And for those who are saying, "It's just one game, give him a break." Sorry, folks:That’s just flat out wrong. Why? Because this was the first time we saw Rodney perform in anything that resembled a postseason atmosphere.
Facing the best team in the National League in a hostile environment while in the middle of a division race, it looked as though the Diamondbacks would head back home with a 3.5-game deficit in the West. Not bad. We’ll take it. But in a matter of minutes, that lead went from 3.5 games to 5.5 games. And those are just the numbers. That’s not even taking into consideration the effect a crushing loss like that has on team morale. This was not just one game.
If this was the first time Rodney let the team down, of course we could look past it. He had an outstanding couple months, I get that. It was fun to watch. But the fact of the matter is Rodney has blown five saves in 26 opportunities this season. That’s an 81 percent success rate, which is far from impressive. That may be acceptable for a team that’s in the middle of the pack, but the Diamondbacks have a legitimate shot at making a postseason run this year.
And while we’re on the topic: Would you trust Fernando Rodney to close a game in October? Is he the guy you want on the mound in the bottom of the ninth with the entire season on the line? If the answer is "no," then changes need to be made. If not now, then soon.
