Cyclones infielder Joaquin Rodriguez hasn’t had the easiest time of it at first base this season, so he’s doing what any committed professional would do to improve himself: he’s taking dancing lessons.
“I’m going to be taking salsa lessons and yoga classes to improve my foot work at first,” said the Miami native, who is hitting .258 with 10 RBI this season, but has been a bit shaky making the transition from shortstop to first base.
“I’ve heard from some guys that it’s a great way of increasing my flexibility and footwork, so I’m going to mix that in with some sprinting and weightlifting during the off-season.”
Rodriguez was clear about why the John Travolta sessions are necessary.
“I’ve made some mistakes out there this year and all I can do is try and learn from them,” said Rodriguez, who has committed three errors in 27 games this season. “This is the first time playing first base since I was about 7-years-old, so there was a lot of pressure originally. It’s a lot different now then it was when I was in Little League, I’ll tell you that.”
When Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo heard about Rodriguez’s off-season regimen, he not only liked it, but thought it could help the youngster in other areas of his life.
“I think that can really help him. I’ve heard of a few players doing that over the years,” he said. “Plus, it’ll give him some rhythm. He needs it.”
