Welcome home Victor Rojas

Winter is officially over in my book. The official start of spring may be later this month, but for all intensive purposes – it actually started today. That’s because the Angels began play in the Cactus League this afternoon. It was great to hear Terry Smith and Jose Mota on the radio as they broadcasted from Tempe Diablo Stadium where the Angels played the Chicago White Sox to a 4-4 tie.

Before we know it the regular season will be here and we’ll have some new experiences both on the field and in the broadcast booth. As you’ve probably heard by now the Angels have hired Victor Rojas to be the T.V. play by play man. Rojas will team with Mark Gubicza.

I’m extremely excited about the hire because Rojas has Angels baseball roots. His dad, Cookie Rojas managed the team in 1988 (and also had a nice career as a player with a number of teams including he Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies) and Victor was a pitcher in the Angels minor league system in 1990.

He was interviewed on AM 830 this morning by Roger Lodge on his radio show “The Sports Lodge.” Rojas, who comes to the Angels from the MLB network, basically called his new position a “dream job.” He also told Roger that he “he lived and died with the 1982 and 1986 teams.” You have to love that.

Rojas calls himself a "social media junkie" (per his Twitter account) and he writes a blog called The Spoils. If you’re curious about what Rojas sounds like, you can see a clip of him here.

Gary Amida of FullCountPitch.com wrote in August 2009 “It is because of personalities like Victor Rojas that MLB Network has become such an instant success. When one delves into Rojas’ life in Baseball, it is apparent that the Network signed someone with the ability to give clear, truthful analysis from a perspective that few can offer. For Rojas, there was never a doubt that his professional life would be spent around the game of Baseball.”

Amida adds “When one hears Victor Rojas on the air, whether as a studio anchor or as a game broadcaster, one hears an honest, straightforward approach. Rojas gives his opinions which, because of his childhood and his own career, often provide a perspective few analysts can.”

I think Angel fans are going to enjoy him a great deal. He has a smooth delivery and is a good baseball man. It’s clear he has a great deal of respect for the game and isn’t a TV "personality." Again, he’s a baseball man. He grew up in the game and has an obvious passion for it.

Rojas will be a fresh new voice and someone Angel fans should embrace immediately. He already told Roger Lodge that he bleeds "Halo Red." He's one of us and that's a good thing.