John Rodríguez: Final Entry (End of a great run!)

Bizzy15 · Baseball Legend Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Lincoln, IL

We'll use this as JRod continues to have articles.. Sanders did this last year...

Long road to posteason
Cards rookie shares thoughts on breakthrough season

John Rodriguez

Rookie outfielder John Rodriguez wasn't even in the Cardinals organization until midseason, and even after a trade to St. Louis, he wasn't on the 40-man roster. Yet an amazing month at Triple-A Memphis, combined with injuries on St. Louis' big league squad, led to an opportunity for Rodriguez to play in the Majors for the first time. Rodriguez will be checking in with MLB.com throughout the playoffs to share his experiences with readers in his first taste of the Major League postseason.

In the first installment, Rodriguez introduces himself to readers, giving an idea of just how far he's come this year. Monday was a workout day for the Cardinals, with the Division Series against San Diego starting on Tuesday.

When I signed with Cleveland during the offseason, I was excited. They told me I had a chance to break camp with them. I did what I had to do during Spring Training, and they sent me down in the last week. It was heartbreaking, but it was another experience that I had to go through -- another path that God was putting me through. It was just a test to see if I could actually handle that situation.

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LOL I have to think of something better for the thread title.

Redbird4Ever · Franchise Player Joined: 07 May 2005 Location: Florida

I love JROD.

JAmos · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:19 pm Post subject:

CardinalJayhawk · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:25 pm Post subject: I would like

I like him also. I think a platoon/rotation with JRod, Taguchi, Sanders to fill Lf or RF and give the other two spots relief would be great. Of course keep Edmonds in CF, I would like to see him finish here in St. Louis. Then the other position filled with a big name signing. Giles would be nice. By only going after one bigt name OF we can keep our concentration on the pitching needs.
I am not against Pujols going back in LF if it brought someone like Todd Helton to play first. Pujols will accel where ever hi is on the field.
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BirdsOfTheLou · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:29 pm Post subject:

Bizzy15 · Baseball Legend Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Lincoln, IL

It was a perfect day
Cardinals rookie Rodriguez shares Game 1 thoughts

John Rodriguez

I was kind of hoping that Reggie would swing at that 3-0, because obviously they didn't want to walk them, so he would hopefully just lay one in there. Reggie did what Reggie does. He came up big today. Six RBIs? Wow. That's a new Cardinals record, also. I'm proud of him and I'm proud of the team altogether. These guys are unbelievable. The chemistry here is fantastic.

It wasn't tense at the end, but we started thinking. But there's no doubt in my mind -- I believe in Izzy. Everybody does. That's our closer. We're going to go with him until the day we die. We're not worried about that. But in close situations like that, you do start thinking.

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Look at his last two paragraphs and you just know how special this team is IMO.

kwrichardson81 · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:51 pm Post subject:

Hopefully he gets himself some playing time here in the postseason. He earned it.

NYcardinal · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 4:52 am Post subject:

catch108stchs · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:26 pm Post subject:

Bizzy15 · Baseball Legend Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Lincoln, IL

As a reserve, have to stay sharp
Cardinals rookie Rodriguez shares thoughts on off-day

John Rodriguez

It's Day 3 of the playoffs, and going into batting practice, I'm trying to make sure I work on the little things. I'm making sure not to forget that even though I haven't seen live pitching in a while, it shouldn't change in my head. I need to always stay confident and focused. I can't have it in my head, "You haven't seen live pitching in a while.

Tony La Russa is telling us, don't take anybody for granted. Just go out there and play like it's Game 7 every day. You don't want to give anybody any confidence out there. We could be up in a series two games to none, and you could lose a little bit and roll over and say it's just one game, but we don't want to do that. We want to go in and win every game. So he's letting us know, we have to stay focused and not take anybody for granted.

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ABoyNamedSooie · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject:

I'm really starting to like this guy. He seems like a real class act. Hopefully he is a Cardinal for the rest of his career.
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Cardinalsarethebest · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject:

Anyone else notice how just about every Cardinals rookie (Rodriguez and Duncan the latest) talk about how much John Mabry helps them? Just thought I'd point that out!
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ABoyNamedSooie · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 9:08 pm Post subject:

John Mabry would be a great manager after his playing days are over. I'd love to see him managing the Cardinals.
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Bizzy15 · Baseball Legend Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Lincoln, IL

Being up 2-0 is tremendous
Cardinals rookie Rodriguez shares Game 2 thoughts

John Rodriguez

Being up 2-0 right now is a tremendous thing, especially going into their place. If we can just take that next one and get it done, it's going to be an awesome thing. But we also have to be ready, because the Houston-Atlanta series could go to five games. So even if we clinch Saturday, we have to stay sharp.

But just to be in the situation that we're in right now is amazing. I never doubted my teammates. Just sitting there, watching what these guys are doing is amazing. Clutch situations, a squeeze play today, Albert Pujols executing a hit-and-run, good defensive plays -- we've been doing that all year.

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Bizzy15 · Baseball Legend Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Lincoln, IL

Trip to San Diego was upbeat
Cardinals rookie Rodriguez shares thoughts on NLDS

John Rodriguez

After the game, we were still on that high, knowing that it is two games to none. Just to take that trip, knowing that today we have a day off, we knew that plane ride wasn't going to hurt us. We just wanted to come in here on this day off and get everything together and just make sure our swings are right. The pitchers are making sure that whoever is throwing a bullpen or working on some things, that they're sharp.

For me, as a bench role guy, it's myself, John Gall, John Mabry, Guch (So Taguchi) and Hector Luna. From my standpoint, I try to [prepare for] situations. I play situations in batting practice, game situations, like if I have to do a hit-and-run, or put a bunt down, or get the guy over or hit a sacrifice fly. I also play a line-drive game. It's just a game that I play with myself, seeing how many line drives I can hit in BP. I try for 13 to 15 line drives, if I can get that many. Those are games that I play in BP to make sure that my swing is right. Maybe in the last round I let it go a little bit and see how far I can hit it.

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