Victor Rojas

Victor Rojas (L) & Eric Nadel (R) at the Texas Rangers' annual "Triple Play" charity event on June 18, 2006

Victor M. Rojas (born February 3, 1968) is an American baseball broadcaster, currently the TV voice of the Los Angeles Angels.

Playing career

Rojas is the son of former major-league player and manager Cookie Rojas. Born in Miami, Florida and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, Rojas attended and played college baseball as a pitcher at Piedmont College (1988) Demorest, Georgia. Rojas played college baseball as a pitcher and catcher at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He pitched in the California Angels minor league system in the early 1990s and participated in "Replacement player" spring training games in 1995 for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Coaching career

He worked at Upper Deck Company and on the Florida Marlins baseball staff in 1993. He was the pitching coach for the Rio Grande Valley White Wings of the independent Texas–Louisiana League in 1994.

Broadcasting career

Early jobs

Rojas was a radio and television announcer for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League for two years, and also served as the franchise's general manager. He worked as a broadcaster for MLB Radio in 2002 and 2003 on the All-Star Game and the Arizona Fall League.

Arizona Diamondbacks

He moved up to the radio booth for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003.

Texas Rangers

He joined the Rangers in 2004, replacing Vince Cotroneo (now with the Oakland Athletics). Rojas worked with lead announcer Eric Nadel on all regular-season games and a number of spring training games. He did play-by-play for two pairs of the middle innings (3-4 and 6-7) and provided color commentary for Nadel during the other innings. He has worked multiple Rangers games on television as a fill-in announcer for regular play-by-play man Josh Lewin or color commentator Tom Grieve, and he has also appeared on ESPN.

MLB Network

Rojas was the first personality to appear on camera when MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009, serving as the first host on Hot Stove (the Network's off-season studio show). Along with Hot Stove, he appeared on MLB Tonight, the network's signature nightly studio program. Rojas also called play-by-play for some of MLB Network's Thursday Night Baseball telecasts.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On March 3, 2010, he was named the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's TV play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports West, succeeding Rory Markas who died in January and TV play-by-play announcer Steve Physioc and former Major League Baseball player and game analyst Rex Hudler, whose contracts expired after the 2009 season. He is partnered with color commentator Mark Gubicza on the broadcasts.

2011 NLDS

Rojas was hired by TBS to handle play-by-play duties for the 2011 NLDS featuring the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Play Calls

• "Oppo taco": opposite field home run
• "Three-Run Jimmy Jack": Three run home run by the Rangers
• "Forget about it (or that one). Big fly for [player]": When a hit is deep enough for a home run
• "Light that baby up!": The call at the final out of an Angels win, referring to the halo on the 230-foot tall A outside of Angel Stadium that lights up when the Angels win. Example: When pitcher Jered Weaver hurled his first career no-hitter, Rojas used his call:

“ Casilla lifts one out toward right, Torii Hunter giving chase, still going back, Jered Weaver has no-hit the Minnesota Twins! Light that baby up! ”

• "Drive home safely!": When the Angels have a walk-off win.
• "Grand Salami Time!": When the Angels hit a grand slam.

Personal

He is currently married with three children Brianna, Mattingly, and Tyler. His father Cookie was an MLB player for 15 seasons and a manager for two, and is also in broadcasting, he does Spanish TV color commentary for the Miami Marlins. His brother Mike is the manager for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate to the Kansas City Royals.