Rodney signed with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in 1999. He debuted in Japan by going 3-1 with 27 saves and a 1.98 ERA. He finished second in the Pacific League in saves,and he made the Pacific League All-Star team. In the 1999 Japan Series,Pedraza saved games 4 and 5,and pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings in the Series,allowing one hit and no walks.[citation needed] In 2000,he went 3-4 with 35 saves and a 2.15 ERA. He also had a WHIP of .77 with 4 walks and 35 hits in 50 1/3 IP. He was again picked for the Pacific League All-Star team,and he led the Pacific League in saves. He tied Eddie Gaillard for the most saves in all of Nippon Pro Baseball. In addition,he also tied Otsuka's Pacific League save record (which was later broken by Kiyoshi Toyoda). Pedraza became the second American to be named Fireman of the Year in the Pacific League. In the 2000 Japan Series,he saved game one and threw two shutout innings.[citation needed] In 2001 he was once again an All-Star and he led the Pacific League in saves and points. For the second year in a row,Pedraza was awarded the Fireman of the Year. He was the second repeat foreign winner in Nippon Pro Baseball history and the first in the Pacific League. In 2002 Pedraza remained the closer for the Hawks,and he made the All-Star team for the 4th time. He became the first American to save 100 games in Nippon Pro Baseball.[citation needed] In 2003 he was signed to the Yomiuri Giants,and his performance suffered due to another shoulder injury.[citation needed]
Career stats
Overall,Rodney went 16-12 with 117 saves and a 2.99 ERA in 194 games in Nippon Pro Baseball and 65-40 with a 3.82 ERA in 159 minor league games. Through 2009,he was 19th in Nippon Pro Baseball annals in saves and 3rd among foreign-born hurlers.[citation needed]
Retirement
After the end of his playing career,he moved back to Cuero,Texas. On March 2,2007 he was inducted into the Latinos in Action hall of fame.[3] He was a member of the Cuero Gobblers' 1987 state championship football team,and was inducted into the Cuero Gobbler hall of fame in 2009.[4] In 2008,he married Deborah,and they have three daughters Lauren,Kendall,Mia.
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