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Fernando Rodney Drawing Interest

By Jeff Todd | January 23, 2020 at 9:05am CDT

If you ever troubled yourself with the question whether Fernando Rodney would seek to continue pitching — well, put those fears to rest. At least four teams have shown some level of interest in the veteran hurler, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).

Rodney, 43 in March, still delivers a mid-nineties fastball and devastating changeup — sufficient to support an 11.0% swinging-strike rate, 9.3 K/9 strikeout rate, and 49.6% groundball rate in the just-completed campaign. Of course, he also permitted more than five free passes per nine and surrendered a good bit of hard contact. It’d be a stretch to call Rodney a Statcast darling, but he did fare better in the eyes of the fancy cameras than he did on paper (.308 xwOBA vs. .332 wOBA).

There’s reason, then, to believe Rodney is better than the 5.66 ERA he logged in 47 2/3 total frames last year. Perhaps Rodney’s 4.05 mark with the Nationals, accrued over his final 33 1/3 innings of the regular season, is a more accurate read on his true talent at this advanced age.

While we wait to see which tilted cap Rodney will don this spring, it’s worth pausing to appreciate just how remarkable he has been to this point. Once a forgettable pitcher who seemed destined to fade away, Rodney emerged as a late-inning monster in his mid-thirties, stole MLB’s heart with his arrow-launching celebrations, and then forgot that his body was supposed to break down. There’s no hope of a return to his silly-good 2012 form; even the 3.36 ERA performance of 2018 would be a stretch. But would anyone be all that surprised if Rodney throws 50+ mostly useful, always entertaining innings in 2020?

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Fernando Rodney

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Comments

  1. worthington

    1 year ago

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Kayrall

      1 year ago

      I think we have our new Bartolo Colon, fellas.

      Like
      Reply
      • depressedtribefan

        1 year ago

        you can’t just replace big sexy. how dare you!

        5 Like
        Reply
      • MafiaBass

        1 year ago

        This guy has homerun power?

        1 Like
        Reply
        • iamhector24

          1 year ago

          I have a bobble head of the big sexy homer. Worth every penny. Lol

          1 Like
          Reply
      • jim stem

        1 year ago

        Not until he hits a homer in!

        Like
        Reply
        • jim stem

          1 year ago

          Stupid autocorrect…

          1 Like
          Reply
      • JosephCC87

        1 year ago

        No way! You should delete this comment

        Like
        Reply
  2. T_Rexx2

    1 year ago

    Phillies, lets go. Minor league deal take a chance.

    Like
    Reply
    • phamdownbytheriver

      1 year ago

      Probably won’t be a minor deal since several are interested or they’re all minor deals and he wants one to step up.

      Like
      Reply
      • T_Rexx2

        1 year ago

        It’s Heyman and it’s “some level of interest” which means 4 teams have checked in. I can’t imagine anyone gives him guaranteed money.

        1 Like
        Reply
    • DarkSide830

      1 year ago

      hope so. he’s volatile as heck but volatile is better than most of this pen.

      Like
      Reply
    • Coach Him

      1 year ago

      I agree Phillies. Let’s do it. Load up the incentives on that minors deal and invite him to camp.

      Like
      Reply
  3. bigdaddyt

    1 year ago

    Jays are absolutely desperate for bullpen arms so why not sign him and when June/July comes around hopefully gets you a minor prospect or you keep him all year to help mentor the kids

    1 Like
    Reply
    • WereAllJustGuestsHere

      1 year ago

      Not desperate enough for Rodney. But I agree with you. Jays should move an OF not named Gurriel for a bullpen arm and sign Castellanos.

      Like
      Reply
      • bigdaddyt

        1 year ago

        I like the cut of your jib may you please take over for shatkins

        Like
        Reply
  4. OCSportsGeek

    1 year ago

    Ol’ Crooked hat has definitely made the most of his talent, and I give him props for that.

    Still, my favorite Rodney moment was when the Angels Pujols and Trout beat him late in a game and both shot arrows at each other in celebration. :D

    3 Like
    Reply
    • dirkg

      1 year ago

      ^ This. Gave us a truly memorable GIF of Trout firing the arrow. And for those that dont remember, the Pujols Trout arrows were in response to Fernando getting the last out in the 8th and firing an arrow at the Angel’s dugout.

      Like
      Reply
      • ihazhomerun

        1 year ago

        youtu.be/byEEboHrIxw

        Like
        Reply
  5. bigbadjohnny

    1 year ago

    Slow news day on MLB Trade Rumors !

    Like
    Reply
    • WereAllJustGuestsHere

      1 year ago

      It’s January. It’s expected.

      Like
      Reply
  6. KingSall77

    1 year ago

    I still can’t understand why teams continue to have interest in him. He is the worst, even when he had that season when his ERA was 0.50 he was lucky. Lol

    1 Like
    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      1 year ago

      his career ERA is actually higher than his FIP

      Like
      Reply
    • skyyalpha

      1 year ago

      Far from the worst. Certainly not the best, but if he’s the Nationals version of himself (4.05 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 9.4 K/9), that’s worth a flyer for a lot of teams.

      Like
      Reply
  7. John Smith

    1 year ago

    Drawing interest for his meatballs lol perhaps.

    1 Like
    Reply
  8. windmill_noise_causes_cancer

    1 year ago

    World Series Champion Fernando Rodney*

    Fixed

    1 Like
    Reply
  9. CrikesAlready

    1 year ago

    Prediction:. 3 years $13.5 million… AJ Preller and the Overpaying Padres.

    [Sarcasm]

    1 Like
    Reply
    • scarfish

      1 year ago

      [Sarcasm] has decided to decline your option

      1 Like
      Reply
  10. geg42

    1 year ago

    Last time I checked, Rodney is the only big league player older than me still in the game. I cheer for him for that alone.

    5 Like
    Reply
    • HalosHeavenJJ

      1 year ago

      I can support this thinking. It was Big Sexy for me.

      2 Like
      Reply
      • A'sfaninLondonUK

        1 year ago

        @Halos above.

        You and me both. Though like Bartolo I still think I’ve got a year or two left in my shoulder.

        Like
        Reply
    • DrDan75

      1 year ago

      Some guys play until they get their uniform ripped off. Rodney is one of them. He’s still effective, so why not?

      1 Like
      Reply
      • nymetsking

        1 year ago

        So Altuve’s never retiring?

        8 Like
        Reply
        • LodgeBoxin

          1 year ago

          Badoop Pshhhhh!

          2 Like
          Reply
        • vtncsc

          1 year ago

          lol, burn.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • MafiaBass

          1 year ago

          Hahahahhahha

          Like
          Reply
        • Darryl Rose

          1 year ago

          That’s pretty damn clever. Lol

          Like
          Reply
    • htbnm57

      1 year ago

      Isn’t Jamie Moyer still pitching ?

      Like
      Reply
  11. bdpecore

    1 year ago

    I’ve always enjoyed watching Rodney pitch because of his energy and flare for the dramatic. He reminds me a lot of K-Rod who when on the mound would have you on the edge of your seats the entire inning because he could walk three straight batters in a one run games before striking out the side to end the game. It was nerve racking watching him pitch for my Brewers but more times than not he Seoul’s come through in the end.

    Like
    Reply
  12. mike156

    1 year ago

    It’s great to see Christy Mathewson contemporaries still out there.

    Like
    Reply
  13. DrDan75

    1 year ago

    This dude is older than Bernie Sanders.

    Padres traded him to the Marlins in 2016 for Chris Paddack. He was old then.

    Like
    Reply
  14. Nicks Nats

    1 year ago

    Fernando only has seven more years to match Jesse Orosco….

    1 Like
    Reply
    • realgone2

      1 year ago

      Good ol’ Jesse Orosco.

      Like
      Reply
  15. Aoe3

    1 year ago

    He cant throw strikes constantly last few years why would anyone want a take on him?

    1 Like
    Reply
  16. 68tigers84

    1 year ago

    Is 42 his age or the speed of his change up?

    1 Like
    Reply
    • vtadave

      1 year ago

      His change averaged 83 last year.

      Like
      Reply
      • PapiElf

        1 year ago

        Aaaaannnd, the joke went over your head.

        Like
        Reply
  17. Andy Stang

    1 year ago

    This guy ran out of arrows years ago.

    1 Like
    Reply
  18. BPax

    1 year ago

    We had him in Seattle and he managed to get the job done most of the time, His saves were almost never without drama though. He would allow baserunners almost every time it seemed. Rarely a clean 1-2-3. But good for him at 43 to still have it. Pretty good paychecks if you can get them!

    Like
    Reply
  19. iRiE-G

    1 year ago

    Go get him aj preller!!! Then the padres will have the best bullpen in the league!!

    Like
    Reply
  20. Mick1956

    1 year ago

    I just wish he would straighten his hat…

    1 Like
    Reply
  21. MafiaBass

    1 year ago

    Y’all seem to be forgetting that being able to step into a late-inning role without completely imploded is a rare trait. It’s typically better to go with “the devil you know.”

    Like
    Reply
    • MafiaBass

      1 year ago

      *imploding

      Like
      Reply
  22. Rsox

    1 year ago

    He’s only 3 teams behind Edwin Jackson’s record. Let’s see if he can sign with a team he hasn’t played for yet.

    Like
    Reply
  23. blake

    1 year ago

    Dodgers will give him a 3 year 45 million contract.

    Like
    Reply
  24. siddfinch1079

    1 year ago

    Somebody needs to sign this guy so I don’t through a mid-life crisis after realizing I am older than everyone playing in the MLB…

    1 Like
    Reply
    • skyyalpha

      1 year ago

      Me too, he’s the only major leaguer active last season older than me. Never stop, Fernando.

      Like
      Reply
  25. cheesesteak

    1 year ago

    I can’t take another 50 innings of his crooked hat.

    1 Like
    Reply
  26. doffbhoya123

    1 year ago

    this smells like another guy the cubs can toss on their giant pile of relievers.

    Like
    Reply
  27. Cubby

    1 year ago

    He only needs to play for one more team to tie Mike Morgan with 12. So there’s that incentive.

    Like
    Reply
  28. rickoppelt

    1 year ago

    He’ll be going on team number 12

    Like
    Reply
  29. Kk3445

    1 year ago

    I wouldn’t count on him as a closer, but could be a decent bullpen arm.

    Like
    Reply
  30. HubertHumphrey

    1 year ago

    He is fun to have on the team during the regular season.
    I’d fear having him in during pressure situations in the playoffs however.

    Like
    Reply
  31. ham77

    1 year ago

    I just hope he signs somewhere so there is still someone in MLB older than me.

    Like
    Reply
  32. angelsfan4life412

    1 year ago

    make a move philly , give him a minor league deal

    Like
    Reply
  33. Tazbk

    1 year ago

    He can still pitch. For some reason Davey didn’t realize last year that he should never pitch in back to back games. Needs at least two games in between outings. Oh and at first sign of trouble he needs to come out

    Like
    Reply
  34. bagsmd

    1 year ago

    As a Nats STH, I saw plenty of Rodney this past year, sometimes he was really good, and others really bad. I’d like to see his splits on pitching with at least one day’s rest, versus how he did pitching on a second, or even a third, straight day. It seemed like most of his troubles came with no rest, which might be expected at his age, but the Nats kept using him that way.

    Like
    Reply

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