Dereck Rodríguez ready to be Batman in the bay
By César Augusto Márquez
Bruno Diaz, as Bruce Wayne was known throughout Latin America, inherited from his father an immense fortune that he spent on transforming into a superhero to prevail justice upon Gotham City. That’s how his alter ego, Batman, was born.
Dereck Rodríguez also inherited a great legacy from his father.
The San Francisco Giants’ right-handed pitcher inherited baseball talent and the experience to feel like a veteran despite being in his first year of service time in the big leagues with the Giants.
Rodriguez, the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan, is such a big fan of the Batman comic book series he pays tribute to the Dark Knight’s story each time he takes the mound.
Rodriguez’s infatuation with Batman is on full display when the camera pans at the tattoos on his powerful right arm.
“I’ve been a big fan of Batman,” the bilingual Arlington, Tex., native and longtime Miami resident told La Vida Baseball in Spanish. “Since I was a little kid I like his history and I kept following Batman over the years.”
He got his first Batman tattoo on his right forearm. Then he added a tattoo of the Joker, another one of the figures in the Batman series. He added a tattoo of Catwoman and another of Harley Quinn.
As a good follower of the character Bob Kane created, Dereck is a big fan of the Batman movies.
“I’ve seen many of the movies, but I think my favorite is Dark Knight because of the Joker character’s personality,” he said of the second movie in the trilogy Christopher Nolan created.
Batman made its first appearance in DC Comics in 1939. With the eye of the cinematic world on the rival Marvel Comics, Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk have been popular in recent years.
But Dereck remains loyal to his favorite characters.
“I don’t like the Marvel superheroes very much because it deals with characters who usually have supernatural powers, which is why I can’t identify with them,” he said. “I like Batman because he’s a normal human being who suffers, has feelings like any of us.”
The boricua’s fandom for superheroes is such that he attended Comic Con in San Francisco in July.
He proudly admits that one of the things he enjoys the most is collecting Batman memorabilia of all kinds. When he’s not focused on baseball, one of the things he enjoys the most away from the field is spending time on his Batman hobby.
Dereck Rodríguez wants to set his own course. His road hasn’t been easy, considering he started his professional career as an outfielder and then converted into a pitcher. Four years after making the switch to the mound he finally reached the majors.
“It was a difficult road, but fortunately I was able to reach the big leagues,” he said. “That first day was very exciting and emotional to see the public’s ovation. Obviously I already knew a lot of people and I had experienced being in a big league clubhouse since I was a kid.
“That has helped me know how to behave and what the atmosphere is like.”
Rodriguez has been one of the Giants’ biggest surprises this year. Before he landed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, he had a 2.25 ERA in 14 appearances, 12 as a starter.
He is adamant that he didn’t change anything this season. He credits the Giants with showing confidence in him.
“They believed in me, and I’ve been able to respond,” he said. “I think that’s the only thing that was missing. Now I only have to keep writing my own story.”
Bruce Wayne or Bruno Diaz, as the Dark Knight was known in Spanish, is similar to Rodriguez, who transforms when he takes the mound.
Featured Image: Jean Fruth / La Vida Baseball