ATLANTA -- John Rocker kept his mouth shut most of the
season. Then, in a chance encounter beneath the stands at Turner Field, the embattled Braves reliever saw the reporter who wrote the
story about Rocker's views on gays, minorities and immigrants.
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Just like that, Rocker snapped.
Now, he could find himself in trouble again.
Rocker had a heated confrontation Sunday with Sports Illustrated
reporter Jeff Pearlman, who said the pitcher threatened him and
tried to get him banned from the Atlanta clubhouse. The Braves were
investigating and Rocker's teammates were clearly disturbed by the
latest outburst. A spokesman for Major League Baseball, which
suspended Rocker for his original remarks, said no action was
expected against the pitcher Monday.
"You've got one guy being a cancer time and time again," said
outfielder Brian Jordan, who has been one of Rocker's most vocal
critics. "Eventually, it's going to have an effect on the team."
Pearlman, in Atlanta to do a story on the Braves taking on the
New York Yankees in a rematch of last year's World Series, met up
with Rocker in a service tunnel near the clubhouse about two hours
before the final game of the series.
According to Pearlman, Rocker made threatening comments such as,
"This isn't over between us," and, "Do you know what I can do to
you?"
The confrontation lasted about two minutes and became so heated
that Rocker flipped around the bill of his cap so he could get
face-to-face with the reporter.
"I was scared," Pearlman said. "But he didn't do anything."
General manager John Schuerholz declined to discuss the
incident, but issued a statement saying team officials
"immediately began to address the matter internally and are
continuing to do so."
"We respect the rights of Jeff, as a legitimate member of the
media, to cover the Braves in general and this series against the
New York Yankees in particular," the statement said. "We will do
everything in our power to insure that similar incidents do not
occur in the future."
Apparently, no other Braves players saw the confrontation.
"I've heard him say time and time again that he feels like he
was misrepresented in that article," Chipper Jones said.
"Obviously, he still has issues with the guy who wrote the
article.
"Sure, the right thing to do would have been to walk away. But
I haven't seen John back down from a conflict yet."
Rocker, who has struggled this season after 38 saves a year ago,
pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Yankees. The first two
hitters singled and moved up a base when Rocker was called for a
balk. But he escaped trouble by getting Chuck Knoblauch on a popup
and Derek Jeter on a flyout.
The Yankees won 7-6.
When Rocker came back to the dugout, he received a hug from
starting pitcher Terry Mulholland. But some players are getting
tired of his antics.
"I'm amazed he hasn't handled himself the right way," Jordan
said. "Geez, if you get nine lives, he's using them up pretty
good."
Even Tom Glavine, one of the team's most personable players, got
short with reporters who brought up Rocker.
"I'm not going to answer any more questions about him,"
Glavine said.
Rocker declined comment when making a brief stop at his locker
after the game. He grabbed his clothes and muttered a sarcastic
comment at reporters before heading back to the training room.
After Rocker's comments in a December issue of SI, the team
called together about a half-dozen players to discuss what action
should be taken with Rocker. The consensus was to give him another
chance.
"Obviously, it hasn't worked," said Jordan, adding that he
expects management to call another meeting soon to discuss Rocker's
conduct.
"He made his bed, now he's got to sleep in it. If he feels this
is the best way to handle it, he's going to get burned. You have to
grow up sooner or later. He's not only hurting the team, he's
hurting himself."
Pearlman said it was the first time he has spoken with Rocker
since the December article, in which the pitcher said he would
never play for a New York team because he didn't want to ride a
subway train "next to some queer with AIDS."
He also said, "I'm not a very big fan of foreigners. ... How
the hell did they get in this country?" In addition, Rocker called
a black teammate a "fat monkey."
Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rocker for the first month of
the regular season and fined him $20,000, but an arbitrator reduced
the suspension to two weeks and the fine to $500. The pitcher also
was ordered to undergo sensitivity training.
Rocker has 10 saves since rejoining the team May 18 but also has
struggled with his control, issuing 25 walks in 18 1/3 innings. His
ERA is 3.85.
"I think his anger is misdirected," Pearlman said. "I really
do feel bad for the guy. I feel bad for his family. It was not my
intent to do that kind of story."
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ALSO SEE
Rivera, Yankees close door on Braves in 9th
Braves' Rocker demoted to minor leagues
Mets not surprised by Rocker's demotion
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Brian Jordan says John Rocker is using up his 9 lives.
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Bobby Murcer witnessed the John Rocker-Jeff Pearlman confrontation.
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Tom Glavine is tired of answering questions about John Rocker.
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