ESPN Deportes will offer exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the World Baseball Classic (March 2-19, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio).
For the past eight years, reporter Enrique Rojas has been known in the sports media for his in-depth coverage of baseball. Front Row sat down with him to discuss his experiences covering baseball at ESPN and his thoughts on the upcoming Classic.
You have been recognized for breaking news around baseball throughout your career. What has been the favorite story you’ve broken working with ESPN?
There have been many, but without a doubt the summer of 2008 was unforgettable. We had Manny Ramirez in a battle with the Boston Red Sox for an extension of his contract or a trade, and the only media outlet between him and the rest of the world was ESPNDeportes.com. For many weeks, Ramirez was the main sports news’ headline, and ESPNDeportes.com was his only space to speak out. It is not common that something like this happens these days when there are so many media outlets competing for the same news.
What is your role covering the WBC this year?
During the WBC, I will be reporting for ESPN Deportes’ SportsCenter on a daily basis while also pursuing the latest news around the event and providing analysis for ESPNDeportes.com and ESPN.com. I will also do my radio show Zona ESPN Nueva York that airs weekdays on ESPN Deportes Radio Nueva York 1050 AM.
What differences do you see between the fans that follow the WBC and those who follow MLB and Caribbean Baseball?
The WBC is like an extension of the Caribbean Series. The cultural differences from the countries participating can be seen in the stands during a game. For the West, it has been really fascinating to learn how the Asians, specially the Koreans, celebrate the game. Coming from the Caribbean, I was convinced that we had the greatest passion for baseball, but I have to admit that this certainty falters when you get to witness a game between Japan and South Korea in a WBC.
