John Rocker waived by Texas

[Jersey Yankee]

But first, one certain '99 article on him.

Dear John

Rangers close book on troubled reliever Rocker

Posted: Thursday October 03, 2002 6:45 PM
Updated: Thursday October 03, 2002 9:17 PM

John Rocker went 2-3 with one save and a 6.66 ERA. AP
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- John Rocker is looking for a job.

The Texas Rangers placed the one-time star closer on waivers Thursday for the purpose of his unconditional release.

Rocker is 13-22 with 88 saves in 278 major league appearances with Atlanta, Cleveland and Texas.

In Rocker's first full major league season, he had 38 saves in 1999, when Atlanta went to the World Series. The Braves went to the playoffs again in 2000, when Rocker had 24 saves.

But Rocker hasn't been a dominating pitcher since a Sports Illustrated article before the 2000 season in which he made disparaging remarks about gays, minorities and others.

The Braves traded Rocker to Cleveland during the 2001 season, and he went 3-7 with four saves and a 5.45 ERA in 38 games.

After John Hart quit as Cleveland's general manager and became GM of the Rangers, he acquired the hard-throwing lefty in a trade last Dec. 18.

Rocker was 2-3 with a 6.66 ERA and one save in 30 appearances with the Rangers this season. He also was 1-0 in six game s at Class AAA Oklahoma franchise from May 21-June 9 and 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in three rehab outings with Class AA Tulsa from Aug. 8-12.

Rocker was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 11, retroactive to July 4, with left shoulder and neck pain. He reported recurring pain following his rehab assignment at Tulsa and did not pitch again.

Texas also declined an $800,000 option for 2003 on catcher Bill Haselman, electing to pay a $150,000 buyout, and hired Ron Hopkins as coordinator of scouting.

Haselman, who is eligible for free agency, hit .246 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 69 games as the Rangers' backup catcher.

Hopkins, 54, had spent the past eight seasons with the Oakland Athletics. where Grady Fuson was scouting director before coming to the Rangers in November as assistant general manager,

[Slippery Elm]

Besides being an uncouth loudmouth, Rocker to me is a symbol of the double standard in sports and the media. Let a white athlete say something not PC and he gets crucified forever. Let a non-white athlete say something about whites, Christians, Catholics, etc, and it's OK. Of course, my saying that is not PC - which is good.

Anyone remember Charlie Hayes? Caught the last out of the '96 Series? Quietly disappeared. . . after a racist harangue towards a white fan.

Enough. If I never hear Rocker's name again it will be too soon. But never forget the continuous vile and obscene curses and epithets directed at Rocker and his mother from the low-lifes at Shea that helped provoke and instigate his braindead outburst. Oh yes, and this is also not PC, much of Flushing has indeed become Korean. See for yourself.

[Michaels07]

Originally posted by Slippery Elm
Besides being an uncouth loudmouth, Rocker to me is a symbol of the double standard in sports and the media. Let a white athlete say something not PC and he gets crucified forever. Let a non-white athlete say something about whites, Christians, Catholics, etc, and it's OK. Of course, my saying that is not PC - which is good.

Anyone remember Charlie Hayes? Caught the last out of the '96 Series? Quietly disappeared. . . after a racist harangue towards a white fan.

Enough. If I never hear Rocker's name again it will be too soon. But never forget the continuous vile and obscene curses and epithets directed at Rocker and his mother from the low-lifes at Shea that helped provoke and instigate his braindead outburst. Oh yes, and this is also not PC, much of Flushing has indeed become Korean. See for yourself.

In the Words of the late Howie Cosell, You told it like it is.

[Carissa]

Statistics Don't Lie Award: To volatile Rangers reliever John Rocker, who finished the season with what some would call a fittingly hellish ERA: 6.66.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...ubious_awards/

[jojos_2]

Originally posted by Carissa
Statistics Don't Lie Award: To volatile Rangers reliever John Rocker, who finished the season with what some would call a fittingly hellish ERA: 6.66.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...ubious_awards/

6.66

[sanfranciscojetergirl]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Slippery Elm
[B]Besides being an uncouth loudmouth, Rocker to me is a symbol of the double standard in sports and the media. Let a white athlete say something not PC and he gets crucified forever. Let a non-white athlete say something about whites, Christians, Catholics, etc, and it's OK. Of course, my saying that is not PC - which is good.



Slippery Elm,
First let me say that I am not here to start a fight with you but your statement about John Rocker is a symbol of double standard in sports and the media well to there has been alot of things that non-white athlete has said and it was a backlash like you could not believe.

But I do agree with the statement that if I hear his name that it will be to soon.