most wins by
a Tigers reliever since Joe Boever recorded nine wins during the 1994 season...Registered a 1.03 ERA (26.1IP/3ER) in his first 24 appearances of the season April 3-June 3...compiled an 8.00 ERA (18.0IP/16ER) over his next 17 outings June 6-
July 24...Held opponents scoreless in each of his first 13 outings of the season April 3-May 5, tossing 13.0 innings during
the stretch...Posted two three-game winning streaks during the season to establish a career high -- May 20-June 1 and July
28-September 12...Equaled a career best with three innings of relief on June 12 versus Tampa Bay...Finished with a 1.32 ERA (13.2IP/2ER) in 11 outings during August...In 33 appearances at Comerica Park, he finished 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA (41.1IP/6ER)...posted a 3-4 record and 6.53 ERA (30.1IP/22ER) in 30 games on the road.
2005
Missed the first two months of the season on the Tigers
disabled list with right shoulder inflammation...Assigned to Triple A Toledo by the Tigers on a rehab
assignment on June 3 -- made three appearances for the
Mud Hens before being recalled from the rehab assignment
and reinstated from the disabled list on June 9...Equaled a career best with three innings of relief July 8
at Tampa Bay -- matched the high on July 15 vs.
Kansas City, striking out a career-high seven batters...Did not allow a run over 10 straight outings July 8-
August 4, tossing a total of 14.0 innings...Posted a 2.03 ERA (13.1IP/3ER) in 10 outings in July...Registered the save in both games of a doubleheader
at Kansas City on August 14 to become the first Tigers
pitcher to do so since Mike Henneman closed out both
games of a doubleheader sweep of the Boston Red Sox
on August 5, 1988 at Tiger Stadium...Tabbed the Tigers Pitcher of the Month for August after
finishing 0-1 with a 3.09 ERA (11.2IP/4ER) and seven
saves in 11 outings -- tied for sixth in the American
League with seven saves...Limited righthanded opposition to a .219 batting average
(21x96), while lefties hit .265 (18x68) against him...Opposition batted .207 (18x87) against him with runners
on base.
2004
Did not pitch after he underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in his right elbow on April 29, a procedure performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL...Landed on the disabled list retroactive to March 26 with a right elbow strain on April 2...Transferred to the 60-day disabled list on April 29.
2003
Saw action with Detroit in two separate stints during the
2003 season...Recalled from Toledo on June 22...Did not allow a run in six of his first seven outings for Detroit June 23-July 11, but was scored upon in four of his next five outings July 12-25, posting an 11.57 ERA (4.2 IP/6 ER)...Recalled from Toledo for second and final time prior to the game on August 24 vs. Anaheim...Tossed a career-high three innings in an 8-4 Tigers win on August 29 vs. Chicago...Retired all six batters he faced and had four strikeouts
to earn his first career save in an 8-6 victory September 2 versus Cleveland...Was Tigers Pitcher of the Month for September -- in 12 games, he was 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA (14.0IP/6ER), three saves and 20 strikeouts...Combined for a 3.80 ERA (19.0IP/8ER) with eight walks and 24 strikeouts in 15 appearances in August and September.
2002
Recalled from Double A Erie by Detroit on May 3, 2002,
he made his major league debut at Minnesota May 4 --
took the loss against the Twins, surrendering an unearned
run on two hits in 1.1 innings...Scored upon in all four of his outings with Detroit during
May, posting a 0-2 record and 9.82 ERA (3.2IP/4ER)...Optioned to Erie on May 17...Recalled for his second stint with Detroit on July
11...recorded his first major league win July 13 in the day
game of a day-night doubleheader against the White Sox
despite allowing one run on one hit in an inning of relief...Optioned to Toledo by the Tigers on July 25...recalled
for a third time by Detroit on August 13...Worked a career-high two innings of relief at Anaheim
on August 14, blanking the Angels on one hit...Sent back to Toledo on August 25...Recalled by the Tigers for a fourth and final time on September 7...appeared in seven games during
September with Detroit, allowing two unearned runs on
four hits in 5.2 innings...Struck out a career-high four batters at Kansas City on
September 26.
2001
Limited by two stints on the disabled list, he appeared
with the Gulf Coast League Tigers, Single A Lakeland
and Erie during 2001...Opened the season in Lakeland's starting rotation...in
five starts during April, he was 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA --
limited Florida State League opposition to a .192 batting
average (19x99) while allowing seven runs (four earned)
in 27.0 innings...Fanned a season-high six batters at Charlotte May 5
-- matched his season best with six strikeouts in his next
start, May 10 vs. Brevard County...Landed on the disabled list on May 22 with a right
forearm stain...Returned to action for the Tigers on July 2 at Brevard
County, working a scoreless inning of relief...Returned to the disabled list on July 13 with a left
hamstring pull...Made one start with the Gulf Coast League Tigers as
part of his rehabilitation assignment on August 7 against
the Gulf Coast League Phillies...worked a scoreless inning, fanning one batter...
Returned to action with Lakeland on August 11, earning
the win as he fanned two batters in two innings of
relief...Appeared two more times in relief for Lakeland,
August 15 vs. Tampa and August 18 vs. Daytona,
before being promoted to Erie...Appeared in two games for the SeaWolves during the
Eastern League playoffs...earned a save in Erie's win in
the first game of the series before being tagged for two
solo home runs as he retired just one batter in the third
game of the series...Named the 16th-best prospect in the Tigers organization
following the season by
Baseball America...Rated as possessing the best fastball in the Tigers
organization following the season by
Baseball America.
2000
Posted a 6-4 record and 2.94 ERA in 22 appearances
with Single A West Michigan in 2000...Moved from the Whitecaps bullpen to the starting
rotation on June 23...shut out Quad City on just one hit
for six innings to earn the win on June 23...In six appearances during June, he posted a 2-0
record and 2.05 ERA...limited opponents to a .205 batting
average (16x78) as he allowed just six runs (five
earned) in 22.0 innings...Fanned a season-high seven batters in a season-high
seven innings pitched July 16 vs. South Bend...Matched season highs with seven strikeouts and
seven innings in his victory at South Bend on July 22...limited the Silver Hawks to one run on six hits...Placed on the disabled list on August 14 with right shoulder strain, forcing him to miss the remainder of the
season...Held all opponents to a .238 batting average
(74x311)...righties hit just .224 (45x201) with Rodney on
the mound, while lefties batted .264 (29x110) against
him...Was 4-0 with a 2.17 ERA (29.0IP/7ER) in 12 relief
appearances...2-4 with a 3.35 ERA (53.2IP/20ER) in 10
starts...Named the 19th-best prospect in both the Midwest
League and the Tigers organization following the season
by
Baseball America.
1999
In 1999, spent majority of season with Gulf Coast League Tigers...Compiled a 3-3 record with nine saves and a
2.40 ERA (30 IP - 8 ER) in 22 appearances...Allowed 20 hits (1 HR), walked 21 and struck out 39...Tied for second
in GCL with nine saves and 20 games finished, while he tied for fourth with 22 appearances...Was promoted to
Lakeland, August 26, where he finished season posting a 1-0 record with two saves and a 1.42 ERA (6.1 IP - 1 ER)
in four appearances...Named fifth-best prospect in Gulf Coast League by Baseball America.
1998
In 1998, made professional debut with the Dominican Summer League Tigers...Registered a 1-3 record with one
save and a 3.38 ERA (32 IP - 12 ER) in 11 appearances, five starts...Allowed 25 hits (4 HR), walked 19 and struck
out 37.
