Felipe Rojas Alou (born May 12 1935 in
Bajos de HainaBajos de Haina, also known simply as Haina , is a town and municipality in the San Cristóbal , of the Dominican Republic. In 1993 the population was estimated at 68,261, but recent estimates in 2005 claimed the population was as high as 140,175...
,
Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries...
), is a former
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
and the former
managerIn baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager ; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
and
Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
. The first Dominican to play regularly in the major leagues, he is the most prominent member of one of the sport's most notable families of the late 20th century: his younger brothers
MattyMateo Rojas "Matty" Alou is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and San Diego Padres...
and
JesúsJesús María Rojas Alou is a former professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and New York Mets...
were both longtime
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
outfielders, and his son
MoisésMoisés Rojas Alou is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. His father Felipe, who managed Moises with the Expos from 1992 to 1996 and the Giants from 2005 to 2006, as well as uncles Matty and Jesús, and cousin Mel Rojas, all had long careers in Major League Baseball...
was most recently an outfielder with the
New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League....
; all but Jesús have been named
All-StarsThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
at least twice.
Felipe Rojas Alou (born May 12 1935 in
Bajos de HainaBajos de Haina, also known simply as Haina , is a town and municipality in the San Cristóbal , of the Dominican Republic. In 1993 the population was estimated at 68,261, but recent estimates in 2005 claimed the population was as high as 140,175...
,
Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries...
), is a former
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
and the former
managerIn baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager ; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
and
Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
. The first Dominican to play regularly in the major leagues, he is the most prominent member of one of the sport's most notable families of the late 20th century: his younger brothers
MattyMateo Rojas "Matty" Alou is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and San Diego Padres...
and
JesúsJesús María Rojas Alou is a former professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and New York Mets...
were both longtime
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
outfielders, and his son
MoisésMoisés Rojas Alou is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. His father Felipe, who managed Moises with the Expos from 1992 to 1996 and the Giants from 2005 to 2006, as well as uncles Matty and Jesús, and cousin Mel Rojas, all had long careers in Major League Baseball...
was most recently an outfielder with the
New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League....
; all but Jesús have been named
All-StarsThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
at least twice. The family name in the Dominican is
Rojas-People:*Agustín de Rojas Villandrando , a Spanish writer and actor*Alexis Rojas , a Colombian road cyclist*Alfredo Rojas , a Argentine football player*Alonso Rojas, a comedian currently working on Arriba Juarez show...
, but Felipe Alou and his brothers became known by the name Alou when the Giants' scout who signed Felipe mistakenly thought his
matronymicA matronymic is a personal name based on the name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. In patriarchal societies, matronymic surnames are far less common than patronyms. In the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of...
was his father's name.
During his 17-year career spent with the Giants,
Milwaukee & Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
,
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum....
,
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
,
Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
, and
Milwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Alou played all three outfield positions regularly (736 games in
right fieldA right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
, 483 in
centerA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, 433 in
leftA left fielder , is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
), and led the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
in
hitsIn baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
twice and
runsIn baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded. A player may score by hitting a home run or by any combination of plays that puts him safely "on base" as a...
once. Batting regularly in the leadoff spot, he hit a
home runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring runs for himself and each runner who was already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play...
to begin a game on 20 occasions. He later became the winningest manager in Expos history, leading the team from 1992 to 2001 before rejoining the Giants in 2003.
Playing career
Alou lived in poverty in the Dominican Republic and dreamed of escaping it by becoming a doctor. However, a switch from track and field to baseball at the Pan-American Games revealed a talent for the game as the Dominican team took gold. He still pursued a university career a while longer, but was finally forced to sign with the Giants in November for only $200 due to family financial problems.
Alou made his major league debut in and was an All-Star in , when he
battedBatting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. The two statistics are related, in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages....
.316 with 25 home runs and 98
RBIRuns batted in or RBI is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play...
.
Alou was joined by his brothers, Matty in , and Jesus in , who became the first all-brother outfield.
Alou was traded to the Braves before . Two years later he enjoyed his best season, when he batted .327 with 31 home runs and led the league in runs (122), hits (218), at bats (666), and
total basesIn baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run....
(355); he finished second in the batting race to his brother Matty. He also had a good year in , batting .317 and leading the league in hits (210) and at bats (662); he made the All-Star team both years. Alou continued to play with several more teams through , though he never again approached this level of success.
Managing career
After the end of his playing career, Alou joined the Montreal Expos organization in 1976, becoming a
batting coachIn baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and a
minor leagueMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in North America that compete at levels below that of Major League Baseball. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses, and many are members of Minor League Baseball, an umbrella organization for leagues...
manager. The Giants offered him the manager's spot in , but he remained with the Expos out of loyalty. On May 22, , Alou was promoted from the Expos bench coach to field manager, becoming the first Dominican-born manager in MLB history.
The team was developing a core of young talent during this period, including
Larry WalkerLarry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
,
John WettelandJohn Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher, who pitched as a closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers...
,
Delino DeShieldsDelino Lamont DeShields is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos , Los Angeles Dodgers , St. Louis Cardinals , Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, and Alou's own son, Moisés. In the Expos had the best record in the major leagues; however, the strike that year denied the Expos a chance at getting to their first
World SeriesThe World Series has been the annual championship series of the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, concluding the postseason of Major League Baseball...
, and ownership soon began dealing all their young talent to cut payroll. Alou was named the
NL Manager of the YearIn Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to the best managers in the American League and the National League . The winner is voted on by 28 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America . Each places a vote for first, second, and third...
. The
Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The team is in the Western Division of the National League. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming the Brooklyn...
tried to lure him away in , but he declined to leave Montreal. Eventually, Alou became the winningest manager in team history.
Despite Alou's popularity in Montreal, the Expos' dismal record eventually led to his dismissal by new owner
Jeffrey LoriaJeffrey H. Loria is an art dealer and is owner of the Florida Marlins. Born November 20, 1940 and raised in Manhattan, Loria took an early interest in baseball, attending his first New York Yankees game in the late 1940s. Loria attended New York City's Stuyvesant High School, and Yale University,...
, who replaced him with
Jeff TorborgJeffrey Allen Torborg is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. Torborg was signed by Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in . On September 9, , Torborg caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game...
during the season. Several teams tried to lure Alou out of retirement, including the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
, but he would not budge. He finally agreed to serve a single year as the bench coach for
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
rookie manager
Luis PujolsLuis Bienvenido Pujols Toribio was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons with the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, and Texas Rangers. Luis Pujols and St...
. Prior to the season, Alou was named manager of the Giants, the team where he began his professional baseball career, replacing
Dusty BakerJohnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball and the current manager of the Cincinnati Reds...
who had left to manage the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
. In his first season in San Francisco, he managed his team into the playoffs, where they were defeated by the
Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the
NL Division SeriesThe National League Division Series , the first round of the 2003 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, September 30, and ended on Sunday, October 5, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:* Atlanta...
in 4 games. The Marlins went on to win the World Series.
In , the Giants signed Moisés Alou to a one-year contract with an option for the season, reuniting him professionally with his father after seven seasons apart.
Managerial Statistics
| Team | |Regular Season | MON -Offseason:* November 15, 1991: Gary Carter was selected off waivers by the Expos from the Los Angeles Dodgers.* November 18, 1991: Kenny Williams was released by the Expos.* November 25, 1991: Andrés Galarraga was traded by the Expos to the St...
|
1992 -Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics **Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates *Cy Young Award**Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics **Greg Maddux, Chicago Cubs *Rookie of the Year...
|
70 |
55 |
.560 |
2nd in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|---|
| MON The Montreal Expos season saw the Expos finish in second place in the National League East division, with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses.-Offseason:* October 6, 1992: Jerry Willard was released by the Expos....
|
1993 The 1993 Major League Baseball season was the 93rd held between the American and National Leagues. It was also the final season of two division play in each league, before the Central Division was added the following season, giving both the NL and AL three divisions each.Sixteen years after the...
|
94 |
68 |
.580 |
2nd in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MONThe Montreal Expos finished the season with the best record in Major League Baseball. The Expos had 74 wins compared to 40 losses. The 1994 Major League Baseball strike forced an end to the season and any postseason aspirations that the franchise had...
|
1994 The 1994 Major League Baseball season ended with the infamous players strike ending the season on August 11, 1994.-Strike:As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason was played...
|
74 |
40 |
.649 |
1st in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
No Playoffs |
MON-Regular season:*June 3, 1995 - Pedro Martínez pitched 9 perfect innings against the San Diego Padres before giving up a hit in the 10th to notorious Expo-Killer Bip Roberts over the head of Tony Tarasco in center field...
|
1995 The 1995 Major League Baseball season is the 92nd since the American League and National League combined to form Major League Baseball. Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins...
|
66 |
78 |
.458 |
5th in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MON-Offseason:*December 1, 1995: Wally Whitehurst was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos.*December 4, 1995: Jalal Leach was drafted by the Montreal Expos from the New York Yankees in the 1995 minor league draft...
|
1996 The 1996 Major League Baseball season was the 96th held between the American and National Leagues, and was the final season of play before the beginning of Interleague play the following season...
|
88 |
74 |
.543 |
2nd in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MONThe Montreal Expos played the Toronto Blue Jays in Interleague Play for the first time.-Offseason:* October 28, 1996: Jon Habyan was released by the Montreal Expos....
|
1997 - Major League Baseball final standings :-Playoffs:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series...
|
78 |
84 |
.481 |
4th in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MON-Offseason:*On November 18, 1997, the Expos sent Pedro Martinez to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later and Carl Pavano. The Boston Red Sox sent Tony Armas, Jr on December 18, 1997 to complete the trade....
|
1998 The 1998 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the San Diego Padres in Game 4 of the World Series.The 1998 season was also marked by an expansion to 30 teams , with two new teams–the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the...
|
65 |
97 |
.401 |
4th in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MON-Offseason:Future Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams was taken by the Montreal Expos in the 1998 Rule V Draft. The Expos sold his rights to the Texas Rangers.-Opening Day Starters:* Shane Andrews* Miguel Batista* Orlando Cabrera* Brad Fullmer...
|
1999 The 1999 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the World Series.- Major League Baseball final standings : ...
|
68 |
94 |
.420 |
4th in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MON-Offseason:*February 4, 2000: Charlie O’Brien was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos. *March 17, 2000: Ted Lilly was Sent by the Montreal Expos to the New York Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on December 22, 1999. The Montreal Expos sent players to be named later and Jake...
|
2000 The 2000 Major League Baseball season was the year of the long ball; an all-time record 5,693 home runs were hit during the regular season. The season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the New York Mets in Game 5 of the World Series...
|
67 |
95 |
.414 |
4nd in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
- |
MON-Offseason:*December 21, 2000: Tim Raines signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos. *December 21, 2000: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos. -Regular season:...
|
2001 The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until...
|
21 |
32 |
.396 |
5th in NL East |
- |
- |
- |
(fired) |
| SFG The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team.-Offseason:*November 15, 2002: Tsuyoshi Shinjo was released by the San Francisco Giants. *December 7, 2002: Marquis Grissom signed as a Free Agent with the San Francisco Giants....
|
2003 The MLB season was the 100th season of Major League Baseball. The season ended when the Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in a six game 2003 World Series.-Playoffs:*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett...
|
100 |
61 |
.621 |
1st in NL West |
1 |
3 |
.250 |
Lost to Florida Marlins The 2003 Florida Marlins were the National League Wild Card Winners, the National League Champions, and the World Series Champions.-Offseason:...
|
| SFG The 2004 San Francisco Giants season was the 122nd in franchise history. Barry Bonds became the oldest player in the history of the National League to win the MVP Award.-Offseason:...
|
2004 The 2004 MLB season was the 101st season of Major League Baseball. The season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game sweep...
|
91 |
71 |
.562 |
2nd in NL West |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| SFG The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team.-Opening Day starters:*Edgardo Alfonzo*Moises Alou*Ray Durham*Pedro Feliz*Marquis Grissom*Mike Matheny*Jason Schmidt*J.T. Snow*Omar Vizquel-Transactions:...
|
2005 The MLB season was the 105th season of Major League Baseball. The season was notable for the league's new steroid policy in the wake of the BALCO scandal, which enforced harsher penalties ever than before for steroid use in Major League Baseball. Several players, including veteran Rafael Palmeiro,...
|
75 |
87 |
.463 |
3rd in NL West |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| SFG The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team. Their 2006 season included the San Francisco Giants attempting to win the National League West division. The Giants finished 11½ games behind the division winner, the San Diego Padres.-Season summary:...
|
2006 In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine...
|
76 |
85 |
.472 |
3rd in NL West |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Total |
1033 |
1021 |
.503 |
|
1 |
3 |
.250 |
- |
See also
External links