Veteran utilityman Sean Rodriguez is taking on a new job, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports that Rodriguez has been hired by the Phillies as a player development instructor. The move brings an end to the 36-year-old Rodriguez’s playing career after 18 professional seasons, including parts of 13 Major League seasons from 2008-20.
Rodriguez hit .226/.301/.379 with 81 homers over 2913 MLB plate appearances. Originally a third-round pick for the Angels in the 2003 draft, Rodriguez went on to play for six different teams in the bigs, with the majority of his 1103 career games coming with the Rays (553 games) and Pirates (384 games).
No matter the uniform, Rodriguez made himself valuable due to his ability to play virtually anywhere on the diamond. Second base was the most common of his many positions, though Rodriguez made at least 27 appearances at every position except catcher and pitcher throughout his career, and he even made a couple of mop-up appearances as a reliever in 2019.
Those two mound appearances came when Rodriguez was a member of the Phillies in 2019, as he played 76 games with the club and hit .223/.348/.375 with four home runs over 139 PA. One of those homers made Rodriguez something of an infamous figure among Philadelphia fans, Zolecki notes. Rodriguez hit a walkoff home run to lift the Phils to a 6-5 win over the Pirates on August 26, 2019, though in a postgame interview, Rodriguez described Phillies fans as “entitled.”
Discussing the incident with Zolecki, Rodriguez said that “Philly fans are just as passionate about baseball as I am. I was doing my best to try to defend two stars on our team, seeing if I couldn’t alleviate some pressure on them. It is a little funny that I’m back, but Phillies fans are passionate and I’m a passionate player.”
Rodriguez moved on from Philadelphia to sign a minor league deal with the Marlins in the 2019-20 offseason, and he played four games with Miami during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Rodriguez’s time on the Marlins’ big league roster was further limited by an extended stint on the injured list, as Rodriguez joined many other Miami players in being sidelined by a COVID-19 outbreak in the clubhouse.
Rodriguez will now move into the next phase of his baseball career on the instructional side, operating at the Phillies’ camp in Clearwater year-round and working with the organization’s minor leaguers on infield work and baserunning. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Rodriguez on a fine playing career and we wish him the best in his new role.
Why, Joe? Why?
Really like Rodriguez. Reminds me of Tom Veryzer back in the 80’s on the Cubs roster. Congrats on a pretty good career.
Interesting comparison and not the first guy I would have thought of, but at least for Sean’s early career a pretty fair comparison.
Been a Cubs fan for 50 years and I have no idea who he is.
Looked him up, no wonder. Hit a combined .198 in 162 ABs over two seasons. Interesting fact: stole 9 bases with 23 caught stealing over his career. Should have nailed him to the base.
Hope he can help develop some infielders. Could use some system-grown players.
THE. STOVE. IS. HOT!!!
Hey Hey: It’s the 2nd free agent signing of the day!!!
Yeah hire the guy who couldn’t develop himself to develop others lol. Sean rod was awful
Right, because all those positions are filled with HOF players.
He went from being a light-hitting AAAA middle infielder to a platoon bat with a lot of pop who could play 5 or 6 positions well enough. He was no star, but I would call that development.
nobody wants to be first to sign a big name f/a afraid league will accuse them of negotiating will lockout was on.Whoever does go first there will be 10 more right behind them.
Hide the Gatorade coolers.
To be fair that water cooler had it coming.
Hire Brett Gardner & you can have a one, two punch team. Your dugout won’t have a chance
Teaching the young ones how to cheat, not surprised the Phillies hired him
lol what
LOL! I don’t ever recall SRod ever accused of cheating.
Hadn’t heard about this but I don’t know too much about his personal life.
@LFGMets I guess we’ve found another insecure Mets’ fan. Stick to your own team kid because you obviously don’t have a clue about any other team.
He’s going to teach the minor leaguers how to keep a brawl going when it looks like it’s over. A real hot head.
Every team has one or two of “those guys” and Sean was definitely always one of them.
Looks like none of the remaining FAs will be signed. Oh well, there is always Japan and Korea.
I wonder what kind of attitude he’ll teach?
he’ll tell prospects where to get the best haircuts.
Always liked SRod even though he was a bit of a hothead. I imagine he was the type of player who you like when he’s on your team and you can’t stand when he’s in the other dugout. He’d run through a wall to stay on the roster, and that kind of attitude could hopefully rub off on prospects.
Enjoyed watching him. Players like him are the backbone of our game. Good luck to him on the next step
Look at the Phillies making a big splash right outta the gate!
Was hoping the first Phillie move was to trade Rhys Hoskins to a team that needs a DH for some relief pitching
Sorry, but Rhys is worth a whole bunch more than a relief pitcher..
Were they not allowed to announce this during the lockout
Loved him in Pittsburgh, always had everyone’s back. Great in bench clearing brawls. Hard nosed player, unlike most guys today!
SRod May have been the best utility player in baseball for 2015 and 2016.His fine season in 2016 got him a big contract with the Braves to play second base but injuries suffered in an auto accident before spring training in 2017 essentially ruined his career.He was a hothead,but also a first class guy,and a great teammate.I am glad to see that the Phillies realized that and I wish him luck in this phase of his career,
Funny since he ripped Phillies fans for booing a team that was playing crappy lifeless baseball .