Full name is Ricardo Antonio Rodriguez...single...signed by Dodgers scout Pablo Peguero...was one of 2 Dominican
baseball players chronicled in a documentary about immigration in the United States entitled "New Americans"...was followed by film
crews for several years before the series' debut in 2004.
2004
Ricardo made 5 appearances and 4 starts for Texas before an elbow injury ended his season...had a 2.03 ERA, lowest among any Texas pitcher to appear in '04.
Summary: Recalled by Texas on June 26 and made Texas debut in relief on June 28 at Seattle, earning win by allowing one run in 3.2 innings...made first start on July 3 at Houston, allowing 5 runs (one earned) in 4.2 innings...allowed grand slam to last batter faced in that outing, Morgan Ensberg, after Michael Young's 2-out error prolonged the 5th inning...tossed complete game shutout on July 8 at Cleveland (see below) and earned win with 6.1 shutout innings on July 17 vs. Toronto...was struck on elbow by line drive in final start on July 22 vs. Anaheim, ending his season.
Early Complete Game Shutout: Ricardo Rodriguez tossed his first career shutout on July 8 at Cleveland, one of the Rangers' 2 individual complete game shutouts in '04 (also Rogers, 5/3 vs. TB)...became the 50th different pitcher in Texas history to post a CG SHO...recorded the CG SHO in just his 3rd game and 2nd start with Texas, which ranks among the fastest in club history...Ferguson Jenkins, inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in August, tossed a one-hitter in his Texas debut in 1974 after being acquired in an offseason trade with the Cubs...John Burkett pitched a CG SHO in first start after being acquired from Florida in 1996.
Oklahoma: Began season with RedHawks, making 2 starts before enduring appendicitis and missing nearly 2 months (see
below)...upon return, made 4 starts before being recalled to Texas...went 1-0, 2.77 (4 ER/13.0 IP) starts prior to DL stint...was 1-2,
6.38 (17 ER/24.0 IP) in 4 starts after his return, but tossed a complete game 5-hitter in final start on June 21 vs. New Orleans, allowing
just one run...PCL opponents batted .296, with lefties at .333 (15-45) and right-handers at .278 (27-97).
Injuries: Was struck by a Robb Quinlan line drive to start 4th inning on July 22 vs. Anaheim, causing a fracture in his right elbow...had surgery to repair the elbow performed by Dr. Keith Meister on July 23 at the Medical Center of Arlington...also endured an emergency appendectomy procedure late on evening of April 17 while with Oklahoma...had made just 2 starts for RedHawks and did not pitch in a game after the surgery until June 5.
2004 Notes: Posted scoreless innings streak of 15.1 IP from July 8-17, the longest by a Texas starter all year and longest since Aaron Sele tossed 17.0 straight scoreless innings from April 14-26, 1998...tied for 9th on the team with 3 wins...opponents hit .262, a .235 average (12-51) average from lefthanders and .286 figure (16-56) by right-handed hitters...had a 1.04 ERA (2 ER/17.1 IP) in 3 games/2 starts on the road.
2003
Acquired from Cleveland on July 18 and spent the rest of the season on DL with a torn labrum in his right hip...underwent surgery to repair that injury on August 4 and was moved to the 60-day DL on August 12...opened the season in Cleveland rotation and was 3-9, 5.73 in 15 starts...ranked sixth on the staff in starts, which also tied for seventh among American League rookies...was 2-0, 2.08 (6 ER/26 IP) in first 4 starts of the season, then was 0-5, 6.75 (25 ER/33.1 IP) in his next 6 outings...won final game on May 28 at Detroit (2 ER/7 IP) before losing last 4 starts with 11.15 ERA (19 ER/15.1 IP)...allowed 4 runs in 1.2 innings in final appearance on July 1 at Kansas City...removed from start in Arizona on June 8 after allowing 5 runs in 1.2 innings with a strained right triceps muscle, which he apparently suffered taking batting practice in the weeks leading up to the start...MRI and exam on June 9 was unremarkable and was placed on the DL June 11...made one rehab start at Buffalo (AAA) and allowed one earned run in 4.1 innings on June 20 vs. Charlotte...activated from the DL on June 26...optioned to Buffalo on July 2 but had right hip and groin discomfort in start for Bisons on July 6...option was rescinded following that game and was placed on Cleveland's 15-day DL on July 9, retroactive to July 2...pitched 6 or more innings 10 times, including each of first 5 starts...tied career-high with 5 strikeouts April 8 vs. Chicago...1-2, 3.00 in 5 starts at Jacobs Field but 2-7, 7.32 in 10 road outings...opponents hit .275, .300 (48-160) vs. left-handers and .250 (41-164) vs. right-handers.
2002
Acquired at the trading deadline from Los Angeles and made 7 starts for the Indians over the last 6 weeks of the season in his first appearance on the big league roster...began the year on the minor league DL with biceps tendonitis in his right shoulder and did not make his first start of the season at Jacksonville (AA) until May 18...entered the season ranked as the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America...made 11 starts at Jacksonville, going 5-4 with a 1.99 ERA (15 ER/68.0 IP)...pitched a scoreless inning in the Futures Game on July 7 in Milwaukee for the World Team before being promoted to Las Vegas (AAA) on July 19...made 2 starts for Las Vegas before being acquired by the Indians on July 28 along with 2 others in exchange for RHP Paul Shuey...made his Buffalo (AAA) debut on July 31 and won 3 of his 4 starts with the Bisons before being recalled to Cleveland on August 20...overall at AAA between Las Vegas and Buffalo he was 4-1, 3.68 ERA in 6 starts (15 ER/36.2 IP) and on the year over his 17 minor league starts at AA and AAA he was 9-5, 2.58 ERA (30 ER/104.2 IP)...worked at least 5.0 innings in all 17 minor league starts and 6.0 or more innings in 11 of 17 GS...combined on the year, minor league batters hit .244 (95-390, 6HR) with lefties hitting just .241 (49-203)...recalled from Buffalo on August 20 and made his major league debut on August 21 vs. Oakland, getting the loss in the 6-0 Oakland win...notched his first major league victory in his start vs. Detroit on August 26, working a career-high 8.1 innings before allowing a solo HR to Randall Simon in the ninth inning to spoil his shutout bid ...ejected by HP Umpire John Hirschbeck after hitting Robert Fick with the next pitch to end his attempt for a complete game...notched his second career win in his start at Chicago (AL) on September 5 and worked 7.0 innings in his start vs. Toronto on September 10...worked 5.0 or more innings in 6 of his 7 major league starts and into the sixth inning in 5 of them...including his minor league starts he pitched at least 5.0 innings in 23 of 24 starts (only non-5.0 IP was second to last start on September 16-L at Boston, season-low 4.0 IP)...hit 8 batters in 41.1IP and at least 1 in 6 of 7 starts (averaged 1.7HP/9.0IP)...major league hitters hit .255 (40-157) off him with 5 home runs allowed...right-handed hitters hit just .235 (20-85) with 2 home runs allowed as the Indians were 3-4 in his starts...ERA for first 9 batters was 2.35 (4 ER/15.1 IP).
2001
Had a stellar season as the ace of the Vero Beach's (A) staff...honored as the Dodger organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year and the Florida State League's Most Valuable Pitcher...led the FSL and all Dodger minor leaguers with 14 wins (against 6 losses)...also topped the FSL with 154 strikeouts (in 154.1 innings; fourth in league)...third in the league in ERA (3.21), fourth in starts (26) and complete games (2) and fifth in home runs allowed (13)...retired only 2 batters he faced on one pitch each while pitching for the World Team in the Major League Futures Game on July 8 in Seattle...hurled a perfect third inning to earn the victory in the June 16 Florida State League All-Star Game...won first 6 decisions and 9 of his first 10.
1999
A smashing success in his first season pitching professionally in the United States as he shined for Great Falls (Rookie), earning Pioneer League All-Star accolades and being named to Baseball America's rookie-level all-star team...won the league's pitching triple crown as he topped the circuit in wins (10-3), ERA (1.88) and strikeouts (129)...also led the league in innings pitched (95.2), starters batting average against (.192) and complete games (2)...his 15 starts were second in the league...selected as the Dodger organization's Pitcher of the Month in both July (4-2, 2.75 ERA) and August (3-1, 1.04 ERA)...honored as Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week on 5 occasions, including 3 consecutive weeks at one point...struck out 10 or more batters 6 times.
1999
Was 3-2 in 9 starts for La Romana, which captured the Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division title...struck out 51 batters in 42.0 IP...1998: Made 13 appearances, 9 as a starter, for the Santo Domingo team in the DSL....1997: In first pro season, pitched in 12 games for Santo Domingo team that reached the Dominican Summer League finals.
