There R Giants #20: Randy Rodriguez

Photo Credit: Michelle Valenzuela | San Jose Giants

We’re into the There R Giants Top 50. Over the winter months, I’ll write a post on each of the fifty players in my rankings, leading us back to the much-needed spring. Our list of previously covered players is getting a little long, so from here on out I’m moving the links for the full list down the bottom of the post.

While I was out in San Jose last summer, I got a chance to sit and talk some ball with the Giants’ long time play by play man, Joe Ritzo. Joe naturally asked who had impressed me and I said something like: “boy that Randy Rodriguez is an eye-opener, huh?” Joe just smiled and told me, every team that comes through here says the same thing. In 2021, Randy Rodriguez had himself a moment — an extended moment and one that built to a particularly grand crescendo when he found himself added to the major league 40-man roster in November.

How exactly, did Rodriguez go from anonymous “cast of millions” low level bullpen arm to honest to god “pitchers and catchers report — you’re in big league camp, now” mode in a matter of five months? This was a kid whose previous professional experience was posting an ERA of 5 and a half in the complex league — a player who was baaaaaaaaaarely there in my “way too early” roster preview in December of 2020 (I listed him on the roster, but I never mentioned him in my text).

Rodriguez was a pitcher who had thrown just 53 professional innings, in 26 games, prior to this season — all of them in rookie ball. His career ERA before this season was 4.75. He had finished one of his two professional seasons on the 60 day IL. You want an “out of left field” success story? Rodriguez parachuted in from somewhere beyond the economy parking lot and landed on center stage. It was simply a stunning rise.

From “barely there” to “REALLY THERE” in a season of Low A work is quite a trip — let’s see if we can follow the steps involved.