Benny Rodriguez

Benny Rodriguez batting

"We Can Play Forever Now." - Benny Rodriguez

Benjamin Franklin "Benny the Jet" Rodriguez is the deuteragonist of the 1993 movie, The Sandlot. He is the leader and oldest of the group, as well as the best player on the team. He is the best friend of Scotty Smalls. Benny is portrayed by Mike Vitar.

History

Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez was born in the neighborhood. He was the most passionate baseball kid (As you can tell from the scene of the July 4th scene). He dreamed to play for Los Angeles Dodgers. He formed the sandlot team in the 1960's.

The leader 

Benny was the oldest and the best player in the neighborhood back in 1962. He invited Smalls to join the sandlot baseball team and taught Smalls how to play baseball. Everyone opposed Scotty in the beginning for him to join, but he insisted that everyone is part of the team and has to learn some day . He was quite generous and also a kind kid.

The Biggest pickle 

After Scotty lost his stepdad's ball autographed by Babe Ruth , he planned to get the ball back from the backyard from the furious beast . He tried a lot, but all of them failed and almost gave up after five full of effort attempts,until he had the dream.

The big dream 

He had a dream where Ruth himself came in front of him from inside of the wardrobe and said that you have pretty fast legs and told him to make leap into that backyard get that ball and be remembered forever. He told Benny that Legends never die and that he should get the ball back. Benny did the same thing and the next day he emerged victorious.

Tussle with the beast 

The next morning Benny came into the sandlot with the rest of the team. He brought with him the best shoes of that time that could make a kid as fast as a cheetah. He jumped across the fence and encountered with his worst fear "The Beast". When the reality exposed and the beast was not actually a monster but a dog and a furious dog, the dog ran after him all over the city and when they returned to the sandlot the fence fell over the dog. Benny helped him, returned him to Mr. Mertle and found out that he was not that bad. He made Hercules a member of the team and continued to live his passion, baseball. After Benny pickled the beast his reputation spread all over the town. The people named him " The Jet Rodriguez " 

Playing for the Dodgers 

After his childhood years passed he became a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers . He played like a jet and was a brilliant player of the game baseball. He played many major leagues and tournaments as a Dodger player.

The Year 1972 

Benny is a legend in the sandlot in 1972. Ten years after his battle with the Beast his legend was told by Johnnie (Small's younger brother) to his friends when they had to face Hercules' son: The Great Fear, He only appears at the beginning of the movie from the clips in the first movie.

Coaching Squints Pharmacy

Benny eventually returned to the sandlot in 1976 when he co-coached the team of Squints' Pharmacy. He met young Tommy Santorelli , a 13-year-old boy that claimed to be a baseball superstar and that Benny is his manager. Benny ignored that and started coaching them.He accidentally became injured and was told to rest for a few sessions but he continued to coach the team of the sandlot.

When they were going to play against Needman's team to save the sandlot, Tommy switched over to Needman's team. Tommy heard Benny and Squints talking about their old days in the sandlot, making him realize what true friendship is, ending with he Sandlot team winning the game when Tommy rejoined them.

Retirement, Manager Of Dodgers

In the end, Benny Rodriguez, the former leader of the Sandlot crew, becomes the manager of the Dodgers in around the year 2000.