Henry Rodriguez's tenure with the Nationals organization officially came to an end late Tuesday night when the the club dealt the erratic reliever to the Cubs for a 22-year-old right-hander with a 6.06 ERA in two seasons at Class A.
The Nationals announced they had traded Rodriguez, who was designated for assignment last week, to Chicago for Ian Dickson, a 31st-round pick in the 2011 draft who has struggled in two professional seasons. In 11 appearances (three starts) this year with high-Class A Kane County, Dickson owned a 6.88 ERA while putting 56 men on base in 35 1/3 innings.That, more than anything, revealed how low Rodriguez's stock had fallen. Acquired from the Athletics with outfielder Corey Brown in the 2010 deal that sent slugger Josh Willingham to Oakland, Rodriguez was once thought of as a potential big-league closer.
The right-hander did save nine games for the Nationals early last season after Drew Storen and Brad Lidge suffered injuries, but he never found any semblance of consistency during his 2 1/2 years with the organization. He departed with a 4.23 ERA, 112 strikeouts, 83 walks and 26 wild pitches in 113 innings for Washington.
Because he was already out of options when the Nationals first acquired him, Rodriguez could not be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers. That process began last week when he was designated for assignment, removing him from the organization's 40-man roster. The Cubs apparently put in a claim for Rodriguez, at which point the Nationals worked out the trade for Dickson.
75 comments:
I'll take it! I would have taken a pastrami on rye for hrod!
#firsttopost
Good luck, Henry. I know you tried hard. Maybe the "change of scenery" will help.
given the Cubs long history and Hrod's, this is a perfect fit, lol
I will miss mphRod. He just had TOO many bad outings, but his good ones were electric!
I was there for HRod's video game performance against the Braves in September '11. I wish him well enough, but I hope to never see that again ... cause if I do, he won't be wearing a Curly W.
As the late Calvin Griffith once said re: a trade of two marginal players:
"It was an even trade--both teams were hurt!"
I really like all the things the organization has been doing. Things that were planned by smart people did not work out and so adjustments are being made. All you can do. I am tired of the - they are terrible, don't make excuses, stuff. There are some very good reasons and causes for a lot of what is going on. Yes we had injuries last year, but not to starters. When you think Nats, you think Stras, Harper-- both down. Did any of you foresee the roster we have today? There are some good pieces and some so- so pieces. Losing two starters and having one work out as badly as Haren? That is a devastating blow. One more thing-- I seem to remember that at Coors your pitches won't break correctly. Storen has been deadly lately and relies on a tight slider. Perhaps it would no t work? These are not excuses- they are causes and reasons. How is it that you think we can go on some big run with this roster? Is this Disneyland? Maybe we can in the second half, maybe it's too late but stuff happens that rains on your parade. I personally see things getting better- the results are not consistent quite yet, but better. Hoping Werth is ok today as he played full out last night sliding into base and in the field. I think he hurt some other body part.
I have a good idea. De-activate Chad Tracy and have him replace Trent Jewitt as 3rd base coach.
Wow! I just looked on a Braves blog. Their fans are really turning on both Uptons. It's getting ugly. Somehow I'm not surprised. I also won't be surprised when it becomes a huge disruption in the locker room. Both of them are arguing virtually every called third strike against them, of which there are a lot of. I don't get why Justin wasn't ejected for it last night. He also had a crappy play in the OF, though not technically an error, it was a bad jump, and it had a big part in them losing the game. I am so glad Rizzo didn't go for either of those guys.Span looks like a great move in comparison.
Good luck Henry. Do the Cubs hope Marmol takes HRod under his wing to teach control? Yikes!
Joe - I have to agree. I don 't think we can look at our team's current records and make a judgement based on that. I think we will be much better off long term. I heard an interview with both brothers quite a while ago and their sibling competitive issues were sparking. It got chippy. We' ll see.
The player the Nats received in the HRod trade really illustrates the true value HRod had to the club. In addition, the fact that Duke apparently cleared waivers illustrates his value. Both players made the 25 Man coming out of ST, so it shows the bottom end of the roster wasn't quite as productive as many had hoped. I wish them both well and it would be fun to see HRod get it figured out at some point....just not vs the Nats.
I was late to the party on giving up on Henry, but when I watched him up close in spring training I said it was time to throw in the towel. I feel badly for him, but he just doesn't have it.
One more thing on the Uptons: they have 149 K's and 7 outfield errors between them. 5 tool players?
Some of these things were just not working out for the player or the team. Sometimes a fresh start in a new place is the right thing.
Swami,
I don't comment much in here any more because reasonable dialogue tends to get drowned in the fog of war. But your comments have always made sense to me. Rizzo terrible? Bad decisions? Well, compare that with Theo Epstein, who brought two WS titles to Boston, but then picked up John Lackey, Carl Crawford, etc., who bombed in Boston. Nobody can see the future. You could build a championship team out of players who were dumped and blossomed elsewhere, and a last-place team out of guys who were brought in the fill holes and jump start teams.
Old guy- thanks, I find the in game venom to be tiresome. Case in point-- the Angels. They have Trout, Pujols and Hamilton. It should have worked. Last year a post season MVP was Marco Scutaro. Who? The organizations make educated choices, but then stuff happens as it will happen. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I think the players we have, when healthy, are good players. Still some tweaking going on to try to compensate for what isn't working. Then they just have to play the games.
And I thought we got nothing for Morgan.
Darn, my post vanished.
Ian Dickson and Cutter Dykstra are now synonymous for a bag of balls At least Cutter comes with Jamie Lynn.
Is Rizzo collecting guys named Ian?
Wow, I just lost a post,too.
I don't agree that the trade bearing not much fruit shows how far HRod's stock has fallen. The Cubs wanted the 26 yr old 100 MPH fireballer with the great stuff (and zero control), it's just that the Nats had no leverage at all.
Good Luck Henry!! I hope you can find that elusive control (but not against the Nats). Sigh.. I liked the guy, loved his stuff, wish him well.
Willingham now is Brown + Dickson. I don't think anyone is fooled by this. To call it a trade gives the word "trade" a new meaning.
Don, really? Leverage is part if it which means to me no body else was 'in' on Henry which is why Rizzo got only a warm body.
Swami - Sometimes you have to take into consideration who is critizicing and commenting... and then just laugh at the non-sense and ignore it....
At least that is what I try to do...
Last night's game was disappointing becuz it was so scripted.. Haren imploding at the 5th - well whatdayasay....
I am so ready for the regular line up to get back out there, although I really like Roger B, but injuries have seriously hurt us....
Now, did Rizzo make some mistakes last off-season? Well that is debatable - I loved the Span signing and LaRoche resign... I hated the Haren signing and letting 3 lefties go... But I know we can find people who will disagree and so forth...
Some of the comments are unnecessary - you are right... But I still believe we go 17 - 10 this month and 6 - 3 on this road trip...
the boys were fatigued last night... ya know jet lag *snickers*
Anyway - I didnt care for HRod... But I wish him well in Chicago...
"Don said...
I don't agree that the trade bearing not much fruit shows how far HRod's stock has fallen."
Do you know how stock prices work? Price goes up as demand goes up.
Have you ever bid on eBay? If there's only 1 bidder the price doesnt move.
The Cubs were probably the only team willing to give up anything for Henry as the deal required an active roster spot.
Most teams were waiting to stash him in the Minors.
A complete joke that Henrys career with the Nats ends up with getting Dick.
Oops, I meant "with getting Dickson"
I would like someone who knows more about the technical aspects of pitching to comment. I am certain that I remember that balls don't break correctly in Coors. Seems like every time we play there someone is affected by it. I am thinking Drew's tight sider maybe? EJax just.could not play in Coors. I am surprised that no Nat went yard there--- yet. Saving some runs for the new Ross? This could be interesting.
Willingham's getting going for the Twins, but it's not like Oakland got much for that either. Did they even get a pick when he became a free agent that ANYONE could have signed?
Yeah, until they started the humidor stuff, the book was that fastball pitchers with good control were better off, because curves, sliders, and sinkers wouldn't move as much. Detwiler would have been a good fit for this series.
If it's a personality issue, then it's Cuttering someone to improve the clubhouse mood, if it's a talented guy who's just run out of chances, you just get Dickson for him.
Also, remember last year, that the altitude caused some issues for EJax. I think we saw that last night as well. i have know idea what Olendorf (SP?) brings to the table, but I am hoping that we can take advantage of Cleveland this weekend (and at least the Braves are losing too!!)
Great news and we didn't even get a bag of balls!
Nats 128 said...
Oops, I meant "with getting Dickson"
=====
HAHAHAHAHAH.... no you didnt, 128... you said it right the first time.... *wink, wink*
Swami:
I can't address the technical aspects of pitching at high altitude, but it seemed to me that Haren threw some great curves and sliders.
His problem was getting up in the zone after the fourth inning.
Just keep telling yourself ... Capps for Ramos.
Please, please, please. Its not like Willingham was (is) the second coming of Mickey Mantle. We got him and Olsen for Bonafacio, Dean and Smolinski - only Bonafacio turned out to be anything that we gave up.
Swami - I also cant discuss the technical aspect... as my fb is around 45 (I know I know - that is why I didnt last long in soft ball... )
But I think the bigger issue is Haren's endurance. His pitch count was low, he was an absolute gem in the first 4 innings, and then all of a sudden, he just hit a wall... That is a cause for concern for me... Its not like his velocity is smokin or anything... I cant even blame the altitude as this is the Haren that we see... But it just seemed as if his cutter wasnt cutting it anymore....
There was one shot of Haren during the 5th where he looked EXTREMELY winded.
But, I can't blame the altitude for his collapse, as him getting out of the 5th is the exception, not the rule.
blovy8 said...
"Yeah, until they started the humidor stuff, the book was that fastball pitchers with good control were better off, because curves, sliders, and sinkers wouldn't move as much. Detwiler would have been a good fit for this series."
What do you mean by "would have been"? Isn't Detwiler starting tomorrow?
Ohlendorf?
Haren tends to have one egregiously bad inning where his location is high and his below-average fastball gets hammered. I wonder why he doesn't throw more splitters, he seems to have pretty good control of it, and that pitch could get hitters off the high fastball. Maybe he could use it like a 12/6 curve up to get a free first strike when they gear up for the meaty fastball he always featuring. They'd at least have to adjust for the speed, and the same release point. Maybe he's tried that and batters pick up the spin, I don't know. There has to be something, because the pitch looks good enough to use more from the CF camera shot.
Not sure that Swami or Nat128 know dickerson about the waivers process.
“I lost the love of playing major-league baseball, but I found it again playing senior baseball.”
… hello, and here's a little something to take your mind off the recent disappointments. Matt Stairs left pro ball when DFA's a few years ago from the Nats roster. It was the right move for all concerned. Now he's playing again for his senior team, the team my uncle built in the 1930's and the team where Matt first cut his baseball teeth. Read about it here:
http://www.frederictonroyals.com/welcome-home-matt/
Rizzo needs to stick with trading only with the Twins. Even though the Gio deal was decent, still think he gave up too many prospects.
"Don said...
Not sure that Swami or Nat128 know dickerson about the waivers process.
June 12, 2013 9:32 AM"
You Don's Johns that one. His name isn't dickerson.
Two quick comments:
1. Re Willingham -- heating up? Granted, he's raised his batting average 10 points this month -- but that's from .206 to .216. And he still is a weak link as a left fielder. Why are we still talking about him? (And he's in a 3-year $21M contract!)
2. Haren -- yes, to me he looked winded, too. It started when it was 2-2 to that lead-off guy. He threw four pitches in a row that were high (after pitching what seemed like 50 in a row that were low) -- followed by the first HR.
BTW, has anybody every played sports in Colorado? I have. My lungs burned and I was severely winded the first day. Heck, I got slightly winded walking up steps the first day (no exaggeration). I got acclimated, but it took a day and a half. Frankly, I don't know how pitchers are able to do it when they're flying out to Colorado and it's the first game of the series.
(I see that last year, Strasburg pitched the opener in Colorado and ran out of gas in the sixth inning: he opened the sixth by allowing a triple, HBP, single, single, Sac Fly.)
blovy8, Haren was cutter crazy last night. When his splitter is splitting the entire game he is going to be dominant.
As pointed out, LaRoche has the hot shot to him for a double play and didn't get it, and if he did Haren leaves 2-2 and on to the top of the 6th.
It's a game of inches and all of the inches went the way of the Rockies.
I stayed with Henry, probably a bit too long but it was definitely time. Ghost called this months ago when he talked about it being more than throwing 100+ mph. So good luck young man and at least we got more "inventory" for our minor league teams.
Swami - I think you know I totally stopped even looking in at the game posts. It just got my dander up and it happened again on one of our days off. I will try and be careful but I love this team and love that we have major league baseball and love that my son and I get to go to games together. It is rough to have your expectations so high and then have them fall but I still have hopes of seeing more playoff baseball this season.
Go Nats!!
Bowdenball,
I thought it was Ohlendorf tonight and Gio tomorrow afternoon but that's just my perception so I could be wrong. My son thinks Det is pitching tomorrow as well. That would make some sense because that would mean we can go Gio, JZim, Haren in Cleveland.
Anyone listen to Davey this morning on the Junkies? His glowing references about Danny going on a rehab start tomorrow and getting ready to come back.
Davey said something like "we will find a way to work him back in".
Can we please let both Willingham and Morse go quietly into the night. For about the 15th time. If we don't trade Willingham, Morse gets Zero chance of playing the way Riggleman loved his vets. Morse brought us what could be 3 very nice pieces for the future so the entire deal looks to be a positive for our lads and Rizzo.
JD, I hope you are right with Ohlendorf tonight and Detwiler tomorrow.
A DC Wonk - The issue with using the Colorado altitude as an 'excuse' (lack of better words here) is this -
What about all the other games when he blew up in or by the 5th inning?
Ghost, I missed that but you know Davey loves him some Danny. I just hope Rendon has established himself by the time Danny proves he can actually hit .230 in AAA. To me, Danny and Lombo are the perfect utility guys. They can play multiple positions, have good speed and while neither hits all that well, its a bench position and they switch hit so its impossible to set up a bullpen matchup.
I think the walk to Rosario really changed everything. Up until then Haren's control and command were great. I think Haren thought the ump missed a call and he had Rosario struck out. Still a veteran should be able to shake that off. He was at the bottom of the order and he should have made better pitches to Colvin.
"BTW, has anybody every played sports in Colorado?"
I haven't played sports in CO, but I have hiked to 13,000'. I don't really feel it until about 10K+, but I have seen people fall completely apart at 8,000'.
Endurance-wise, the best part about going up, though, is coming back down. One time we hiked from 11.5K to 6K in one day. By the time we were down to around 7.5K I had so much energy to burn that I'd walk back up hill 100 yards and, turn around, catch the group, walk back up hill 100 yards, etc,. until we made camp. It's an amazing feeling!
Mrs. B
Ghost makes great points about Haren using his cutter almost exclusively. It could be that it's hard to throw the splitter in Colorado but I'm just guessing. It's also not unusual for athletes to run out of gas suddenly in the thin air.
JD -
Again, I ask - what about the other times that Haren blew up in/by the 5th when he wasn't playing in the thin air...
Don’t forget, 2012, Nats lost their first game 2-4 ... then went on to win the next 2 by a combined 23-10.
sjm308 said...
I stayed with Henry, probably a bit too long but it was definitely time. Ghost called this months ago when he talked about it being more than throwing 100+ mph. So good luck young man and at least we got more "inventory" for our minor league teams.
After the Dodgers beanball fest last night, Davey talked on the radio about beanballing and the brawl of Benitez and the Yankees that spilled over to the dugout. Davey wasn't the manager then but said something like Benitez didn't have the greatest control.
When the Nats got Henry that's who I likened him to and I think the parralel widened as Henry just couldn't get better. I know they hoped he would get better and it may not have mattered as Davey just didn't trust him.
The winner in this is Henry. New start and he won't be going back to the Minors any time soon. The Nats play the Cubs again this year, look out.
For me the story of the game is all of our missed opportunities against Chacin who really could have been had last night. I also shake my head every time I try to figure out who is about to pinch hit for us.
Who in the heck is going to DH in Cleveland? Marrero? Lombo? Tracy?
The Indians must be shaking in their boots anticipating that murderers row.
MrsB, I agree that the altitude wasn't to blame, but I think it was a factor. Endurance has been a problem for him all season, as we've seen. I think it was just exacerbated by the altitude.
I, in no way shape or form, am blaming this loss solely on Dan Haren... We have Chacin on the ropes.. The first time the line up was it, they took smart swings and had smart plate discpline. We should have had at least 5 runs on him, by himself...
However, when you see your pitcher go from good to stupid in a matter of 2.5 seconds, that has got to be a deflating experience... As soon as Haren gave up the first HR, I thought they should have pulled... I actually thought after the walk, Zook should have gone and talked to him...
Then of course guys started pressing at the plate...
The only good thing I can think is though that although they saw our BP, we also saw theirs...
We win tonight...
MrsB loves the Nats said...
A DC Wonk - The issue with using the Colorado altitude as an 'excuse' (lack of better words here) is this -
What about all the other games when he blew up in or by the 5th inning?
That's a good point. And so I don't fully know what it was last night.
But I'd never seen Haren so *on* before. He was truly awesome the first four innings. Then, on 2-2 to the first guy in the fifth, suddenly, four pitches in a row way up in the zone. I knew immediately after the first two high pitches he was in trouble.
We've all seen him implode -- but I don't recall seeing him throw pitches too high for balls so dramatically (he usually implodes by throwing cutters that don't cut and end up being center-cut meatballs, right?).
In other words, my (vague) sense is that this was a different type of implosion.
But, hey, I could be wrong. It just felt different this time -- to this armchair-non-expert ;-)
To illustrate what I mean about altitidue exacerbating Haren's implosion, I recall games where Haren was giving up a lot of big hits for outs, and then finally the big hits started dropping, clearing the wall, etc.
I can't recall a game where he was almost completely dominant and then suddenly, in the middle of pitching to one batter, lost it completely. That was rather abrupt even for him.
sjm308 said...
Ghost, I missed that but you know Davey loves him some Danny. I just hope Rendon has established himself by the time Danny proves he can actually hit .230 in AAA. To me, Danny and Lombo are the perfect utility guys. They can play multiple positions, have good speed and while neither hits all that well, its a bench position and they switch hit so its impossible to set up a bullpen matchup.
June 12, 2013 9:56 AM
Davey could have just been saying nice things on the radio. I also think this time around that Rizzo needs to see Espi dominate in AAA.
The best possible news is that Espi finds himself and dominates and Rizzo has a tough decision to make.
Davey also said it will take 80 games for Rendon to fully feel comfortable playing 2nd base. Davey said he did that in his own career moving from the left-side to the right-side and he said having your back to the play on a doubleplay ball is the toughest to do.
JD said...
Who in the heck is going to DH in Cleveland? Marrero? Lombo? Tracy?
Have you ever seen anything so feeble as most of Tracy's pinch-hitting appearances. Rolls over a soft grounder like a weak hitting pitcher.
Since his HR in San Diego he has actually gotten worse. He's still better than Stairs and much more likeable but Rizzo needs to give him a change of scenery also.
The Sports Junkies asked Davey if the Nats were going to send Haren packing and just eat his $14 million salary. Davey danced around it and when asked if he even made $14 million in his career Davey said to subtract 3 zeros.
NEW POST
JD:
How about Harper as DH in Cleveland? He should be back by then and it would save his knee.
Use Lombo or Bernie in LF, based on pitching match-ups.
My hope for Henry is that a change of venue helps him become the dominant PFB pitcher we all hoped he would be. And that we will be glad we don't see the Cubbies very often. God speed Henry.
fast eddie -- No, no baseball activities for Bryce until at least after he gets checked out by the docs next Monday, which is after the Cleveland series. That's at best, and it's possible he may have a rehab game or three to get his timing back. Hate it, but it is what it is.
Also, at least as of now, Stras is supposed to pitch on Sunday the 16th in Cleveland.
Sorry if this has been asked before--Do the Cubs now have Minor League options for Rodriguez or do they have to add him to their 40-man roster and play him in the Bigs?
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