By Brandon Olson
Provo Angels shortstop Sean Rodriguez has made himself right at home in Provo and was named the Pioneer League”s Player of the Week on Monday, July 19.
His player-of-the-week honors came from his performance last week when he went 16-30 (.533) at the plate, knocking in 13 runs with two doubles, two triples and a home run, helping his team to a first-place spot in the Southern Division.
Rodriguez also accomplished something that hadn”t been done in 108 years of professional baseball when he and teammate Ryan Leahy both went 6-for-6 in Friday night”s game against the Missoula Osprey.
“I thank God,” Rodriguez said. “It was awesome. I didn”t really realize it until I sat down after going 4-for-4. Hopefully it won”t be the last.”
Rodriguez, a third-round draft pick from Miami, Fla., in 2003, began his professional career in the Angels organization in Mesa, Ariz., last year.
He started the 2004 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, batting .250 with four home runs and 17 RBI. He led the Kernels in stolen bases with 14. On June 30, he was sent down to the Angels to replace Billy Boyer, who had gone up to the Kernels in exchange for Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said he doesn”t mind being moved to Provo. He only hopes to help out the team in whatever way he can.
“It”s all good as long as I”m playing baseball,” Rodriguez said. “Whatever I can do to help the team. I just try to keep a positive attitude about it.”
