North Channel Sentinel - Sports
Rodriguez living his dream on his way to Oklahoma
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| The Channelview Falcons’ Larry “Boo” Rodriguez is a four-year varsity baseball player who has earned numerous honors. Pictured with him are his mother, Patricia Rodriguez, and father Larry Rodriguez; and standing, Athletic Director William Jennings, Assistant Coach John Moore, Assistant Coach Mark Williams, and Head Coach Cory Bowyer. |
By DAVID TAYLOR
Larry “Boo” Rodriguez is awake, but he’s living a dream. The shortstop plays for the Channelview Falcons and last week moved a step closer to realizing his ultimate dream—to play pro baseball. While that is still in the near future, it’s not out of the question.
The senior signed a national letter of intent to play baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys last week and will receive a full scholarship from the university.
“If he gets a little better at his speed, he’s going to get drafted,” said Falcon Head Coach Cory Bowyer.
The 17-year-old talks as though he’s already a seasoned pro and he should. He has 14 years of play and a room full of trophies and awards to account for it.
Rodriguez will start again at the short-stop position for the Falcons and hopes to collect a few more awards down the road, but none more important than another playoff berth for his team.
Boo’s parents, Patricia and Larry Rodriguez, signed the toddler up to play at three years old. “We used to play with a tennis ball,” he laughed. But even at a young age, he seemed to show signs of potential.
“Larry’s always been special. He had his first black-eye when he was a year-and-a-half old,” said Patricia, his mom.
“His dad was pitching to him and he was trying to hit the ball and missed,” she laughed. The injury wasn’t serious, but little Boo soon learned to make contact with the ball and attract the attention of coaches and scouts. At three, he began playing at the YMCA on Bear Bayou and from four to 12 years old, he played in Channelview Little League.
“When he was seven years old, his brother played at Sooner Stadium at the University of Oklahoma in an AAU World Series tournament game,” his mom said. “He was helping his brother warm up when a scout came up to him (Boo) and said he was keeping an eye on him,” she said.
His mom and dad said he picked up good baseball traits from his brothers who were coached by former Channelview Head Coach Kerry Cox.
“He watched them and learned from them a lot of what he knows now,” she said.
The youngster had baseball blood in the family and has never looked back.
“I’ve been playing select ball since I was eight,” said Rodriguez. “It’s more of a travel team you have to tryout or be selected for the squad.” Rodriguez said there were two great aspects for playing in the tougher league—better competition and exposure to college and pro scouts.
He really began to get attention from colleges in his freshman year when he made the 2006 Texas All-State team, a rare honor for a freshman. It was the same year that the Falcons made a deep run into the playoffs.
Two teammates, Diego Seastrunk and Aaron Miller, both received scholarships to Division I schools that year. Seastrunk is an outstanding player for the Rice Owls and has made appearances in the College World Series. Miller attends Baylor University.
Since then, Rodriguez has collected more All-District honors and the Texas Sunbelt Team award. “That’s a team where the coaches have to recommend you to the district, and then another committee at the state level has to select you to be on the team,” he said. The team plays against other Sunbelt teams from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, etc.
Rodriguez has received offers from numerous college programs including Mississippi State, Kansas, Texas A&M, Duke, Rice, Sam Houston State and Oklahoma State.
“On July 1, the first day scouts to talk to him and make offers,” said his mom, “he received 26 phone calls from colleges.”
Bowyer will look to Rodriguez for leadership on the Falcon team this year.
“It’s hard to have higher expectations than what he’s already produced. He’s a career .400 hitter, averaging three homeruns a year, and a constant in our lineup.”
Expectations have been high on Rodriguez since he made the all-state team his freshman year, but Bowyer said he’s met those demands.
“He has so much confidence when he’s on the field. He’s not cocky. He’s the guy who could care less about the honors. He’s really a modest guy. It’s his mom, dad and me who want him to go and accept them. He just loves the game of baseball,” said Bowyer.
Bowyer played for the same coach that Rodriguez will be playing for at Oklahoma State. “We won the Junior College World Series in 1991 at Howard County Junior College in West Texas,” said Bowyer.
The scholarship includes tuition and room and board. Baseball season begins in February for the Falcons.
The senior signed a national letter of intent to play baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys last week and will receive a full scholarship from the university.
“If he gets a little better at his speed, he’s going to get drafted,” said Falcon Head Coach Cory Bowyer.
The 17-year-old talks as though he’s already a seasoned pro and he should. He has 14 years of play and a room full of trophies and awards to account for it.
Rodriguez will start again at the short-stop position for the Falcons and hopes to collect a few more awards down the road, but none more important than another playoff berth for his team.
Boo’s parents, Patricia and Larry Rodriguez, signed the toddler up to play at three years old. “We used to play with a tennis ball,” he laughed. But even at a young age, he seemed to show signs of potential.
“Larry’s always been special. He had his first black-eye when he was a year-and-a-half old,” said Patricia, his mom.
“His dad was pitching to him and he was trying to hit the ball and missed,” she laughed. The injury wasn’t serious, but little Boo soon learned to make contact with the ball and attract the attention of coaches and scouts. At three, he began playing at the YMCA on Bear Bayou and from four to 12 years old, he played in Channelview Little League.
“When he was seven years old, his brother played at Sooner Stadium at the University of Oklahoma in an AAU World Series tournament game,” his mom said. “He was helping his brother warm up when a scout came up to him (Boo) and said he was keeping an eye on him,” she said.
His mom and dad said he picked up good baseball traits from his brothers who were coached by former Channelview Head Coach Kerry Cox.
“He watched them and learned from them a lot of what he knows now,” she said.
The youngster had baseball blood in the family and has never looked back.
“I’ve been playing select ball since I was eight,” said Rodriguez. “It’s more of a travel team you have to tryout or be selected for the squad.” Rodriguez said there were two great aspects for playing in the tougher league—better competition and exposure to college and pro scouts.
He really began to get attention from colleges in his freshman year when he made the 2006 Texas All-State team, a rare honor for a freshman. It was the same year that the Falcons made a deep run into the playoffs.
Two teammates, Diego Seastrunk and Aaron Miller, both received scholarships to Division I schools that year. Seastrunk is an outstanding player for the Rice Owls and has made appearances in the College World Series. Miller attends Baylor University.
Since then, Rodriguez has collected more All-District honors and the Texas Sunbelt Team award. “That’s a team where the coaches have to recommend you to the district, and then another committee at the state level has to select you to be on the team,” he said. The team plays against other Sunbelt teams from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, etc.
Rodriguez has received offers from numerous college programs including Mississippi State, Kansas, Texas A&M, Duke, Rice, Sam Houston State and Oklahoma State.
“On July 1, the first day scouts to talk to him and make offers,” said his mom, “he received 26 phone calls from colleges.”
Bowyer will look to Rodriguez for leadership on the Falcon team this year.
“It’s hard to have higher expectations than what he’s already produced. He’s a career .400 hitter, averaging three homeruns a year, and a constant in our lineup.”
Expectations have been high on Rodriguez since he made the all-state team his freshman year, but Bowyer said he’s met those demands.
“He has so much confidence when he’s on the field. He’s not cocky. He’s the guy who could care less about the honors. He’s really a modest guy. It’s his mom, dad and me who want him to go and accept them. He just loves the game of baseball,” said Bowyer.
Bowyer played for the same coach that Rodriguez will be playing for at Oklahoma State. “We won the Junior College World Series in 1991 at Howard County Junior College in West Texas,” said Bowyer.
The scholarship includes tuition and room and board. Baseball season begins in February for the Falcons.
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