MAUMEE, Ohio -- John Rocker was in complete control during his first minor league appearance Friday, but he couldn't keep his
temper in check around reporters.
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Rocker, making his first appearance for the Triple-A Richmond Braves, struck out the side in the ninth inning against the Toledo Mud Hens.
Rocker threw 20 pitches, missing on just five. He walked one batter.
Facing the bottom of the order, Rocker struck out right fielder
Chris Wakeland on three straight pitches. After giving up a walk,
Rocker came back to get second baseman Chris Lemonis on three
straight pitches.
Shortstop Jesus Azuaje struck out swinging to give Richmond a
10-5 victory.
Rocker was much better than he had been in Atlanta where he had
10 saves in 11 opportunities and a 3.93 ERA this season, but had
walked 25 batters in 18 1/3 innings.
Rocker signed some autographs during the game, setting off a run
on souvenir baseballs at the gift shop. There was no question who
the crowd of 7,733 came to see.
They went wild when he sprinted into the game. He warmed up with
"Wild Thing" playing on the Ned Skeldon Stadium speakers.
When Rocker got up to stretch in the sixth inning, fans
immediately swarmed toward a railing along the bullpen. Sheriff's
deputies quickly moved them back.
Before the game, an angry Rocker stalked off into the clubhouse
following a throwing session in which he was agitated with
reporters.
Rocker appeared angry as soon as he stepped out of the bullpen.
"Get a good picture of me throwing, that's important," he said
while glaring at a half-dozen reporters and photographers.
A few tosses later he again glared into the stands.
"Let me ask you something, is it more exciting to watch a guy
throw or paint dry?" Rocker said to Richmond pitching coach Mike
Alvarez. "Paint probably."
Rocker threw for about 10 minutes, with most of his pitches far
from the strike zone. After four pitches landed in the dirt,
Rocker's bullpen catcher moved up a few feet.
Finally, a frustrated Rocker tossed a ball in the stands and
stalked off into the clubhouse.
Braves assistant general manager Frank Wren said he was not
upset by Rocker's reaction before the game.
"You can understand why he feels like he does," he said.
"Bullpen blowups are not unusual for relief pitchers. That neither
bothers me or concerns me."
Rocker didn't seem bothered by a much larger crowd of reporters
who watched him throw in the bullpen Thursday.
Rocker, who had 38 saves last season with Atlanta, was banished
to the minor leagues Monday for control problems. He also was fined
$5,000 for a confrontation, before Sunday's home game in Atlanta,
with Sports Illustrated reporter Jeff Pearlman. In December,
Pearlman had written a story on Rocker's comments about gays,
minorities, and foreigners.
Rocker's outburst Friday came one day after a Toledo television
report claimed the pitcher made an obscene gesture toward a camera
crew.
The video shown by WNWO-TV showed someone in a cab making the
gesture after Rocker and the Richmond Braves played the Toledo Mud
Hens on Thursday night.
Wren said Rocker was not the person in the video, and that
Rocker was on the team bus.
"It's a joke, Wren said after watching the video. "They
should've checked with the club."
Toledo general manager Joe Napoli said he also watched Rocker
get on the bus.
"He absolutely, positively, undoubtedly got on the bus,"
Napoli said. "I didn't even see a taxi cab."
A WNWO executive said there were conflicting statements from
Braves management and players about whether Rocker was on the bus.
"All we did is put it out there and give the Braves a chance to
make their position," said Tim Livingston, the station's executive
producer.
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