Arthur Rhodes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arthur Rhodes |
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Rhodes with the Cincinnati Reds in 2009
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 24, 1969 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 21, 1991, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 2011, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 87–70 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.08 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,152 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Arthur Lee Rhodes, Jr. (born October 24, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for 20 seasons with many teams, including the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners. Today, he is a pitching coach for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.
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Playing Baseball
Arthur Rhodes played high school baseball in Waco, Texas. In his senior year, 1988, he had an amazing record of 17 wins and 0 losses.
Baltimore Orioles Years
The Baltimore Orioles picked Arthur in the second round of the 1988 MLB Draft. In 1991, while playing for the Hagerstown Suns, he was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. Later that year, he made his big league debut with the Orioles.
For his first four years, he was a starting pitcher. In 1996, he moved to the bullpen, becoming a "relief pitcher." This means he would come into games after the starting pitcher. He did very well, winning 8 games and losing only 1. In 1997, he won 10 games without starting any. After the 1999 season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Seattle Mariners Years
Rhodes then joined the Seattle Mariners. He became a very important "setup man" for their bullpen. A setup man pitches in the late innings before the "closer" finishes the game. He helped the Mariners reach the playoffs in 2000 and win 116 games in 2001. In 2001, he had a great record of 8 wins and 0 losses.
During a game in 2001, he had a funny moment. An opposing player, Omar Vizquel, complained that light was reflecting off Rhodes' earrings. Arthur was told to take them off but refused, which led to a small argument between the teams.
Oakland Athletics and Other Teams
After the 2003 season, Rhodes signed with the Oakland Athletics. Their manager, Ken Macha, tried him as a "closer," who is the pitcher who finishes the game. But it didn't work out as well. After one season, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates then traded him to the Cleveland Indians. Just like in Seattle, he became a top setup man for the Indians. In 2006, he was traded again, this time to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Back with the Mariners
In 2007, Arthur Rhodes signed a minor league contract to return to the Mariners. However, he hurt his pitching arm and needed a surgery called Tommy John surgery to fix it. He missed the whole 2007 season.
He signed with the Mariners again in 2008. He didn't make the team at first but joined them in April. Later that year, he was traded to the Florida Marlins.
Cincinnati Reds and All-Star Game
In December 2008, Rhodes signed a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2010, he made history by being chosen for his first and only All-Star Game. This was special because it was his 20th season, and he was over 40 years old! He was only the fifth player ever to go to his first All-Star Game after turning 40.
Texas Rangers and World Series Win
On December 23, 2010, Rhodes signed with the Texas Rangers. He played in 32 games for them in 2011 before the team decided to let him go.
Just a few days later, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Because he signed so late, the Rangers still had to pay most of his salary. This created a very unusual situation: the Cardinals and Rangers ended up playing each other in the 2011 World Series! So, the Rangers were paying most of the salary for a player who was trying to help the Cardinals beat them.
The Cardinals won the World Series in 7 games. This meant Arthur Rhodes earned a World Series ring, no matter who won! He was one of only two players in history to play for both teams in the same season and win the World Series against the team he started with.
By the end of 2011, Rhodes was second among active pitchers in games played (900). He also holds the major league record for the most "holds" in a career, with 231. A "hold" is when a relief pitcher enters a game with a lead and maintains it, but doesn't finish the game.
Retirement from Baseball
Arthur Rhodes officially announced he was retiring from playing baseball on January 16, 2015.
Coaching Baseball
After his playing career, Arthur Rhodes became a baseball coach.
- In 2021, he became the pitching coach for the Cleburne Railroaders.
- In 2024, he joined the Lexington Legends as their pitching coach.
- Later in 2024, he became the pitching coach for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.
About Arthur Rhodes
Arthur Rhodes' son, Jordan, passed away at five years old in December 2008. To honor his son, Arthur would write Jordan's initials in the dirt on the pitcher's mound before every game for the rest of his career.
His older brother, Ricky, also played baseball in the minor leagues. He later coached women's basketball. Arthur's daughter, Jade, played college softball at Auburn and even played professionally.
