New York Mets: how Luis Rojas fits in the Alou family dynasty

When the New York Mets hired Luis Rojas to be the team’s manager, they hired a member of the Alou family. Here’s how Rojas fits within baseball royalty.

As a child, my father used to tell me stories about the Alou brothers, Felipe, Matty, and Jesus. You see, In the Dominican Republic, like in baseball, the Alou family is royalty. A name that can be traced way back to 1958 when Felipe Alou emerged as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

So when the New York Mets announced the signing of Luis Rojas as the franchise’s 23rd manager, it came as a surprise to many that Rojas himself is an Alou. This revelation left many wondering exactly how Rojas fits into the Alou family.

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Well, the answer is actually quite simple. Luis Rojas is actually the son of Felipe Alou, brother of Moises Alou. Matty and Jesus are his uncles.

Why then does he use the Rojas surname?

Few people know that the Alou surname actually belongs to Felipe’s mother, Luis’ grandmother. Before being scouted by the Giants, Felipe along with his brothers went by Rojas. However, a scout mistakenly used his mother’s maiden name.

You see, in the Dominican Republic, the family name is used before the mother’s last name. So when the Giants’ scout registered Felipe Rojas Alou’s name, he simply took Felipe’s first and his mother’s last name.

Simple as that.

For the New York Mets, in signing Luis Rojas, they’re bringing along with them multiple generations of excellence.

In fact, every member of the Alou family has appeared in at least TWO All-Star games, has won a combined FOUR World Series titles, and has amassed at least 1200 hits apiece.

In trying to escape the sign-stealing scandal the former short-lived manager Carlos Beltran brought along with him, the Mets have instilled someone who comes from a family with a history of consistency. Perhaps this was the move they should’ve made in the first place.