I keep telling myself to not be so critical. Rodriguez is a run of the mill utility player not much unlike many we have seen over the years. Often they will have a good year or two and some mediocre years, not so different from the run of the mill reliever who hangs around the majors for a number of years.
Back when teams had 5 or 6 man benches (or 7 as was common when I started following the Phillies), there was room for a player who could play multiple positions who was not going to be your first or second (or third or fourth) choice to pinch hit. I guess there is still a need for such a utility player and playing many positions is a good asset. If the Phillies can somehow have a couple better pinch hitters on the bench for 2020, I will be happy. Of course, more important is having solid players in each starting position so that the utility players such as Rodriguez and Miller, don't have to start as often as they do this season.
I don't wish Rodriguez ill at all and wish him good luck at finding a ML roster spot in 2020, but I hope the Phillies bench will be much stronger overall next season. Perhaps he will be back, but I don't see him holding a 40 man roster spot over the off season.
I noted the following posted on tweeter a little while ago:
Pinch hitting is never an easy job, but this should not be our primary pinch hitter against LH pitching.
Again, the home run tonight after he stayed in the game was huge and produced a win. Great job, well done.
In the universe of utility bench players in recent years, Rodriguez is far from the worst.
