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Following Carlos Beltran debacle, Mets
offi cially introduce Luis Rojas as manager
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JAN. 31-FEB. 6, 2020 33
SPORTS
BY JOE PANTORNO
Well, this is familiar.
On Jan. 24 — for the second
time in just under four
months — the New York Mets
introduced a manager at Citi
Field as Luis Rojas met the Big
Apple’s media.
“This is a dream come true
for me to become the New York
Mets manager,” said Rojas,
who is entering his 15th year
with the organization. “That
was my dream.”
Rojas takes over for Carlos
Beltran, who held the position
of manager for a little over
three months following the
dismissal of Mickey Callaway.
After Major League Baseball’s
findings on the 2017 Houston
Astros’ sign-stealing investigations
— a team Beltran was
on and a scheme he participated
in — the Mets opted to part
ways with Beltran on Jan. 16.
“It all unfolded this week,”
Rojas said of his hiring. “I
came here, we met, I’m not familiar
with how the process
went before that.”
It’s a sudden jump to the
managerial role for the 38-
year-old, who spent 2019 as
a quality control coach that
served as a conduit between
the clubhouse and the front
office following multiple managing
stints throughout the
organization’s minor-league
system.
“It was a great experience
to get me ready to fulfill this
position right now,” Rojas
said. “I saw what this team
can do. I want to lead them to
win. We had a great second
half… I want that to transfer
into spring training when we
break ground.”
He also made it known that
the swift promotion isn’t a
daunting one.
“I’ve been prepared for
this. It’s something that goes
way back… going through all
those years of preparation,”
Rojas said. “What helps with
this transition is how close
our coaching staff is. We’re
very close.”
The National League’s
youngest manager will be taking
over a team on the cusp
of contention in the National
League East as they eye a return
to the postseason for the
first time since 2016.
He wasn’t limiting any of
his personal expectations, either.
“I will lead this team into
success,” he said while looking
at members of the Mets’
front office.
It didn’t go unnoticed by
general manager Brodie Van
Wagenen.
“This guy’s real. You feel
it. Our players are familiar
with it, they know he has substance,”
he said of Rojas. “From
a leadership group, when we’re
looking for people to represent
our brand and motivate our
players… when someone has
the poise like Luis Rojas, who
commands a room, it can create
great things.”
With the skipper firmly in
place as pitchers and catchers
are set to report on Feb. 11, Rojas
is already laying the foundation
of the team’s culture
heading into the 2020 season.
“The Mets are my family,
the Mets are my baseball family,”
he said. “We’re going to be
really good at communication.
We’re going to be really good
trusting each other. Last but
not least, we are going to have
accountability for each other.”
The Mets introduced Luis Rojas as their next manager last week.
Courtesy of the New YorkMets
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