Albany Yankee reliever Gabriel Rodriguez likely did the prudent thing in this August 1988 game.
Coming in the final inning with the tying run on second, he pitched around then-minor leaguer and Vermont Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr., walking him on four pitches, The Burlington Free Press wrote.
It was just that he made a mistake with the next batter, giving up a lead-changing home run, The Free Press wrote.
Rodriguez gave up that home run in his fourth season as a pro. He went on to see two more. He topped out there at AA.
Rodriguez' career began in 1985, signed by the Yankees as a free agent out of his native Puerto Rico.
Rodriguez started with the Yankees in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He saw 13 games in relief that year and 19 more there in 1986. He went 2-1, with a 2.85 ERA in 1986.
Rodriguez saw two more games in the GCL in 1987 and then 14 at single-A Fort Lauderdale. He went 2-2 there, with a 4.14 ERA over 14 outings, one start. He gave up an 18th-inning game-winner in an August game.
He returned to Fort Lauderdale for 1988 and also saw AA Albany-Colonie. He saw 23 outings, eight starts at Albany. He went 2-5, with a 3.34 ERA. That September, he picked up the last out in the first game of the league championship series for Albany, an Albany win.
Rodriguez played at Fort Lauderdale again for 1989. He saw 13 relief outings. He then moved to the Astros and high-A Osceola. He saw 51 relief outings, went 12-5 and saved 10 over 51 relief outings. That season proved his last as a pro.
Made the Majors:1,396-32.3%
Never Made Majors:2,924-67.7%-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:351
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