Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Baseball Almanacs won’t remember Madison Bumgarner starting the final game of Bruce Bochy’s storied career. It won’t be Jeff Samardzija or Johnny Cueto, either.
The honor falls to. Uh. Dereck Rodriguez?
The sophomore hadn’t yet been given the news before Saturday’s game, but Bochy announced it shortly thereafter.
Rodriguez called the possibility “awesome” and said “it would be a lot of fun.” Whether he pitches two innings or five, perhaps it’ll be a fun way to end a not-so-fun year.
A Rookie of the Year candidate last year, Rodriguez lasted eight starts before getting demoted to the bullpen. He had several stints with Triple-A Sacramento, oftentimes not sure the next time — and sometimes in what role — he would get the ball.
He vented in Philadelphia in early August about the uncertainty, a tempered blow-up that did not happen again. He at times flashed the fire and potential he showed as a rookie, including throwing seven scoreless innings in Arizona in mid-August. He also flashed the same maddening inconsistency inherent in a 27-year-old who, comparatively, has barely pitched.
The son of Ivan Rodriguez was raised as a position player and transitioned as a professional.
“This is the first year I ever struggled as a pitcher,” Rodriguez told KNBR before the Giants played the Dodgers at Oracle Park on Saturday. “As a position player I struggled, but I’ve only been pitching for five years, so this is really the first year. It was a little bit of a learning curve and figuring it out. Going into the offseason with that in mind, I’m happy.”
Rodriguez did not point to fastball control or slider reliability as what he needs to improve.
“A lot of mental things,” said Rodriguez, who will enter Sunday with a 5.27 ERA. “I think I’ve learned more this year than I did last year. Going into the offseason with those things in mind, just work on the things I know I need to work on.”
He said he needs to improve his sequencing, which his father can surely help with. He’ll be entering next spring training as a starter, where he will fight his way out of the long relief role he’s fallen into. He’ll be competing with the likes of Tyler Beede, Shaun Anderson, Logan Webb, Conner Menez and whoever Farhan Zaidi digs up this offseason.
His season started with disappointment, had more downs than ups and is finishing with a strange sort of honor, regardless of how long that honor lasts. Rodriguez, though, is eager to begin proving himself.
“I’ll work on things that I know I should have done this year, get back to it,” Rodriguez said. “When I get back to spring training, hope it carries over.”