For more great baseball stories like this one, 'like' us on Facebook - Facebook.com/Greatest21Days

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Mel Rosario, Special Instructions - 26

Ron Guidry had a message for his catcher Mel Rosario in this May 1987 rehab game with single-A Fort Lauderdale. Essentially, according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, no special instructions needed.

"I didn't worry about locations especially in the first inning," Guidry told The Sun-Sentinel. "I just told the young catcher (Rosario) to put the glove up there."

Rosario got the opportunity to catch the major leaguer Guidry in his fourth professional season. Rosario went on to catch in seven seasons in all. He never got to catch a major league pitcher in the bigs.

Rosario's career began in 1984, signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent out of his native Puerto Rico. Rosario is also credited by his full name, Melvin Rosario.

Rosario started with the Dodgers with rookie Great Falls in 1984 and in the rookie Gulf Coast League in 1985. He got into 40 games in 1985, hitting .178.

He moved to co-op single-A Kinston for 1986 and then to the Yankees and Fort Lauderdale for 1987. He got into 46 games at Fort Lauderdale and hit .169. He knocked in a run in a May game.

Rosario split time between Fort Lauderdale and AA Albany-Colonie in 1988. He got into 42 games total. He then returned to Fort Lauderdale for 1989 and saw a career-high 89 appearances. He hit .228.

He hit a two-run home run in a July 1989 game and a key single in another game that month. That December, the Reds took him in the minor league draft.

Rosario played 1990 with the Reds at AA Chattanooga. He hit a home run in a May game. He hit .207 overall in 66 games to end his career.
1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured: 2,721
Made the Majors:1,037-38.1%
Never Made Majors:1,684-61.9%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 429
10+ Seasons in the Minors:263

No comments:

Post a Comment