Cookie Rojas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cookie Rojas |
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| Second baseman / Manager | |||
| Born: March 6, 1939 Havana, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| April 10, 1962, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1977, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .263 | ||
| Home runs | 54 | ||
| Runs batted in | 593 | ||
| Managerial record | 76–79 | ||
| Winning % | .490 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Octavio Víctor "Cookie" Rojas Rivas (born March 6, 1939) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player. He was also a coach, manager, and is now a television sports presenter. Cookie Rojas played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman and outfielder. His career lasted from 1962 to 1977.
He played for the Philadelphia Phillies where he became an All-Star player. Later, he joined the Kansas City Royals. His experience helped the young Royals team become a championship contender. Rojas was a very flexible player. He could play almost any position on the field. He was chosen for four straight American League (AL) All-Star teams from 1971 to 1974. In 1971, he led the AL in fielding percentage. He even had a 52-game streak without making an error at second base.
After his playing days, Rojas became a coach for several teams. He managed the California Angels in 1988. He also coached for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays. He went to his first World Series with the Mets in 2000. Since 2003, Rojas has worked for the Miami Marlins. He is a color commentator for their Spanish-language TV broadcasts. He was added to the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2011, he joined the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
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Early Baseball Days
Cookie Rojas loved baseball, even though his father wanted him to be a doctor. When he was 17, he signed his first professional contract. This was with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. He started playing for their D-level team, the West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs.
From 1957 to 1959, Rojas slowly moved up in the Reds' minor league teams. He played for teams like the Wausau Lumberjacks and the Savannah Redlegs. He even played for the Havana Sugar Kings in Cuba. Even though his batting average went down each year, he kept improving his defense.
The Reds weren't sure if he would hit well enough for the major leagues. He spent three more seasons in the AAA minor league. He played for Havana and the Jersey City Jerseys. He struggled with his hitting there. Other good second basemen were already playing for the Reds. Rojas finally joined the Reds in 1962. He played his first major league game on April 10. But he still didn't hit well and was sent back to the minor leagues.
Major League Career Highlights
After the 1962 season, Rojas was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded for a pitcher named Jim Owens. Even though the Phillies had another All-Star second baseman, Rojas stayed in the major leagues. He played in 27 games in 1963.
In 1965, Rojas became the regular second baseman for the Phillies. He was a very flexible player. He played almost every position on the field. This included catcher and pitcher. But he mostly played in the outfield, shortstop, and second base. Playing more often helped his batting. He hit .291 in 1964 and a career-best .303 in 1965. That year, he was chosen for his first All-Star team.
With the Phillies, Rojas and shortstop Bobby Wine formed a great team. They were known for their double plays. Fans and media called them "The Plays of Wine and Rojas." This was a fun twist on a popular song.
After the 1969 season, Rojas was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. This was part of a big trade involving Dick Allen. The Cardinals then traded him to the Kansas City Royals in June 1970. The Royals were a new team, only in their second year. They wanted an experienced player to help their infield.
Rojas became the Royals' main second baseman for the next eight seasons. He was chosen for four All-Star games in a row, from 1971 to 1974. In the 1972 All-Star Game, he hit a two-run home run. This was a special moment. It was the first time a player not born in America hit a home run for the American League in the All-Star game.
In 1976, Rojas lost his starting job at second base to Frank White. White was younger and played very well. Rojas, who was 37, stayed with the team for two more years. He played different positions like first base, third base, and designated hitter. After the 1977 season, the Royals released him. He retired from baseball.
Cookie Rojas is second on the Royals' list for most games played at second base. He played 789 games there. Only Frank White played more.
Coaching and Managing
After he stopped playing, Rojas worked as a coach and scout for different teams. From 1978 to 1981, he coached for the Chicago Cubs. In 1988, he became a manager for the California Angels. He was only the third Cuban-born manager in major league history. He led the Angels to a 75–79 record before being replaced.
In 1996, Rojas managed one game for the Florida Marlins. He also coached for the New York Mets. During the 1999 playoffs, he was suspended for five games. This happened after he argued with an umpire. He was the Mets' third base coach when they played in the World Series in 2000. From 2001 to 2002, he was a coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Family Life
Cookie Rojas has two sons who are also involved in baseball. His son, Victor, used to be a play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Angels. Now, he is the general manager for the Frisco RoughRiders. His other son, Mike, manages minor league teams. He was also a bullpen coach for the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners.
In 2011, Cookie Rojas was honored. He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Octavio "Cookie" Rojas para niños
