Eduardo Rodriguez truly is living the dream.
Not only has Rodriguez thrived in three major league starts with the Boston Red Sox. The 22-year-old left-hander also had an opportunity last season to work with his childhood idol, Johan Santana, in the Baltimore Orioles organization. The experience was invaluable, according to the young pitcher.
“One of the best things that’s ever happened to my career,” Rodriguez told the Boston Herald’s Scott Lauber last week. “It meant a lot to me to help be what I am right now.”
Rodriguez first met Santana when the latter arrived at the Orioles’ spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla., before last season to take a physical. The Orioles later signed the two-time Cy Young winner. Rodriguez, who, like Santana, is a native of Venezuela, posed for a photo with his idol, according to Lauber. But it was just the beginning of a relationship that proved fruitful for Rodriguez.
“I’m sure that’s a piece of the puzzle,” Orioles pitching rehab coordinator and former major league starter Scott McGregor told Lauber by phone last week of Santana’s impact on Rodriguez. “Johan definitely spent a lot of time with him, day in, day out, on the field for a month or so, and Eddie responded very, very well to it. He’s probably just reaping the benefits of it now.”
Rodriguez, of course, was traded to the Red Sox at last year’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline in exchange for reliever Andrew Miller. He’s now off to a tremendous start with Boston, posting a 0.44 ERA (one earned run over 20 2/3 innings) through three outings to open his big league career.
Rodriguez, like Santana, has an excellent changeup. There are other similarities, too. But Rodriguez isn’t trying to be exactly like Santana. Instead, he’s simply trying to harness what he learned from the four-time All-Star in the hopes of carving out his own successful career.
“He helped me a lot,” Rodriguez told Lauber. “I went straight to him and said, ‘Hey bro, what do you think about my changeup? What do you think about this or that? What do you think about my mechanics?’ He said, ‘You have to practice hard and always work hard.’
“If I’m going to be like him, fine. If I’m going to be better than him, fine. If I’m not going to be like him, that’s fine, too,” Rodriguez added. “But he’s taught me a lot. It’s good to know I can talk to him.”
Like teacher, like student? The Red Sox certainly wouldn’t mind.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
