Fun at heart of Rodriguez’s game
Whether he’s in left or right field or at first, second, third or shortstop, Ronny Rodriguez is easy to spot on a baseball diamond. He’s the one holding his bat as high as he can before the pitch and wiggling his hips like a dancer and playing with a big smile.
But who was that player wearing No. 65 impersonating Rodriguez on Tuesday night?
“Oh, I had that hairstyle for a year and it was time for it to go,” he said of the bleached golden patch that no longer is on top of his head. “I’m trying to be normal.”
Although he put down a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning that led to a run, Rodriguez had a rare off game in going 0-for-4 in five plate appearances in the Clippers’ 7-6 loss to Toledo before 7,754 at Huntington Park.
With the loss, the Clippers’ slim chances of reaching the International League playoffs ended. The team had made the playoffs three straight seasons.
This has been a breakthrough season for Rodriguez, a 25-year-old from Santiago, Dominican Republic. He has established career-high totals for batting average (.294), home runs (17) and RBI (62).
“I’m a proud guy and I want to play well every day,” he said. “I’m just trying to be consistent and go through my routine every day. I’ve worked with Rouglas Odor, the hitting coach here, and he has helped me. I played winter ball in the Dominican and have come back here (determined) to play well.”
Rodriguez was solid in his triple-A debut last season. He batted .258 with 10 home runs and 59 RBI in 116 games in sharing time in the infield with Erik Gonzalez and Michael Martinez.
This season, he has taken off. Before Tuesday night’s game, he ranked fifth in the International League in batting.
Where does the energy come from?
“That’s just me,” he said. “Every time you see me play there’s a big smile on my face. I hear from other players that they like to watch me play.”
His entertainment value extends to YouTube, where several of his Caribbean rap and hip-hop songs can be found. Teammates have been entertained by him in the clubhouse.
“I do that in my free time,” he said. “I don’t sing in clubs, but just for friends and teammates. I just do it for fun and on YouTube. You never know — I might try (to record professionally) someday. I think my teammates like it. Check me out on YouTube.”
It was so far, so good for Cleveland Indians players on injury rehabilitation assignments.
Abraham Almonte, who has had a strained hamstring, served as the designated hitter and had a run-scoring single to center in the third inning in four atbats. Lonnie Chisenhall played left field and singled to right in the first and seventh.