Fernando Rodney

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

Can someone please tell me why this man transformed into a machine?

[Blue387]

Can someone please tell me why this man transformed into a machine?

It's the crooked hat. It has to be the crooked hat.

[RaysFan_98]

Can someone please tell me why this man transformed into a machine?

Maybe its just Jim H the pitching coach of the Rays? He has done it with others? Soriano,Farnsworth ext and now Rodney.... Rodney always had the stuff he just couldn't ever control/command it.

[GiambiJuice]

The big question for me is how was this guy still in the Majors to begin 2012? He was a reliever with an ERA over 4 in five consecutive seasons before coming to TB.

The Rays have caught lightning in a bottle.

[dominik]

The big question for me is how was this guy still in the Majors to begin 2012? He was a reliever with an ERA over 4 in five consecutive seasons before coming to TB.

The Rays have caught lightning in a bottle.

because he has a power arm. If you have power you often get a million chances because the coaches think "one day he finds his command". Usually this never happens but in his case it seemed to have worked out.

certainly the rays pitching coach staff is really good. the parks helps too of course although the division (facing power hitting, small park teams from NY, boston and toronto every day) offsets this a little.

[Ben Grimm]

because he has a power arm. If you have power you often get a million chances because the coaches think "one day he finds his command". Usually this never happens but in his case it seemed to have worked out.

Oliver Perez.

[RaysFan_98]

The big question for me is how was this guy still in the Majors to begin 2012? He was a reliever with an ERA over 4 in five consecutive seasons before coming to TB.

The Rays have caught lightning in a bottle.

They seem to do it a lot with relievers.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I can't even follow relievers anymore because teams go through so many in a given season. They're traded, called up, injured, aye carumba.

Rodney reminds me of the recent Manny Delcarmen. The Red Sox used him quite often, though to little avail. Delcarmen had good stuff at face value, he just couldn't use it effectively. Perhaps it was his catchers?

How much are catchers to blame for pitching abilities?

[Buczilla]

Can someone please tell me why this man transformed into a machine?

Better command and a nasty change up. It's actually quite fun watching him blow them 96+ mph in there and then from the same release point, drop an 82 mph change up on a hitter. That change up has become an amazing out pitch.

[RaysFan_98]

Better command and a nasty change up. It's actually quite fun watching him blow them 96+ mph in there and then from the same release point, drop an 82 mph change up on a hitter. That change up has become an amazing out pitch.

As i said earlier he always had the Stuff command just was never there!

[RaysFan_98]

He just got his 39th save and his ERA is now at .077

[Yaz]

The greatest season so far for any closer. Ever.

[Rich the Giants fan]

The greatest season so far for any closer. Ever.

Seriously? You forget Dennis Eckersley, circa 1990? 0.61 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, .160 BAA 73.1 IP, 73 K, 4 BB (1 IBB), 41 H, 2 HR, 48 Saves

[RaysFan_98]

Seriously? You forget Dennis Eckersley, circa 1990? 0.61 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, .160 BAA 73.1 IP, 73 K, 4 BB (1 IBB), 41 H, 2 HR, 48 Saves

He is on pace to break that......

[UnderPressure]

Relievers are unpredictable. Anyone can have a great year. Anyone can also have a terrible year. That's why it's so bad to sign relievers to big contracts.

And other than Dennis Eckersley in 1990, I don't know who had a better year than the 2003 Eric Gagne.