NEW YORK (Ticker) -- As expected, the Players Association has filed a grievance in an effort to overturn the stiff penalty levied against Atlanta Braves lefthander John Rocker.

On Monday, Rocker was suspended by Major League Baseball until May 1 and fined an undisclosed amount for his "insensitive and inappropriate" remarks in a Sports Illustrated article. Commissioner Bud Selig also ordered Rocker to undergo sensitivity training and banned him from spring training.

The Players Association sent a letter to the commissioner's office today and the case will be heard by arbitrator Shaym Das. No date has been set for the hearing.

"It is literally unprecendented to impose a penalty on a player for pure speech, offensive though the speech may be," said Gene Orza, associate general counsel for the union. "That, coupled with the magnitude of the penalty, just as unprecedented, makes us optimistic about the outcome of the appeal."

Selig was likely aware that his decision would be appealed, but apparently wanted to make a strong stand on comments that created a firestorm both inside and outside of baseball.

"Major League Baseball takes seriously its role as an American institution and the important social responsibility that goes with it," Selig said in a statement. "We will not dodge our responsibility. Mr. Rocker should understand that his remarks offended practically every element of society and brought dishonor to himself, the Atlanta Braves and Major League Baseball.

"The terrible example set by Mr. Rocker is not what our great game is about and, in fact, is a profound breach of the social compact we hold in such high regard."

Rocker already completed a confidential Employee Assistance Plan program to which he was referred by Major League officials. His comments were directed primarily at New Yorkers but stung people across the country.

While Rocker has apologized for his comments, he felt the penalty was excessive.

"I do not believe that it is appropriate that I should be harshly disciplined for my misguided speech unaccompanied by any conduct on my part," Rocker said.

By keeping Rocker out of spring training, Selig hopes to avoid a frenzy of media descending on the Braves' Florida complex. It has already been a difficult offseason for the Braves, who have been targets of a series of protests over their failure to take immediate action against the pitcher.

"We had to get through the first part of this, which was the disciplinary phase," Braves president Stan Kasten said Monday. "We still believe we have two hurdles that reamin. John still has some work to do to reconcile with his teammates and his community. I think those two things are possible, but I don't take them for granted. We have spent a lot of time talking to community leaders, our fans and players about what our plans are."

Rocker's case is unprecedented, so the severity of the suspension is difficult to gauge, even if it is one of the harshest ever handed down.

The ban means Rocker will miss 28 days from the start of the season. But making it worse is that he cannot attend spring training to prepare for the season, to get into shape and begin to repair his relationships with teammates and other baseball personnel.

In describing New York, Rocker told SI, "It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the (No.) 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, next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing."

As for New York's ethnic makeup, Rocker was just as caustic.

"I'm not a very big fan of foreigners," he said. "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 into this country?"

Since the publication of Rocker's comments roughly two months ago, Kasten met with executives from Time-Warner and Turner Broadcasting and players from the Braves, the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. All three teams are owned by Ted Turner, the chairman of Turner Broadcasting.

"We work for a company whose founder doesn't even allow us to use the word `foreigner,'" Kasten has said.

Rocker, 25, verbally sparred with New York Mets fans during the National League Championship Series. His comments drew condemnation from teammates and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, a member of the Braves front office.

A native of Macon, Georgia, Rocker was 4-5 with a 2.49 ERA and 38 saves last season, his first as closer.