The Baseball Softball Royal Federation of Spain announced that Luis Sojo has been named the manager of the Baseball National Team. Sojo will lead Spain to the CEB European Championship (6-15 September, Bonn and Solingen, Germany) in order to clinch one of the five spots for the Europe-Africa Olympic Qualifier, to be played in Parma and Bologna, Italy, from 18 to 22 September.
Sojo’s staff will feature Néstor Pérez (Bench Coach), Renny Duarte (Pitching Coach), Manu Olivera (Bullpen Coach), Félix Cano (First Base Coach), Candelario Díaz (Third Base Coach).
Luis Beltran Sojo was born in January 1965 in Caracas, Venezuela. He proved to be the epitome of the utility infielder in a 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career. He played a total 848 games for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Angels, the Seattle Mariners, the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was part of five World Series-winning teams: the 1993 Blue Jays and 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Yankees. This is why he was nicknamed El Señor de Los Anillos (The Lord of the Rings) in his home Country Venezuela.
In the Venezuela Winter League (LVBP, Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional) he won a record 5 batting titles.
He managed the Venezuela National Team in 2006, 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic. Currently, he is a Minor League Infield Coordinator for the New York Yankees.
