John Rocker Is Back..........Sort Of

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) -- John Rocker signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League on Thursday.

The left-handed reliever became the center of controversy while with the Atlanta Braves in 1999 when he made derogatory comments in a Sports Illustrated article about gays and minorities.

He agreed to a one-year deal with the Ducks.

"John Rocker wants to pitch on Long Island," Ducks pitching coach and former big leaguer Dave LaPoint said. "He had opportunities to pitch elsewhere and he chose to pitch here."

The 30-year-old Rocker hasn't pitched in the majors since 2003, when he allowed one run, two hits and three walks in one inning for Tampa Bay. He had surgery in July of that year to repair a torn rotator cuff, a procedure that normally requires 12-18 months of recuperation.

Rocker threw 94-96 mph and sometimes reached 98 mph while saving 83 games as the Braves' closer from 1998-01. He struggled after he was traded to Cleveland in 2001, with his fastball topping out in the low 90s, and was dealt to Texas before the 2002 season. He had a 9.15 ERA in 17 appearances with Double-A Orlando when Tampa Bay released him in June 2003.

In parts of six major league seasons, Rocker went 12-22 with 88 saves and a 3.42 ERA. His best season came in 1999, when he went 4-5 with a 2.49 ERA and 38 saves for the NL champion Braves. In 20 career postseason appearances, Rocker was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and three saves.

Several players have used the Atlantic League as a springboard back to the majors in recent years, including Rickey Henderson, Jose Lima, Carlos Baerga and Bill Pulsipher.

[Maxman]

Saw this on the news tonight. Back in NY. His reception should be amazing!

Bud Harelson seems to like him. But Bud is part owner so he likes the controversy more than anything else.

[Happy Jack]

Guys...this is the Long Island DUCKS...for crying out loud...a team that usurped it's title from a defunct Long Island DUCKS hockey team...part of the inspiration for "SlapShot" the finest sports movie EVER!...Still, it's the freakin' DUCKS!

[Jet/BosoxFan]

I was shocked that this guy never became huge...he was a lefty running up the radar to 100+ for crying out loud. So he said NYC is a sh*thole...who doesnt know that already.

Tons of these lowlife athletes run their mouths about race: Bonds/Sheffield/DBaker and homophobia: Terrell Owens/Iverson/etc...

Ron Artest, Jason Williams, and Ray Lewis are made out to be misunderstood media darlings by evil men and women running ESPN. And all of them belong in a jailcell.

Rocker's tirade wasnt nearly as offensive as anything these dirtbags have done...I wonder why!!!

[Mavrik]

Anybody find it strangely ironic that Rocker hates NY so much yet he signed with a NY-based team?

I agree with Jet/Bosox to an extent. What he said was retarded but he has the right to say whatever he wants. Didn't deserve to get blackballed in a sport when you've got guys like Lewis and Bonds who are glorified by the media despite what they've done.

Rocker's problem was never that he couldn't get over the scandal, but that he was an intense guy who if he had one bad outing, would hang it on himself and doing that only brings more failure.

[Jetsfan80]

I hated the Braves during John Rocker's era. He seemed to epitomize that team and that city to me, and that was reinforced by the fact that he was cheered loudly by Braves fans whenever he entered a game.

However, since he left, I've found that I don't hate the Braves nearly as much as I used to. I still hate those fans, though.

[jetgreen13]

I was shocked that this guy never became huge...he was a lefty running up the radar to 100+ for crying out loud. So he said NYC is a sh*thole...who doesnt know that already.

Tons of these lowlife athletes run their mouths about race: Bonds/Sheffield/DBaker and homophobia: Terrell Owens/Iverson/etc...

Ron Artest, Jason Williams, and Ray Lewis are made out to be misunderstood media darlings by evil men and women running ESPN. And all of them belong in a jailcell.

Rocker's tirade wasnt nearly as offensive as anything these dirtbags have done...I wonder why!!!

yeah, you're from boston alright.

[Barton]

I'd love to pelt him in the head with a baseball. I really would

that frickin redneck muther effin piece of s***

I hope he gets runned over by a subway train.

[Jet/BosoxFan]

I'd love to pelt him in the head with a baseball. I really would

that frickin redneck muther effin piece of s***

I hope he gets runned over by a subway train.

You calling Rocker a "redneck" is the height of hypocrisy. Youre the Grand Wizard of Jetnation, after all according to your David Ortiz posts.

So play internet tough guy all you want by threatening professional athletes, but youre probably fat and decrepit and Rocker would tear you up. Plus, he was right, NYC is a cesspool and 99% of the people Noo Yo-awkahs are classless pieces of sh*t, you included.

[Matt39]

You calling Rocker a "redneck" is the height of hypocrisy. Youre the Grand Wizard of Jetnation, after all according to your David Ortiz posts.

So play internet tough guy all you want by threatening professional athletes, but youre probably fat and decrepit and Rocker would tear you up. Plus, he was right, NYC is a cesspool and 99% of the people Noo Yo-awkahs are classless pieces of Sh#t, you included.

hmm.

Internet tough guy, yet you're throwing the same remarks back at him. Claiming hes racist, but you're agreeing with a self admitted racist.

Boston is famous for some fruity tea party. Thats it. The city is ugly as are the people. Just a purely pathetic city.

[Barton]

You calling Rocker a "redneck" is the height of hypocrisy. Youre the Grand Wizard of Jetnation, after all according to your David Ortiz posts.

So play internet tough guy all you want by threatening professional athletes, but youre probably fat and decrepit and Rocker would tear you up. Plus, he was right, NYC is a cesspool and 99% of the people Noo Yo-awkahs are classless pieces of Sh#t, you included.

Look everybody it's the midget calling the dworf short! typical sox fan, blind idiotic hypocrite.

[Jet/BosoxFan]

just out of curiosity Matt, what exactly did Rocker ever say (documented not hearsay) that was quoted as being racist?

I read the interview several times over, but not a word of it was racist in nature. Homophobic, yes. Offensive to single moms, yes. Offensive to the homeless, yes. Intolerant of ex-cons, yes. But how does any of that defame an entire race of people?

Another thing, Rocker isnt an admitted racist. He tried to back off the comments by saying the SI reporter set him up and he apologized profusely for the remarks and...like a real man...stood by them in the end unlike the BALCO boys who are far worse than John Rocker for their sins IMO!

Matt...you seem like a nice person. Sometimes you dont always think before you post or bother to have all your facts straight. Please dont make the mistake of getting into bed with the likes of EricBarton50.

[Matt39]

just out of curiosity Matt, what exactly did Rocker ever say (documented not hearsay) that was quoted as being racist?

I read the interview several times over, but not a word of it was racist in nature. Homophobic, yes. Offensive to single moms, yes. Offensive to the homeless, yes. Intolerant of ex-cons, yes. But how does any of that defame an entire race of people?

Another thing, Rocker isnt an admitted racist. He tried to back off the comments by saying the SI reporter set him up and he apologized profusely for the remarks and...like a real man...stood by them in the end unlike the BALCO boys who are far worse than John Rocker for their sins IMO!

Matt...you seem like a nice person. Sometimes you dont always think before you post or bother to have all your facts straight. Please dont make the mistake of getting into bed with the likes of EricBarton50.

Well, Im not going to get in an argument about John Rocker. This is coming from a guy who actually found him pretty funny tormenting Mets fans. Man, he was dominant at one point.

And no, I dont think Rocker is a complete racist. He was looking for attention. ANy time you bring up anything remotely close to being "racist," you're going to get some shine. Its just too bad Rocker fell off the face of the earth.

As for not thinking ebfore I post. Please elaborate. WHat facts have I not brought to the table?

I'm a Yankee fan and you're a Red Sox fan. You come off a guy who simply dismesses every Yankee fan as a frotnrunning moron with no knowledge of the game. Get off that isht.

[Jet/BosoxFan]

you interjected yourself into a thread about EB ( a sickening racist loser) and went after me for calling him out. You linked me with Rocker implying I was a hypocrite when nothing Rocker said was racist.

It is easy to make that mistake though...For some reason hypersensitive MLB insisted he persoanally apologize to Hank Aaron of all people. I guess they figure a high profile black guy was good enough.

[Matt39]

you interjected yourself into a thread about EB ( a sickening racist loser) and went after me for calling him out. You linked me with Rocker implying I was a hypocrite when nothing Rocker said was racist.

It is easy to make that mistake though...For some reason hypersensitive MLB insisted he persoanally apologize to Hank Aaron of all people. I guess they figure a high profile black guy was good enough.

dude I said something to you cause you went after NY.

Aren't you supposed to be a Jets fan? (yes, I realize they play in jerz)

And is think calling Barton a sickening racist is a tad overboard. Unless I missed something.

[DireJet38]

you interjected yourself into a thread about EB ( a sickening racist loser) and went after me for calling him out. You linked me with Rocker implying I was a hypocrite when nothing Rocker said was racist.

It is easy to make that mistake though...For some reason hypersensitive MLB insisted he persoanally apologize to Hank Aaron of all people. I guess they figure a high profile black guy was good enough.

Did any of you ever read what Rocker actaully said?

Via: Sports Illustrated.

-Non-racist John Rocker (according to Bosox)

On ever playing for a New York team: "I would retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the [Number] 7 train to the ballpark, looking like you're [riding through] Beirut next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing."

On New York City itself: "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. I'm not a very big fan of foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?"

In passing, he calls an overweight black teammate "a fat monkey." Asked if he feels any bond with New York Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell, notorious for choking coach P.J. Carlesimo two years ago, Rocker lets out a snarl of disgust. "That guy should've been arrested, and instead he's playing basketball," he says. "Why do you think that is? Do you think if he was Keith Van Horn -- if he was white -- they'd let him back? No way." Rocker is rarely tongue-tied when it comes to bashing those of a race or sexual orientation different from his. "I'm not a racist or prejudiced person," he says with apparent conviction. "But certain people bother me."

"So many dumb asses don't know how to drive in this town," he says, Billy Joel's New York State of Mind humming softly from the radio. "They turn from the wrong lane. They go 20 miles per hour. It makes me want -- Look! Look at this idiot! I guarantee you she's a Japanese woman." A beige Toyota is jerking from lane to lane. The woman at the wheel is white. "How bad are Asian women at driving?"

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I mean come on this is a god damn plethora of racist ideologies. To say John Rocker is not a racist is clearly wrong. Sure, he apologized, he did want to find work SOMEWHERE.

[Maxman]

Guys...we can debate this without insulting each other.

Um, let me change that. In order for this thread to stay open, we need to debate this without insulting each other.

[joewilly]

Guys...we can debate this without insulting each other.

Um, let me change that. In order for this thread to stay open, we need to debate this without insulting each other.

threadkiller

[Jet/BosoxFan]

Ok...Dire nothing you repeated from the Rocker interview was racist per se.

I will give you xenophobic, but thats not the same thing as racist. Lots of rational, tolerant people (including the majority of Massachusetts citizens) feel that English should be immersed into our public schools.

And...also, we need to know which teammate of his he called a "fat monkey" which we do not know. What if it were Chipper Jones? And if you think that throwing the word "monkey around" is so racist in nature, youre supporting my argument because EricBarton50 called David Ortiz a "fat, ugly monkey."

Max, you should lock this thread regardless!

[DireJet38]

Ok...Dire nothing you repeated from the Rocker interview was racist per se.

I will give you xenophobic, but thats not the same thing as racist. Lots of rational, tolerant people (including the majority of Massachusetts citizens) feel that English should be immersed into our public schools.

And...also, we need to know which teammate of his he called a "fat monkey" which we do not know. What if it were Chipper Jones? And if you think that throwing the word "monkey around" is so racist in nature, youre supporting my argument because EricBarton50 called David Ortiz a "fat, ugly monkey."

Max, you should lock this thread regardless!

Last time I checked Chipper Jones wasn't black.

[Jet/BosoxFan]

no sh*t...but unless you know the complection of the UNIDENTIFIED player Rocker alledgedly called a monkey, it is presumptuous to say it was a racist remark.

Spin it any way you want, but Rocker's comments werent racist.

They were anti-NYC (who can blame the man?)

they were anti-bilinguals

they were anti-single mom

they were anti-gay

they were anti-criminal (again, who can blame him?)

but racist??? thats a reach. And Matt said he was an admitted self-racist when Rocker took it all back.