Aurelio Rodríguez
Encyclopedia
Aurelio Rodríguez Ituarte, Jr. (December 28, 1947 – September 23, 2000), was a third baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the California Angels
(1967–70), Washington Senators
(1970), Detroit Tigers
(1971–79), San Diego Padres
(1980), New York Yankees
(1980–81), Chicago White Sox
(1982, 1983) and Baltimore Orioles
(1983). He also played with the Obregon Yaquis and Cañeros de Los Mochis
of the Mexican Pacific League. He batted and threw right-handed.
, Mexico
, Rodríguez broke into the major leagues with the Angels in 1967, and was traded to Washington early in the 1970 season. Rodríguez went to Detroit with shortstop Ed Brinkman
and pitchers Joe Coleman and Jim Hannan
before the 1971 season in an eight-player trade that brought Denny McLain
to the Senators along with Don Wert
, Elliott Maddox
, and Norm McRae
.
Rodríguez was a model of consistency at third base for the Tigers during the 1970s. Though a below-average hitter, Rodríguez had sure hands and was blessed with a strong, accurate arm. In 1975, he earned Gold Glove Award
honors, becoming the first American League
third baseman since 1959 to beat out Brooks Robinson
. Rodríguez also led the league third basemen in fielding percentage
in 1976 and 1978. Playing for the Yankees in the 1981 World Series
, he hit .417 (5-for-12). His big-league career with seven teams ended in 1983.
Rodríguez was a .237 hitter with 124 home run
s and 648 RBI
in 2017 games
. His most productive season came in 1970, when he posted career-highs in home runs (19), RBI (83), runs
(70) and stolen base
s (15).
Rodríguez played in the Mexican League as late as 1987 and coached
in the minors
for Cleveland. He returned to the Mexican League as a manager
in 1995.
His tomb is located in the stadium Emilio Ibarra Almada, in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, and his cross stands at the top of the stadium.
baseball card
is actually a photo of Angels' batboy
Leonard Garcia.
There have been three players in major league history named Aurelio (two of whom played for the Detroit Tigers), and all three were killed in car accidents between the ages of 44 and 53. See also Aurelio López
and Aurelio Monteagudo
.
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1967–70), Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1970), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1971–79), San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
(1980), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1980–81), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1982, 1983) and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1983). He also played with the Obregon Yaquis and Cañeros de Los Mochis
Cañeros de Los Mochis
The Cañeros de Los Mochis are a Mexican baseball team in the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico. They play in Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa. They won the league championship in 1984 and 2003....
of the Mexican Pacific League. He batted and threw right-handed.
Biography
A native of CananeaMunicipalities of Sonora
The Mexican state of Sonorais divided into 72 municipalities:...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Rodríguez broke into the major leagues with the Angels in 1967, and was traded to Washington early in the 1970 season. Rodríguez went to Detroit with shortstop Ed Brinkman
Ed Brinkman
Edwin Albert Brinkman was a Major League Baseball shortstop. He played fifteen years in the Major League Baseball, led the American League in games played twice, won a Gold Glove Award at shortstop, and had a career batting average of .224...
and pitchers Joe Coleman and Jim Hannan
Jim Hannan
James John Hannan is an American retired professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1962-71. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Washington Senators....
before the 1971 season in an eight-player trade that brought Denny McLain
Denny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
to the Senators along with Don Wert
Don Wert
Donald Ralph Wert , nicknamed "Coyote", is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1963 to 1970 and also briefly played for the Washington Senators in 1971...
, Elliott Maddox
Elliott Maddox
Elliott Maddox is an African-American former Major League Baseball American player. Maddox, from 1970 to 1980, played for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets.-Early and personal life:Maddox attended Union High School in...
, and Norm McRae
Norm McRae
Norman McRae was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 22 Major League games for the – Detroit Tigers. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, he stood tall and weighed ....
.
Rodríguez was a model of consistency at third base for the Tigers during the 1970s. Though a below-average hitter, Rodríguez had sure hands and was blessed with a strong, accurate arm. In 1975, he earned Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
honors, becoming the first American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
third baseman since 1959 to beat out Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
. Rodríguez also led the league third basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1976 and 1978. Playing for the Yankees in the 1981 World Series
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
, he hit .417 (5-for-12). His big-league career with seven teams ended in 1983.
Rodríguez was a .237 hitter with 124 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 648 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 2017 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. His most productive season came in 1970, when he posted career-highs in home runs (19), RBI (83), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(70) and stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s (15).
Rodríguez played in the Mexican League as late as 1987 and coached
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for Cleveland. He returned to the Mexican League as a manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in 1995.
Death
On September 23, 2000, Rodriguez was visiting Detroit from his home in Mexico. While he was walking with an unidentified woman on Detroit's southwest side at 2 p.m., a car jumped the curb and ran over him. The driver of the car was driving with a suspended license and had been ordered not to drive because of a previous brain aneurysm; she was charged with felony manslaughter but received only probation. Rodriguez, who had to be pulled from under the car, was 52 at the time of his death. Rodriguez' funeral in Mexico was attended by thousands of people, including the president of that country.His tomb is located in the stadium Emilio Ibarra Almada, in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, and his cross stands at the top of the stadium.
Trivia
The picture on Aurelio Rodriguez's 1969 ToppsTopps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
baseball card
Baseball card
A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on some type of paper stock or card stock. A card will usually feature one or more baseball players or other baseball-related sports figures...
is actually a photo of Angels' batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
Leonard Garcia.
There have been three players in major league history named Aurelio (two of whom played for the Detroit Tigers), and all three were killed in car accidents between the ages of 44 and 53. See also Aurelio López
Aurelio López
Aurelio Alejandro López was a Mexican relief pitcher. Over the course of an eleven year Major League career , he acquired the nickname "Señor Smoke" in Detroit due to his Mexican heritage and his overpowering fastball, which had been measured as high as 93 mph.-Early career:Born in Tecamachalco,...
and Aurelio Monteagudo
Aurelio Monteagudo
Aurelio Faustino Monteagudo Cintra , nicknamed "Monty", was a right-handed screwball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball. He was the son of former big-leaguer René Monteagudo.-Career:Monteagudo was born in Caibarién, Villa Clara Province, Cuba...
.
Quotes
- Sparky AndersonSparky AndersonGeorge Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
was Rodriguez's manager in 1979, the player's last year in Detroit. "He probably had as good a pair of hands on him as anybody, and a great arm -- the only two arms I've ever seen like that, Travis FrymanTravis FrymanDavid Travis Fryman is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and shortstop, and currently a hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians farm system...
and him. This guy was a great third baseman", Anderson said. WJRT-TVWJRT-TVWJRT-TV, channel 12, is the ABC-affiliated station for the Flint/Tri-Cities television market, owned by SJL Broadcasting. Its studios are located in Flint, Michigan, with offices and a second newsroom for the Tri-Cities located in Saginaw...
broadcaster Paul CareyPaul Carey (broadcaster)Paul Carey is an American broadcaster and sportscaster who broadcast professionally in six different decades and is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
, who at that time was alternating with Hall of Famer Ernie HarwellErnie HarwellWilliam Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
, used to refer to Rodriguez' arm as a HowitzerHowitzerA howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
.
- In an appearance on the YES NetworkYES NetworkThe Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
by several great third basemen, George BrettGeorge BrettGeorge Brett , is an American baseball player.George Brett may also refer to:*George Edward Brett , British-born American publisher*George Brett , World War II USAAF general...
once commented on Rodríguez's arm, saying to all (but particularly to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
great Mike SchmidtMike SchmidtMichael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
) "You remember that guy? He would toy with you and pound the ball in his glove and you were still out by 10 feet!"
- Every time the Tigers would play the Yankees, the late Phil "Scooter" RizzutoPhil RizzutoPhilip Francis Rizzuto , nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
would eventually get a chance to see a Rodriguez throw a "rising" fastball across the infield. "There's that arm," Scooter would say. "If I had an arm like that...!"