PERSPECTIVE: The captain comes home
Miguel Rojas deserves a standing ovation from all--and an apology from some--on his return to Miami
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Regarded as the Marlins’ unofficial captain until he was traded this past offseason, Miguel Rojas returns to loanDepot park the next 3 nights as the primary shortstop for the playoff-bound Los Angeles Dodgers. And anyone in the ballpark who truly cares about the Marlins should rise to their feet to welcome him back and show their appreciation for what Rojas meant to the club—both on and off the field—during his 8 seasons in Miami.
Few in the history of this franchise worked harder, cared more and represented the Marlins organization and the South Florida community with more class during their time here.
On the field, where he played the 7th-most games in franchise history, Rojas should be remembered as one of the greatest defensive players to ever wear a Marlins uniform.
Along with Alex Gonzalez and Adeiny Hechavarria, he’s one of the club’s 3 best-fielding shortstops all-time, and the fact that none of those 3 ever won a Gold Glove—in Miami or elsewhere—is absolutely shocking.
Miggy would be the first to tell you his last 2 years have been a struggle at the plate, and—even in his finest seasons—he’s had offensive limitations. But Rojas was a steady lineup presence during many seasons when the Marlins’ lineup was anything but steady, and he provided a lot of big hits, as evidenced by his .314 average with runners in scoring position over his last 5 years in Miami.
Off the field, he made his home and raised his family in Miami and immersed himself 12 months a year in working to make South Florida a better place.
During some very turbulent times, Rojas emerged as one of the most influential clubhouse leaders over an extended period this franchise has ever seen.
Miggy’s role in working to heal and stabilize the clubhouse following the death of Jose Fernandez in 2016 and after the post-2017 fire sale is particularly significant.
The story has been told a million times. He was mentored by fellow Venezuelan Martin Prado, who closed out his distinguished 14-year career with 5 seasons in Miami, the first 5 seasons Rojas spent with the club after being acquired from the Dodgers at age 25 in December of 2014.
Prado taught Rojas what it means to be a great teammate, to put team goals ahead of individual pursuits, to be accountable, to help nurture and develop younger players, to pass on the wisdom gained over the ups and downs of many seasons in the major leagues and to speak up when something needs to be said.
Ironically, it was speaking up in a private team meeting that didn’t stay private last June that caused many in the Marlins universe to turn on Rojas and left an unwarranted taint on his final months in Miami.
What was reported at the time was that much of the discussion in the meeting, which had been called by then-manager Don Mattingly, focused on Jazz Chisholm.
As Jon Heyman wrote in the New York Post, “Teammates apparently aren’t always as enamored as fans who love (Jazz’s) style and sizzle.”
I can vouch for that.
Mattingly called the meeting to get things out in the open. As Heyman reported, the manager “didn’t want anyone talking behind anyone’s back.”
People had indeed previously been talking behind people’s back, taking their concerns up the organization’s chain of command after direct conversations with Jazz didn’t get anywhere.
I had multiple people tell me over the course of 2 seasons about veteran Marlins approaching Mattingly and general manager Kim Ng in 2021 and 2022 to express concerns that Jazz was not being held accountable when he violated team rules.
Double standards tend to rankle teammates. And in this case, the frustration was exacerbated by the fact that it was a young player who had yet to establish himself in the big leagues whose aforementioned “style and sizzle” was already an issue for many in the clubhouse.
That’s not “jealousy,” as some outside the clubhouse suggested at the time. That’s members of a team expecting everyone on that team to conduct himself as one of 26, to put team ahead of self.
When it came time to get this all out into the open in a team meeting last June 8, only Rojas had the courage to rise and speak on behalf of many in the room.
When Garrett Cooper later told the media that much of the conversation was “a bunch of nonsense,” Rojas suddenly found himself on an island. The one person who had displayed the courage to speak on behalf of many in a private team setting, Miggy was now essentially having rocks hurled his way by teammates who didn’t want to be bothered.
Think for a minute how you’d feel if you stood up to say something difficult on behalf of many, but no one else had the courage to rise in support when you knew others shared your sentiments and had every reason to believe they would have your back.
And after that, imagine those same people going public with the sentiment that what you said was “a bunch of nonsense.”
Miggy never defended himself publicly because, in the mind of a real team leader, what is discussed in a private team meeting should have remained private.
And Miggy never said a word when arrows were slung his way from some bloggers and from fans on social media.
In the end, Miguel Rojas had his final months as a Marlin—and in the minds of some his Marlins legacy—stained by the way people reacted to him doing the right thing, doing all the things Martin Prado had taught him.
To be a great teammate.
To put team goals ahead of individual pursuits.
To be accountable.
To help nurture and develop younger players.
To pass on the wisdom gained over the ups and downs of many seasons in the major leagues.
And to speak up when something needs to be said.
Miggy didn’t deserve the resulting fallout.
What he does deserve is the respect and gratitude of Marlins fans for all he contributed to the ballclub over 8 seasons.
What he deserves most of all is a memorable “welcome back” when he steps to the plate for the first time tonight.
COMING UP SHORT
Miguel Rojas returning to town as a Dodger is a reminder of how badly the Marlins need an upgrade at shortstop in 2024. While Miggy had a rough year at the plate in 2022, his final season with the Marlins, the club got significantly more production offensively (and certainly defensively as they led the majors in defensive runs saved) from the position last year, when Rojas started 132 games, than it has this season, when shortstop has been manned by Joey Wendle (73 starts), Jon Berti (49 starts), Garrett Hampson (12 starts) and Jacob Amaya (3 starts).
MARLINS SHORTSTOPS
2022: .240 AVG/.294 OBP/.332 SLG /.626 OPS, 25 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 50 RBI…21 DRS*
2023: .233 AVG/.268 OBP/.308 SLG /.576 OPS, 21 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI…9 DRS
*Led Major League Baseball in defensive runs saved
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Thank you for telling us all this Geff. You’re so right.
Excellent article and I couldn't agree more. We are on the same page regarding Chisholm, who I think is more hype than substance. I wish it was not so. Although the crowds were light, I hope Rojas' reception was accepted as being from the fans' hearts.