The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Rojas opens up about his mom Elsa
Luis Rojas can talk about his mother, Elsa, and all of her inspiring attributes for hours. But the quality that Rojas most appreciates is her continued encouragement.
The Mets manager remembers his mother as an omnipresent parent in his life. She supported Rojas’ goals and dreams, even when they took a turn — from aspiring to be a major league baseball player to making a greater impact as a coach.
“My mom, in my early years, my playing years, she was always there for me,” Rojas, who was born in the Dominican Republic, told the News over the phone. “She didn’t necessarily go to the ballpark because she was a working mom in the Dominican. She didn’t see me playing much when I was playing. She was always working, she was always making sure that things were there for us. That’s where all the support was.”
Elsa celebrated her 69th birthday last month at her home in the Dominican Republic. Rojas, currently staying in Port St. Lucie, would have loved to be with her this Mother’s Day, but difficult circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic have forced them to stay in touch over video calls. Rojas’ older brother, former major league AllStar outfielder Moises Alou, is taking care of her.
Even though Mother’s Day is recognized on May 31 in the Dominican Republic this year, Rojas and his family still observed and celebrated the holiday from Florida on Sunday. He spent the afternoon with his 7-year-old son, Luis Felipe, planning a Mother’s Day surprise for his wife, Laura, while looking back at his own mother’s loving impact on his life.
“My mom was very positive, very sure of our abilities to play or to accomplish something,” Rojas said. “It was always very comforting to have that behind me. I always feel that proud attitude that she had. That gave me the burst that a mom gives her son when you’re going after a goal or a dream or impacting people’s lives and doing different things that are a part of my career, from a coach’s perspective.”
She would cook any dish Rojas and his family craved. Going to restaurants for a special meal was simply not an option. She was proud of her ability to recreate any meal a restaurant would have to offer. It didn’t matter if the recipe was simple or complex — there would be a plate of goat or Sancocho (a meat and vegetable stew) being prepared in the kitchen whenever Rojas longed for his favorite dish.
“I don’t know if this is everywhere, but when my mom cooks, if we liked a dish from any place, any restaurant, she would make it at home,” Rojas said. “We would never go out. So we can’t prefer any type of food from any restaurant over hers. She always did it that way, and it worked.
“She’s always trying to please people around her and cook dishes.”
Her welcoming and caring attitude is one of the characteristics Rojas sees in himself. As time went by and Rojas left the house he grew up in and became more independent, he started being more like his father, Felipe Alou, the former major-league outfielder and Expos and Giants manager. But those early years, when Rojas was growing up, he admired his mom’s natural ability to host friends and family with kindness and generosity.
These were attributes Rojas tried to implement in his own life, as he set off to become a minor-league coach for the Mets that eventually turned into a “dream come true” reality as manager.
“Some of that, I think I still have it. I try to cook. I’m not as good a cook as her, but I try,” Rojas laughed. “But I definitely learned that part from her. Whenever I have people coming over or something, I want to always give my best. I know I saw her doing that all the time and I thought it was the right thing to do.”
The love a son has for his mother is unconditional, but for Rojas, it’s the kindness and support she always provided that looms large.