Least Valuable Brewers 2012: Pitcher

Brewers Catcher Jonathan Lucroy urges K-Rod to throw more strikes.

PHOTO: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

This should come as no surprise to anyone, anywhere, at any time, in any universe, during any solar event.  It goes without saying that this man single-handedly cost us a playoff spot in 2012.  And while many of you will immediately scoff at that claim, I have the stats and evidence to back it up.  The man I am referring to is Fracisco Rodriguez, K-Rod, or as my dog knows him…el Bastardo. 
 
Let’s start from the beginning which, as I understand it, is a very good place to start.  In 2011, the Brewers went out and acquired the MLB single season saves record holder. And they did not just do it at the All-Star Break…they did it 10 seconds after the All-Star GAME!! 

He was added to the team as a blanket to help get the ball to John Axford in the 9th inning.  It should be no secret that I never wanted the guy, but I was more than happy to reap the benefits of what came next. 
 
K-Rod and the Ax-Man where the most diabolical late inning 1-2 punch in all of baseball.  It was their chemistry that lead to the Brewers second half surge towards their first NL Central Division title.  When the Brewers were escorted from the postseason by those disgusting Missouri Red Pigeons, I just assumed that was the end of a beautiful partnership.  If you read this site, you know that…I am wrong a lot. 
 
In a move that defies all forms of logic, the Brewers offered the Lens Crafters Kid arbitration.  As it was later explained, this move was designed so that the Brewers could get an additional compensatory pick in the draft, not even considering the possibility that another team would not want a sub-par closer with a history of assault, heading farther and farther north of 30 years old… 

As the deadline to accept arbitration loomed, the Brewers had offers out to LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito.  Who had both been sensational out of the bullpen in 2011.  As the clock slid closer to 12am EST, word began to circulate that Mr. Rodriguez would be accepting the Brewers arbitration offer.  Once that became official, the Brewers had to withdraw both of the offers out to Saito and Hawkins.  Not because they wanted too, but because we are not the Yankees (or is it the Angels and Dodgers now?) and can’t afford everything our hearts desire.

The final dollar amount was $8MM…which is an absurd amount of money to pay a set-up pitcher, but the Brewers management took that foolish risk and we, the fans, had to live with it.  Especially when you consider that the remainder of the bullpen did not make a combined $8MM this season, but I digress from my point. 
 
As opposed to yesterdays article, today I find the stats very telling of this players value: 2-7 record, 4.38 ERA (worst in his career), 65 hits (2nd most in career), 35 earned runs (most in career), 8 HR’s (2nd most), 72 K’s (2nd lowest in career), 3 saves (2nd lowest) in 13 games finished.  Without question, the worst season of his career. 

Even when he finally got the opportunity to be the teams closer, the role he had coveted and bitched about all of 2011…he crumbled.  It got to a point where he was being booed off of the mound.  He was nothing more than an $8MM batting tee. 
 
K-Rod was the least valuable pitcher in 2012 because he cost us winnable games and deprived us of having a decent bullpen in the middle innings which, as it turned out, we needed very badly.  He was the least valuable because he was a selfish little brat who cried and complained, then finally got his way…and peed his pants.  We only missed out on the final Wild Card spot by 5 games, which I wholeheartedly believe could have been made up without el Bastardo and with Saito and Hawkins.
 
I will not miss Frankie Rodriguez.  In fact, **Spoiler Alert**, I can almost guarantee you he will be a nominee for the 2013 edition of “The Hall of Brewers We Won’t Miss”. 
 
If you are the fan of another team and you have found your way here, I pray you never have to deal with this washed up cry-baby.  Any dollar amount your team spends on him, will be too much.  When I think back on his time as a Brewers, I will remember the 2 weeks that he was the closer this season.  Unlike Nyjer Morgan, there is nothing endearing about Rodriguez worth remembering.  That man was a drain on the teams wallet and a drain on the fan base.  Good riddance to bad rubbish.