FERNANDO RODNEY CAREER TRACKER

How long will he stay healthy this time? I don't know, but this guy is like a incarnated DL.

probably as long as Sheff.

Sad but true Lap.

Good morning btw!

wasn't Nando's a fluke injury too, like Zoom's?
(guten morgen! )

laprimamirala wrote:

wasn't Nando's a fluke injury too, like Zoom's?
(guten morgen! )

Nando himself is a fluke! It's a fluke he still has a job in the bullpen!

If I sank as much money into bad investments as DD has, I'd be homeless!

Nahhh..I wouldn't let ya be homeless....I have PLEANTY of spare rooms here you could utilize to keep ya from sleeping among the winos.

But seriously... it makes the mind reel to think how much money goes through MLB....

and gets wasted...

...and would look soooo good on my bank account

love to kiss my credit card gooooodbye!

I hope he stays healthy a while...

zoom too. It's been waay too long!

06/10/2008 8:40 PM ET
Rodney returns to Comerica for rehab
Tigers reliever throws strikes in bullpen session
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- Fernando Rodney was back warming up in the bullpen at Comerica Park on Tuesday. For now, he's just visiting.

He was preparing for an outing, but that's far down the road. This was less of a warmup than it was a mechanical clinic, with Tigers piching coach Chuck Hernandez running the session.

The primary goal was to have Detroit's staff watch his delivery as he threw at close to full velocity and try to pick out any mechanical issues. That went primarily for his fastball, which he has struggled to command at times during his Minor League rehab stint.

While the Tigers stretched for batting practice Tuesday afternoon, Hernandez could be seen in the bullpen giving pointers to Rodney, then watching him for a few pitches.

All the while, Brandon Inge was catching him.

"Today it was just a light [session], just going at it to see what he could do," Inge said. "To me, he looked great. His changeup is right where it was before. Obviously when he first came to the league throwing 98 miles an hour, that's obviously not going to be there right now. But he was controlling it, and that's [the key]. To be honest with you, you've got to throw strikes.

"And that's what he was doing. He was comfortable. He was spotting both sides of the plate, fastball and changeup."

From here, Rodney will go back to Toledo for a two-inning rehab appearance with the Mud Hens on Friday. Nothing has been announced after that, but usually the Tigers have rehabbing relievers throw one inning on back-to-back days before they're recalled to the big club. That would seemingly mean no move is likely until at least next week.

Rodney was sidelined from Spring Training until well into May with right-shoulder tendinitis. His absence created a void in the Tigers bullpen, where the Tigers have used several pitchers to fill what would've been Rodney's role as an eighth-inning setup man.

His anticipated return, along with Joel Zumaya soon after, should be a boost to a Tigers club that has dealt with one injury after another for most of this season. Manager Jim Leyland cautioned, however, not to expect too much.

"I'm talking about them a little more now because they're close," Leyland said. "But that's not going to be a cure-all, either, if everybody else doesn't do their job and pitch in and gut it out. These guys are not going to be saviors. If they're right and they perform the way they're capable, they're going to be tremendous additions. That won't mean anything unless other people grind it out and do something to step it up."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Ok so I dropped one of my sausage egg and cheese croissans from BK to read this.

Its GREAT!!!

Then we can get Fossum and Lopez out of our pen!!!

After seeing him and Joel pitch on Sunday, I believe that Zooom will come back before Rodney does even though there is NOTHING wrong with him. Joel threw the ball waaaay better than he did.

maybe we should trade Rodney!

laprimamirala wrote:

maybe we should trade Rodney!

Maybe the Marlins need a set up man....

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

maybe we should trade Rodney!

Maybe the Marlins need a set up man....

The Marlins need a whole new bullpen

SoulRat wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

maybe we should trade Rodney!

Maybe the Marlins need a set up man....

The Marlins need a whole new bullpen

And the Tigers need a backup catcher! It would be a perfect trade!

mrsrabelo wrote:

SoulRat wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

maybe we should trade Rodney!

Maybe the Marlins need a set up man....

The Marlins need a whole new bullpen

And the Tigers need a backup catcher! It would be a perfect trade!

Hey! They need a couple new starting pitchers too

SoulRat wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

SoulRat wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

maybe we should trade Rodney!

Maybe the Marlins need a set up man....

The Marlins need a whole new bullpen

And the Tigers need a backup catcher! It would be a perfect trade!

Hey! They need a couple new starting pitchers too

That would work...

06/21/2008 10:36 PM ET
Rodney to work more on mechanics
Reliever to have short bullpen sessions every other day
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- One day after Fernando Rodney threw eight pitches and no strikes, he was back warming up in the Tigers bullpen. The difference was that he was throwing more than an hour before game time, while his teammates took batting practice.

It was a short, light side session with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez and bullpen coach Jeff Jones to try to help Rodney shore up his mechanics, and it's going to become a habit.

"I'm going to have Rodney throwing every other day in the bullpen for about five minutes, see if we can get some rhythm and stuff going," manager Jim Leyland said. "We've got to get him throwing strikes."

Those sessions will proceed whether or not Rodney pitches in a game the previous night or is on track to pitch in the game that day. He'll be throwing at about half-speed, not just so that he doesn't wear himself out, but also to give the coaches a chance to watch his mechanics up close and try out any suggestions.

Leyland said he got the idea from Jim Kaat, the longtime successful pitcher and broadcast analyst who served as a pitching coach with Cincinnati during the mid-80s.

"I think it's good," Leyland said. "I think it's good for their control."

Rodney's mechanics Friday made it apparent that he needed some adjustments, or at least to settle down into a consistent rhythm. Rodney walked Jody Gerut on four pitches to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, then did the same to Edgar Gonzalez while he was turning in preparation for a sacrifice bunt attempt.

"He's just flinging it," Leyland said. "That's not good enough."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

07/18/2008 7:35 PM ET
Rodney working slider into mix
Reliever expands arsenal with new breaking pitch
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

BALTIMORE -- Fernando Rodney needed just two pitches to get through the one Orioles hitter he faced Thursday night. For once, however, his pitch counts and strikes weren't the news items. On Thursday, it was about the pitches themselves.

For a reliever whom the Tigers say boasts one of the best changeups in the American League, Rodney has leaned on his strengths to become essential a two-pitch pitcher over the past few years. If he couldn't spot his fastball, hitters could wait for the offspeed offering.

Yet when Rodney took the mound to face Kevin Millar with two outs in the seventh inning, he started him off with a slider before retiring him on a fastball on the next pitch.

"It actually kind of surprised me," manager Jim Leyland said.

It's a pitch the Tigers wouldn't mind seeing Rodney throw more often, if he can command it.

"I thought for three years that Rodney should have a slider," Leyland said. "I think it would make him more effective."

A few years ago, Rodney did have one. Moreover, as bullpen coach Jeff Jones pointed out, he had a pretty good one, and it made for a good complement to his changeup. But since Rodney had Tommy John elbow ligament reconstruction surgery a few years ago, it's a pitch he has used less and less, until it became virtually nonexistent the past couple years.

Jones is one of those trying to get him to bring it back. He remembers how well Rodney used to throw it.

"I stay on him about it," Jones said. "I think he was getting tired of hearing it."

Rodney's renewed interest in throwing a slider is a product of his health. His shoulder problems over the past couple seasons seemed to get him away from using all of his pitches. Once he rejoined the Tigers last month and was throwing pain-free, he had the capability to throw it. A tweak in his delivery, meant to help him with his command, gave Jones the opening to have Rodney try it out and see how it felt.

While a slider would be a new look for Rodney, he also had another new look on Friday with a haircut. With another hot afternoon in Baltimore, Rodney decided to let teammate Freddy Dolsi get out the clippers and shear off the long hair he has sported for the past several years.

It became quite a spectacle in the Tigers' clubhouse, but a three-pitch arsenal could be a bigger change for him.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

07/19/2008 7:58 PM ET
For Rodney, it's hair one day, gone next
Reliever cuts trademark coiff on Friday to beat the heat
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

BALTIMORE -- Fernando Rodney came to the ballpark on Friday in the sweltering heat and had enough.

"That's it," he said on Saturday afternoon. "No mas long hair."

With that decision Friday, fellow Tigers reliever and team barber Freddy Dolsi got out his clippers and went to work on Rodney's Ben Wallace-style hair. He came out with a short-cropped haircut, his formerly long hair in a shopping bag, and a much smaller hat size.

"He had so much hair, I could've slept on that for a week," manager Jim Leyland said. "I'm just jealous."

That's how much hair can pile up after all that time to grow out. Rodney said it was his first haircut since September 2005. Little by little, the extra hair had become a trademark of his, adding to his offbeat persona and his unique nature on the mound.

By letting it grow out, he could wear it braided, as he did most days. On rare days, he would let it out and tuck it under his hat. He wore a size 7 3/4 cap when he pitched on Thursday, the day before the clippers. After trying on his hat following the haircut, he had to drop down to a size 7 3/8.

"I felt a little uncomfortable when I put on my hat," Rodney said. "Everything is better."

It's better in the manager's opinion as well.

"He looks great," Leyland said. "He looks about 10 years younger. Now if he shaves that goatee, he'll look even better. He looks great. Plus, the shampoo will finally get to his head."

The new look came at a price, even though he didn't go a barber shop for it. It was so much work that Rodney said he paid Dolsi a sizeable sum for the haircut.

"Everybody pays me," Dolsi said.

Dolsi did not have any extra work on Saturday, but Brandon Inge got in on the act with a crew cut.

"There's something wrong with Inge," Leyland said. "That I can promise you. He's rowing with one oar. But he's got life and spirit plays his tail off. I like guys like that."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I want to see a picture of hair-less Rodney!

Funny..I haven't seen one either!

I wonder if his hat will fit better

he could sell his hair!