Luis Orlando RodrÃÂguez (born June 27, 1980), is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners. He is a switch hitter and throws right-handed.
RodrÃÂguez made his major league debut with the Minnesota Twins on May 21, . He was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace rookie Jason Bartlett, who won the starting job out of spring training, but began to have trouble at the plate. From -, RodrÃÂguez was the primary second baseman at Rochester, although he played a handful of games at third base and shortstop in 2004. With excellent plate discipline, he hit .295 and .286 respectively, with a combined .354 on-base percentage. When RodrÃÂguez got the call, he was hitting .278 with a .339 OBP in 33 games. In 79 games for the Twins, he hit .269 with 2 home runs and 20 runs batted in. In 2006, RodrÃÂguez split time between Rochester and Minnesota, with the Twins, and he was .235 in 59 games. Inspired by the "Rory Fitzpatrick for NHL All-Star" Campaign, Rodriguez was the subject of a similar campaign known as "Vote for L-Rod" which aimed to elect him to the 2007 MLB All-Star game as the American League's starting 3rd baseman. For the 2007 season, RodrÃÂguez hit .219 in 68 games.
Rodriguez was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres on October 4, . He made his Padres debut on July 5, after spending the first three months of 2008 with the PCL's Portland Beavers. In his first season with the Padres, RodrÃÂguez hit a career high .287 in 64 games. The following season, RodrÃÂguez set a career high in walks with 37 despite hitting a career low .202 for the Padres.
On December 2, 2009, Rodriguez, signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians with an invite to Spring Training.
On April 29, 2010, Rodriguez signed with the Chicago White Sox and was assigned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. RodrÃÂguez spent the entirety of the season in Triple-A.
On November 22, 2010, RodrÃÂguez signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners organization. In 2011, he played in only 10 games split between the Low-A Everett AquaSox and Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. On November 2, 2011, RodrÃÂguez was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Tacoma; he subsequently rejected the assignment and elected free agency.
On November 23, 2011, RodrÃÂguez re-signed with Seattle on a new minor league contract that included an invitation to spring training.
RodrÃÂguez spent the 2013 season with the Salt Lake Bees, the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A affiliate.
RodrÃÂguez signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2015 season.