When the Detroit Tigers decided to pick up the $6 million option on Francisco Rodriguez prior to the 2017 season, they did so with the hopes he could hold down the closer duties for at least one more season.
Unfortunately, things have not worked out and Rodriguez was relieved of his closing duties after getting off to a horrid start to the season. In his first 13 appearances, K-Rod posted an ERA of 8.49 to go along with a 2.06 WHIP in 11 2/3 innings of work.
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Since being demoted, Rodriguez has managed to lower his ERA to 7.79 but has still been shaky at best, allowing four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, including two runs in Monday night’s win over the Kansas City Royals.
Those runs came with the Tigers leading 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh-inning, a situation that would definitely be considered, “high leverage.”
Following the game, manager Brad Ausmus made an interesting/infuriating comment about the usage of K-Rod.
Ausmus said he could try K-Rod in high-leverage situation again: "I think we have to find out if he can pitch with the game on the line."
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) May 30, 2017
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Wait…what?!?!
Did Ausmus really say that he has to “find out” if Rodriguez can pitch with the game on the line? Has he not watched K-Rod pitch this season? We already know the answer!!!
In my opinion, this comment is inexcusable. I get it, Ausmus can only use the players that GM Al Avila gives him, but it is up to him to use those players in the best scenarios. Using K-Rod in “high leverage” situations is definitely not one of those scenarios.
Use him as the mop-up guy to eat up innings when the Tigs are trailing by at least 6 runs.
The only real good move the Tig’s have made was moving Greene to pen , next good move is to remove K-Rod and Anibal from team !
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