Fernando Rodney Hit with His Own Bow and Arrow

Fernando Rodney loves to draw an “arrow” and “fire” it into the sky after he converts a save. Not sure about the significance of this particular gesture, but it has become his signature move.

Against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, one of his arrows came back.

Here’s the problem with these types of moves. They should typically be done after you convert the save.

As the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold…or with an Albert Pujols double into the corner. When you have the heart of the lineup coming up and the team you are facing has the third-best team average is all of baseball, you had better bring your best stuff.

In other words, don’t walk Mike Trout to start the inning and then hope Pujols isn’t going to cash in. Oops.

Rodney almost got out the jam, but when you load the bases with no one out, it is hard to expect a good result.

It seems reasonable to assume that this bow and arrow move is rubbing some players the wrong way. Pujols and Trout seemed to thoroughly enjoy shooting arrows back and forth at each other after giving Rodney a taste of his own medicine.

Now, this is going to occur for every closer at some point. No closer wants to blow a save, with or without a signature move. It is a tough position, with little room for error. The Angels have a great offense and they rallied in the ninth. It happens. The Mariners move on.

In the future, Mr. Rodney, you might want to wait until the game is over. At that point you can point to the scoreboard. In any game, that is the best way to make a statement.