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| | Thursday, March 2 | |||||
| KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- After John Rocker's suspension was cut in
half Wednesday, the reaction ranged from anger to understanding.
Activists marched outside Turner Field in Atlanta, demanding the
Braves quickly trade the reliever who offended gays, minorities and
foreigners. But many of Rocker's teammates were willing to give him a
second chance. And others in the baseball world seemed satisfied
that justice was served.
"I think if he really means his apology, that's good enough,"
said AL Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
"I'm not standing up for him. Make that clear. I'm not standing up
to defend him or whatever. I'm just not going to judge him."
Rocker was cleared to attend spring training Thursday when
arbitrator Shyam Das ruled the reliever should miss the first 14
days of the regular season. Das reduced Rocker's fine from $20,000
to $500.
Commissioner Bud Selig initially suspended Rocker for all of
spring training, as well as the first 28 days of the season. The
pitcher has apologized for the comments he made in a magazine
article, which he described as an angry response to heckling by New
York fans last year.
"The commissioner's original penalty was appropriate," former
NL president Len Coleman said. "Baseball must be a socially
responsible institution. The arbitrator's ruling undermines the
disciplinary system and sends precisely the wrong message."
But Milwaukee pitcher David Weathers, speaking at the Brewers
camp in Phoenix, said Rocker's "real penalty is going to come when
he gets back among the players and has to face the guys in the
clubhouse."
Rocker plans to meet privately with his teammates Thursday
morning before the Braves play their first exhibition game. It's
not known when he'll be ready to pitch in a game.
Another Milwaukee player, Jose Hernandez, was with the Braves
part of last season. More than two months later, he is still
stunned by Rocker's comments in an interview with Sports
Illustrated.
"Sometimes, you get frustrated in this game and somebody asks
you something and you say the first thing in your mind," Hernandez
said. "I don't know what happened, but it's sad. If I was with the
Braves and he came in and apologized, I'd forgive him. He's still a
friend."
Detroit Tigers manager Phil Garner said any punishment was
likely to be criticized.
"On the one hand, what he said was horrible. But how do you
punish something like that?" Garner asked. "No matter which
extreme you go to, you're likely to offend some people. It's hard
to find a middle ground."
New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine, whose team was beaten by
the Braves in the NL East race and the league championship series,
said the ruling was fair and shouldn't have much impact on the
regular season.
"It will be old news by the time it counts," he said. "Here's
the news scoop -- they're a pretty good team without him."
Several dozen protesters, gathering outside Turner Field shortly after Das' decision was announced, hope the Braves will heed Valentine's assessment and trade Rocker.
"Obviously we're disappointed with such a light sentence -- a
reduction of what was already a slap on the wrist," said Atlanta
City Councilman Derrick Boazman, who testified at the arbitration
hearing. "Where are we to go as fans?"
Rocker, 25, should have accepted the original punishment,
Boazman said.
"John Rocker is still a young man who is very troubled, who
needs some help," the councilman said. "The very fact that John
Rocker appeals this suggests that he does not understand the
magnitude of his comments. He really doesn't get it at all."
Boazman also wondered if Rocker's teammates would be able to
coexist with him in the clubhouse. "Who wants to be associated
with a homophobic, racist, bigoted individual?" he asked.
But most players said they're willing to forgive Rocker if he
makes a sincere apology, becomes a more team-oriented player and
tones down his antics on the field. The Braves held a diversity
training session on Tuesday, led by former Chicago Bears linebacker
Mike Singletary.
First baseman Randall Simon, who believes he was the target of
Rocker's "fat monkey" comment, directed at an unnamed Latin
teammate, said he learned at the diversity session to tone down his
anger.
"If he comes to me and apologizes, everything will be all right," Simon said. "He's one of my teammates. Everybody makes mistakes."
The players' association, which assisted Rocker in his appeal, said the reduced penalty was still too stiff. But union chief Donald Fehr acknowledged that Rocker's comments were out of line.
"I don't know anybody that agreed with it on any side of the
issue," Fehr said. "Rocker is going to have to demonstrate a
different set of behavior."
| ALSO SEE Arbitrator reduces Rocker's suspension AUDIO/VIDEO   John Rocker makes his first public statement following his suspension.RealVideo: | 28.8   Tony Gwynn discusses Rocker rejoining to the Braves.wav: 180 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||