-Couresty of the Philadelphia Phillies
He never set foot in the major leagues but he is a legend when it comes to player development and the Phillies organization.
Larry Rojas, who has been in pro ball since 1961 and with the Phillies since 1970, is the 2007 Phillies Latino Legend Award winner. Rojas will be honored pre-game on Friday night (September 7) as part of the Goya Latino Family Celebration.
A second and third baseman, Rojas was a three-time All-Star during his 11-year minor league playing career with the Detroit Tigers, California Angels and Phillies.
The 65-year-old Rojas ended his playing career with the Phillies, playing 87 games at Reading in 1970 and 12 games the following year in Eugene.
He joined the Phillies minor league staff in 1972 as a coach with the Reading Phillies and is still active as the Latin Liaison/Professional Coverage Scout.
Along the way, he has coached and managed in the minors, served as a roving infield instructor, field coordinator, special assignment scout, area scout and Director of Instruction/Latin American Scouting.
Rojas is a fixture at Carpenter Field during the minor league spring training camp, Gulf Coast League season and Florida Instructional League season. He also scouts the Florida State League during the Clearwater Threshers season.
He has been involved in the development of Ramon Aviles, Luis Aguayo, Julio Franco, Alejandro Sanchez, Juan Samuel, Carlos Silva and Carlos Ruiz. He has also developed instructors such as Roly de Armas, Carlos Arroyo, Manny Amador and Domingo Brito and Dominican Republic scout Wil Tejada.
Latino Legend Award History
The Phillies Latino Legend Award was started in 2000 by the Phillies and AL DIA, Philadelphia’s largest Spanish-language newspaper, to pay tribute to Hispanic players in the team’s history.
Past winners include Tony Perez, the Amaro family, Tony Taylor, Cookie Rojas, Willie Montanez, Ozzie Virgil Jr. and Juan Samuel.
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