Sean Rodriguez
Encyclopedia
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
short stop for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
High school career
Rodriguez began his high school career at Miami Coral Park High SchoolMiami Coral Park High School
Miami Coral Park Senior High School is a secondary school, located at 8865 S.W. 16th Street in the Westchester neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. The school was opened in 1963. It was the first school with A/C in south Florida. The principal is Dr. Nick JacAngelo...
. Rodriguez played center field and displayed good arm strength. Although he was successful in center field, he wanted to play shortstop. However, during his freshman year shortstop was occupied by the eventual third overall pick of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
(Luis Montanez). After Montanez graduated there was an intense competition for the shortstop position between three top candidates: Guillermo Martinez (Florida Marlins), Robert Valido (Chicago White Sox), and Rodriguez. Eventually, Valido won the battle with Martinez moving to third and Rodriguez to center. Rodriguez was never happy in center leading to his eventual transfer to G. Holmes Braddock High School
G. Holmes Braddock High School
G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School is a secondary school located in Miami, Florida, USA. The school is named after a former 38-year member of the school board, who, as chairperson from 1969–1970, led the district's efforts to desegregate its schools....
.
Professional career
Rodriguez was drafted out of high school by the Anaheim Angels in the 3rd round (90th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
. Rodriguez began his professional career for the Rookie League Tempe Angels
Tempe Angels
The Arizona League Angels are a minor league baseball team located in the city of Tempe, Arizona, USA. They are a Class R team in the Arizona League and have been a farm team of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since the early 1990s. Starting in 2006, the Tempe Angels play night home games at...
in . In 54 games, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.269 with 2 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s.
Rodriguez split the season between the Rookie League Provo Angels and the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels
Cedar Rapids Kernels
The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Class A minor league baseball team based in Iowa. It is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and plays in the Midwest League.-Franchise history:...
. In a combined 121 games, he batted .297 with 14 home runs. Rodriguez was named to the Pioneer League postseason All-Star game and was the MVP of the game.
Rodriguez spent the entire season playing for the Kernels. He played in 124 games and batted just .250 with 14 home runs.
In , Rodriguez split the year between the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a minor league baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers, their third major league affiliate in team history....
, the Double-A Arkansas Travelers
Arkansas Travelers
The Arkansas Travelers, also known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Major League club....
, and the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
(just 1 game for them). In a combined 135 games, he batted .307 with 29 home runs. His 135 games were a career high for him and so were his .307 batting average, 29 home runs, 77 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, 522 at-bats, and his 34 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. He also led the Quakes with 24 home runs, a .299 batting average, and was tied for first in doubles with 29. Rodriguez was also named to the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
midseason and postseason All-Star game and after the minor league season, was named by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
and Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
as a Class A All-Star.
In , Rodriguez played for the Travelers again, this time for an entire season. In a career high 136 games, he batted .254 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI. He led the Travelers with his 136 games played, 17 home runs, 73 RBI, 84 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(tied), and came in second with 129 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and 31 doubles. Rodriguez was also a Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
midseason and postseason All-Star.
On November 2, 2007, Rodriguez's contract was purchased by the Angels, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. Rodriguez began the season for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
. On April 18, , he was recalled from the Bees and made his major league debut the next day against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He went 1–4 in his debut.
2009
On September 1, 2009, he was the player to be named in a deal that sent Scott KazmirScott Kazmir
Scott Edward Kazmir is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Kazmir made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004 when he was only 20 years old and at one time held many of the franchise's career pitching records...
to the Angels. Fellow minor leaguers Matt Sweeney and Alexander Torres
Alexander Torres
Alexander Jesus Torres Matos is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.Torres was signed on January 12, 2005, by Los Angeles Angels scout Carlos Porte, as an international free agent, and was assigned to the Angels' Dominican Summer League affiliate that season...
also came to the Rays in the trade. Rodriguez was assigned to the AAA Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
, where he finished out the season.
Rodriguez's final 2009 stats between Salt Lake City and Durham included a .294 batting average, 30 home runs, and 98 RBIs in 385 at-bats. On September 23 Rodriguez helped Durham win the Triple-A championship, hitting a two-run homer in a 5–4 win over the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
.
2010
In 2010 he played for Tampa, as their part-time second baseman and utility player. In 343 at bats, he hit .251 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs. He stole 13 basesStolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
on the year, while being caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
3 times.