Rojas eyes fresh start in a more ‘normal’ season
Luis Rojas learned a lot in his rookie year as a major-league manager, but that knowledge was flooded with COVID-19 regulations, social-distancing protocols, no family or friends in the stands and a 60-game sprint to the finish. A cloud of uncertainty constantly hovered over the 2020 season, and Rojas was praised by players for his guidance at the helm, driven by his authentic calm and cool attitude.
Then the Mets finished 26-34, tied with the Nationals for fourth place in the NL East and missed the expanded playoffs.
This year, Mets fans will finally see Rojas manage a full, 162 game season — if all goes according to plan amid MLB’s second-straight shot at navigating through a pandemic. The uncertainties and challenges will still exist, but Rojas is better prepared for them this time.
“We all grew a lot and I think I learned a lot last year too,” Rojas said. “I have a great group of guys here that are also helping me every day — just to become a better coach, a better manager, a better man. I think we’re helping each other out. We’re picking each other up.”
Rojas, 39, said his laid-back communication style is the “easy” part for him. He has tough conversations with the staff when it’s necessary. He tells players when and how to make adjustments, even if he’s repeating himself because, he said: “I really don’t care. If it’s something that we need to get better at, I’ll just repeat it.”
Rojas’ first year on a major-league staff was 2019, when he served as the quality-control coach. But even before then, Rojas formed connections within the organization. He joined the Mets in 2006 and managed multiple minor-league affiliates from 2011-2018. Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith are all homegrown players Rojas managed in the farm system.
“I feel that the relationships here, with everyone, the relationships we have built gives me that confidence where I can definitely do my part as a manager, where I can communicate some of the decisions that are going to be in play,” Rojas said.
Alonso didn’t notice a change in Rojas when he was promoted from a big-league coach to the sixth Dominican manager in MLB history. To the Mets first baseman, who first played under Rojas in 2017 with Double-A Binghamton, the manager was always a steady guy who took his preparation very seriously.
But there has been a noticeable change in Rojas when he speaks to reporters from Year 1 to 2. He’s appears more relaxed and content with expanding on his answers.
Perhaps the ownership change, which took place this past November, affected his recent voluble interviews. The Wilpons were known to be meddlesome bosses and new owner Steve Cohen described himself as “a low-key guy.” Rojas said he doesn’t know if a new boss has played a role in his presence with the media.
Nimmo said “there is no question” that Rojas has been very relaxed this year, and he attributes that to the structured nature of spring training and hopefully, the upcoming season. Last year was hectic for the team, particularly when the Mets shut down for a few days due to backup catcher Tomas Nido and a coach testing positive for the virus.
Alonso said Rojas’ five-year experience managing in the Dominican Winter League is an underappreciated part of his background. Rojas managed the Leones del Escogido, the premier franchise his dad, Felipe Alou, used to play for in D.R. before he entered the big leagues. While Rojas managed the Leones, his older brother, former MLB outfielder Moises Alou, was the GM.
“Luis has been through wars,” Moises told the Daily News last year, referring primarily to Escogido’s fan culture. “Everybody here thinks they’re smarter than the managers. Anybody that goes to the stadium, they think they know more baseball than us.”
That bears a striking resemblance to managing in New York, doesn’t it? If Rojas can manage in the Dominican Winter League climate, known to be extremely intense — or as Alonso described it, “bonkers” — then, the first baseman said, Rojas “can manage in any environment.” Alonso said he’s looking forward to Rojas getting a clean slate this year, with fans in attendance at Citi Field to watch him, because 2020’s 60-game season didn’t necessarily represent his managing style.
“This year, with a full season, you’re really going to see a lot of positive things,” Alonso said. “You’re really going to see his expertise and knowledge.”