K Rod Lighting It Up In Venezuela

K-Rod tuning up in Venezuela

Stoneman says Angels have 'a concern' about situation

Before Francisco Rodriguez left Anaheim in late September, general manager Bill Stoneman told the lightning-armed reliever that the Angels didn't want him to pitch in Winter League games in Venezuela.

But when the Angels signed free-agent starter Kelvim Escobar last week, Escobar told Stoneman and the press that he'd just talked to his countryman Rodriguez -- at a Winter League game.

Soon enough, the statistics became available to Stoneman.

Through Nov. 25, Rodriguez had appeared in 11 games for Los Tiburones de La Guaira, compiling a 2.37 ERA with 31 strikeouts and four walks in 19 innings.

After 86 big-league innings in the 2003 season, it wasn't quite what the Angels expected.

"We would prefer he'd take the winter off," Stoneman said.

"We told him that. But what happens is these guys are big-time heroes when they get back to their home countries and they're under a lot of pressure to play. In some cases, we have the power to deny permission for players, but Frankie doesn't fall under that category."

Stoneman said the toughest thing about Rodriguez's Winter League play is not being able to monitor him.

"In the Major Leagues, we log how many pitches a guy throws and how that impacts a guy for the next game," Stoneman said.

"When he's playing in another league, we don't have that control. You're reliant on the good judgment of whoever is in control."

And assessing that judgment is especially tough considering Stoneman has a difficult time contacting Rodriguez -- let alone his Winter League manager or coaching staff.

"Basically, he knows we have concerns about him pitching down there, but we can't tell him not to pitch," Stoneman said.

"We really will have a concern if he comes into Spring Training and he's a little bit fatigued. The main concern is he gets abused down there and it affects his performance up here. If he's going to show up at camp worn out or having done stuff down there that's going to impact his ability to perform up here, then we're going to have major issues with somebody down there.

"If they're messing with his arm and not cognizant of the fact that his real job is in the Major Leagues with the Anaheim Angels, they're not going to be doing business with us anymore."

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My take...he threw 86 innings, he should definitely be taking it easy unless he's working on a new pitch, like a changeup or knucklecurve. otherwise he's just wasting away his elbow and tendons.