Miguel Rojas was the beginning shortstop for the Marlins the final 5 years or so, however now that he’s come again to the Dodgers, he finds himself in additional of a utility infielder function. You would possibly count on the 34-year-old veteran to be upset about that change, however as a substitute, Rojas has taken the workforce method of attempting to assist the blokes beginning in entrance of him get higher.
Maybe the perfect instance is rookie Miguel Vargas, who reached out to Rojas shortly after the commerce went down in January. The 2 Miguels, who have been each based mostly within the Miami space, acquired collectively at Nova Southeastern College close to Fort Lauderdale to work on their protection collectively. Rojas was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop final yr and has performed all around the infield, whereas Vargas has been a bat-first prospect looking for a place. Vargas will probably be LA’s beginning second baseman this season, so Rojas took it on himself to assist the teenager adapt to a brand new place.
Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation talked with Vargas this weekend from the Los Angeles clubhouse at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, and he requested the rookie what it was like engaged on protection with a stellar defender like Rojas.
“He helped me rather a lot. We have been speaking about my glove place, how I’ve to maneuver my legs, every thing. We labored rather a lot, we labored rather a lot. I’m simply glad for the way in which he helped me each day, and I’m only a fortunate man and I’m grateful for him.”
“Grateful” is form of the theme of the entire dialog between Doug and Vargas, who appears extraordinarily humble and looking out ahead to being an enormous leaguer. It’s excellent to see Rojas, who may have had a a lot worse angle about his state of affairs, placing his emphasis on being an vital a part of a profitable workforce somewhat than on his taking part in time.
Rojas’s expertise and experience pays dividends for Vargas and shortstop Gavin Lux, and hopefully it should assist the 2 of them gel as the center infield of the long run for the Dodgers.
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