Rick Rodriguez

Ricardo "Rick" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball coach and former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in parts of four seasons in the major leagues between 1986 and 1990. He was the bullpen coach for the Oakland Athletics until he was replaced by Darren Bush, former manager of the Sacramento River Cats on October 26, 2012. On November 23, 2015 he was named as the Pitching Coach for the Nashville Sounds.

Playing career

Rodriguez was drafted by the Athletics in the 2nd round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft out of the University of California, Riverside, where he had played college baseball for the Highlanders. Previous to Riverside, he went to Castro Valley High School and Chabot College. He spent the next five seasons working his way up through their farm system, reaching the majors for the first time in 1986. He pitched parts of that season and 1987 for the A's, but was released in December 1987.

In January 1988, Rodriguez was signed by the Cleveland Indians, pitching one season in their organization with a brief stint in the majors. He became a free agent after the season, then spent a year in the Chicago White Sox organization before spending his final season with the San Francisco Giants in 1990.

Coaching career

In 1999, Rodriguez returned to the Oakland Athletics organization as a minor league pitching coach. He filled that position with the Modesto A's in 1999, then in 2000 he was promoted to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. He has been their pitching coach in every season since, with the exception of 2003, when he spent the season back at Modesto as the team's field manager.

For the 2011 season, Rodriguez will serve as the bullpen coach for the Oakland Athletics. Rodriguez was also the bullpen coach for the 2012 season. On October 26, 2012, he was replaced by Darren Bush.