USA Baseball

A Baseball Story: Roly de Armas

12/13/2021 1:30:00 PM

The Phillies are my pride. I bleed Philly!

- Roly de Armas

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

All kids dream of playing baseball at the highest level, but not every kid has that chance. For Rolando “Roly” de Armas, his dream of reaching baseball’s highest level happened differently than most imagine.

Roly de Armas was born in New York, graduating high school from Archbishop Curley High School in Miami. He attended Miami Dade North Junior College, playing under legendary coach Ron Polk. Polk was an assistant coach for Miami Dade from 1968-71, before accepting the head coaching job at Georgia Southern in 1972.

I started my career at Miami Dade North with Coach Polk and Charlie Green. Coach Polk got the job at Georgia Southern late, and I was originally planning on going to the University of Miami, but when coach got the job at Georgia Southern, he took a few guys from Dade North and Dade South and started the program.

- Roly de Armas

In 1972, the first year under coach Polk’s watchful eye, the Eagles finished the season with a 31-19 record, one game shy of making the postseason. In 1973, Polk continued to push the players, working a 43-12 record and a trip to the College World Series.

I loved my two years in Statesboro. The program was something that coach was able to build up. Practice duties began with picking up rocks from the infield. Coach had a plan to build that program into one of the top ones. In that first year we lost out on the playoffs by one game against Jacksonville. The next year when he had a chance to recruit, he loaded up on guys like Jim Morrison and John Tamargo that’s when we were able to get to the World Series.

- Roly de Armas

de Armas was signed to the Philadelphia Phillies out of college, primarily as a catcher. He spent five seasons in the Phillies’ farm system, peaking at the Double-A level. During his time in the minors as a player, de Armas batted .259 with one home run in 311 games.

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

I played for about five years in the Phillies’ farm system, before changing to a player-coach in Peninsula High-A Ball. Baseball has always been a part of my life since I was little, so when the Phillies began bringing in the young managers and offered me a job, I jumped on it.

In 1979, de Armas began his managing career with the GCL Phillies of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. The Miami native had three separate stops in the majors, coaching the Chicago White Sox (1995-96), Toronto Blue Jays (2000), and was called up to the majors for the 2008 championship run for the Philadelphia Phillies.

In 2008, the bullpen coach in the MLB got sick and I was managing down here in Clearwater, and they called me when I was on the golf course. They said they needed me to head to the big leagues and I didn’t really know what was going on. I knew I was going to the Olympics here shortly, so I went up there to Philly and then they allowed me to go to Beijing before returning to Philadelphia. When I left to go to the Olympics, the Phillies were still battling and didn’t quite have their act together. On our way back from Beijing, Pat Gillick called me and said come back to Philadelphia, so I went back, and we got hot going into the postseason. I don’t think you can top the 2008 season being a World Series Champion and a bronze medalist.

- Roly de Armas

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

The 2008 season was special in a multitude of ways for de Armas, as not only were the Phillies in the pennant race, but he was heading Beijing, China, to don the stars and stripes for Team USA.

It was an honor to get the call to help manage Team USA. When you put on the stars and stripes and walk out to the line for anthems it is incredible. I have been very lucky to have been on a lot of those teams and coached in two Olympics. I’ve been able to coach in the Pan-American Games, the World Baseball Classic and the World Championships as well. You get chills when Team USA calls and asks if I am still interested.

- Roly de Armas

The Americans punched their ticket to the Olympics in 2006, qualifying during the American Qualifying Tournament in Havana, Cuba, marking the fourth time Team USA was set to compete in the Olympics.

In 2006 we had to qualify for the Olympics to get the opportunity to play in Beijing. There was a lot of pressure, needing to qualify and having to do it in Cuba. When we clinched in Cuba the party, we had was incredible. Being able to get that monkey off your back is huge and in 2019 it was similar after losing out on qualifying in Japan to Mexico.

- Roly de Armas

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

The Americans would advance to the knockout stage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and earned a bronze medal, defeating Japan in the Bronze medal game. This was just the beginning of what would be an incredible baseball season for de Armas.

After returning stateside and reuniting with the Philadelphia Phillies, de Armas was again called up to the MLB team to fill in as the interim bullpen coach. The Phillies went on to win 13 of the final 16 games to win the National League East crown and make the playoffs.

In the NLDS, Philadelphia closed out the Milwaukee Brewers in four games 3-1 before defeating the Dodgers in the NLCS 4-1. In the World Series, Philadelphia would split the first two games against the Tampa Bay Rays before returning home to win the final three games and close out their second World Series Championship.

When I left to go to Beijing, the team wasn’t really playing the best and was still battling for a playoff spot. We won 13 of the final 16 games to win the NL East. We had the Brewers come to town and beat them 3-1, before taking out the Dodgers 4-1. In the World Series we split in Tropicana and were able to sweep the Rays at home to win it all.

- Roly de Armas

2008 was just the beginning of a highly successful run of baseball teams for de Armas, the Phillies, and USA Baseball. In 2015, de Armas was called to the national stage once again, this time for the World Baseball Premier 12 tournament. The Americans would finish with the silver medal, falling to South Korea in the finals. Adam Frazier was named to the All-World Team as outfielder Matt McBride led the tournament with a .526 average.

In 2019, the Americans returned to the World Baseball Premier 12 tournament, and de Armas was again named to the coaching staff. The USA would finish in fourth but placed Brandon Dickson, Erik Kratz, Bobby Dalbec and Brent Rooker on the All-World Team.

The 2020 season became a blur for everyone involved in and around sports. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting all aspects of life, the United States baseball team continued to put the final touches on an Olympic roster before participating in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

We started the Olympic journey this season in Cary, North Carolina at the Team USA headquarters. It was a shame that the fans could not be in Japan with us to see the games because that gold medal game against Japan would have been unbelievable with a crowd. The village was incredible, and the people of Tokyo did a great job putting together an incredible event.

- Roly de Armas

Despite being off the Olympic Games list for 12 years, baseball returned to Tokyo and did it massively. The US Baseball team qualified out of Group B, defeating both South Korea and Israel to advance to the second round of play. Not only did the United States qualify as one of the top two teams in the tournament, but they had a special surprise for Team USA member Eddy Alvarez, the Cuban-born native and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic speed skating silver medalist.

We knew about it in Cary, and we had to keep it a secret before we boarded the plane to head to Tokyo. It was our last game before heading over to the village and became a very emotional day for Eddy. Eddy is a great guy and being Cuban too, it was a special honor for him and USA Baseball to represent. For Eddy to be able to compete in Speed Skating and in Baseball, it shows how great of an athlete and person he is to be honored by the country.

- Roly de Armas

Before the United States boarded a plane to head to the Olympic Village in Tokyo, Japan, the baseball team revealed their surprise to Alvarez, who was named as a Flag Bearer alongside women’s basketball player Sue Bird for the opening ceremony.

Even though there weren’t any people there this year, the opening day ceremony is still one of the coolest things that I have experienced. You are surrounded by the world’s greatest athletes and are representing your country. I was lucky enough to experience it twice in the Olympics and twice in the Pan-American Games.

- Roly de Armas

Team USA would win a silver medal in Tokyo and enjoyed the overall experience despite having no fans in the stadium. Once returning to the states, de Armas was informed that he had won the Mike Coolbaugh Award, given to a manager in minor league baseball who has shown outstanding work ethic, knowledge of the game and skill in mentoring young players on the field.

With nearly 50 years dedicated to baseball, de Armas just finished his 35th year as a minor league manager in the Phillies’ Rookie-Level Florida Complex League. He will continue to evaluate and produce incoming talent in a place that has become a bloodline for him.

The Phillies are my pride. I bleed Philly. I started here in 1973 when I signed from Georgia Southern and played until I got the chance to manage with the White Sox, Diamondbacks and Toronto. They gave me the opportunity to come back and learn everything I know. I have been very lucky to be in this organization for so long ... I think I am going on 43 or 44 years now. I have just been very fortunate to be around great people during my time here.

- Roly de Armas

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