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	Saturday, June 10
	Simon: 'Give him a chance' Associated Press
	COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Randall Simon got a chance to talk to former teammate John Rocker -- who referred to him as a "fat monkey" -- and said they spoke as if nothing had happened between them. Simon, a black Caribbean player, started at first base Saturday night for Columbus against Rocker's Richmond Braves in an International League game. Rocker didn't pitch and didn't leave the clubhouse until he came to the bullpen to watch the final three outs. But Simon and Rocker bumped into each other during pregame warmups and briefly shook hands. Simon was released by Atlanta in spring training and signed with the New York Yankees' Triple-A farm team. "He came over and said hi," Simon said after Columbus' 7-5 victory. "We talked for a little bit. He told me I looked younger, like I was 18, because I don't have a mustache. Just regular things. But we're friends. There was nothing more than that." Simon said he never got a chance to tell Rocker that he hoped he could accomplish what he needed to in the minors in order to again be an effective closer in the majors. Rocker had 38 saves a year ago for the Atlanta Braves, helping them to the World Series. During the offseason, he made comments that demeaned minorities, gays and immigrants in a magazine profile. Last Sunday, he angrily confronted the writer of that story in a chance meeting at Turner Field. The next day, he was shipped out to Richmond, ostensibly to work on his control problems. Even though he had 10 saves for Atlanta, Rocker had walked 25 in 18 1-3 innings. Rocker joined Richmond in Toledo on Thursday. He struck out the side with one walk in his only appearance with the Braves on Friday night. Major league baseball has three security officers following Rocker around. Thirty or 40 fans -- mostly teen-agers wearing baggy shorts and ballcaps -- clogged the walkway near the Braves' bullpen two hours before the first pitch. At the same time, a Christian rock group was performing on a makeshift stage in the infield. "I like him. I don't care what he says," said Ben Williams, 15, a high school sophomore who made the 70-mile trip with four friends from Galion, Ohio. "People are on drugs and they let them back." Rocker signed autographs for more than 15 minutes before the game, taking a break to stand at attention during the national anthem. Among the fans was Roger Brown of Alexandria, Va., who told Rocker he and his family had driven 400 miles to watch him pitch. Rocker shook hands with Brown, then suggested he might want to travel the 90 miles to Richmond the next time. After getting Rocker's signature, one woman turned to her husband and said, "OK, I got what I wanted. Now we can go home." Clippers general manager Ken Schnacke estimated the team had sold an additional 1,000 tickets because of Rocker's presence. He said the team had stepped up security and added a few other minor precautions. Attendance was 11,643. Richmond manager Randy Ingle said he thought Rocker and his teammates were becoming accustomed to the attention. "I don't know how many extra tickets they've sold or whether there might be some hecklers out here, but the last couple of days went really well," he said. "There were a couple of big crowds in Toledo and they were really supportive. That was an exciting ninth inning last night." Rocker was met by some boos, but many stood and applauded when he came into Friday night's game. Ingle said his only mission was getting Rocker enough work to have him "establish more consistency with the strike zone" and get back to Atlanta. Simon was just hoping to put the whole controversy aside. "That's the thing that I want, for the people just to forget and to try and give him a chance," he said.		ALSO SEE Selig: Rocker's demotion punishment enough for bad behavior Braves' Furcal, 19, charged with DUI following accident Rocker rips reporters, mows down Mud Hens