Rocker Admits Concentration Problems
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicago -- John Rocker isn't saying his control problems stem from any off-field pressures. He doesn't agree with Braves catcher Javy Lopez, who has suggested Rocker is trying too hard to prove his critics wrong.
But Atlanta's left-handed closer does acknowledge a breakdown in concentration.
The problem has been obvious as Rocker struggles to find the strike zone. Last year, when he became one of the game's dominant closers, it rarely escaped him.
But that was before Rocker became an object of scorn after Sports Illustrated in December published his angry comments about minorities, gays and foreigners.
When asked Wednesday if the pressure is getting to him, Rocker said: "No, not really. I'm pitching the way I always have. It's just a concentration thing.
"It's not like I'm throwing that bad or that different from the way I was throwing at the end of last year. People expect me to pitch that way every time. If I'm not striking out two guys an inning, everybody says something's wrong. There's nothing wrong. It's a matter of one hitter an inning, needing to buckle down."
After a strong start this spring, what had become shakiness deteriorated into all-out ineffectiveness in his last two outings. Bobby Cox pulled him from ninth-inning, bases-loaded messes he created Saturday in Houston and Tuesday in Chicago.
Kerry Ligtenberg rescued him Saturday with nobody out, and Mike Remlinger came in with two outs Tuesday to get his fifth save with a strikeout. None of the six base runners scored, so Rocker's ERA did not change from 4.41.
Rocker remains among the league leaders with 10 saves in 11 opportunities. After his league-imposed, half-month suspension to start the season, he pitched two weeks without allowing a run to score. But on May 5 at Turner Field, he blew a three-run lead to the Phillies. Rocker has walked 12 batters in his last 6 innings, and Cox has pulled him from three games before he has recorded an out.
Only twice in 19 outings this year has Rocker pitched an inning without allowing any base runners. something he did 30 times last season Last season, 30 of his 74 outings were free of base runners, and Rocker saved 38 games, one off the team record.
"I just can't finish it off," Rocker said. "I don't know what's wrong. It's not mechanical. I just don't feel like I'm concentrating the whole inning. I'm just not making the pitches I need to. I was one ... pitch away from getting that game over with."
Rocker's fastball still clocks in the upper 90s and his slider, while inconsistent, was there at times Tuesday. Also, his wildness hasn't reached the level of Mark Wohlers' of a year ago.
For those reasons, Cox is willing to stick with him, for now, while he works through these problems.
"He's popping the ball good, and at times his curve is good," Cox said. "We've seen him great, so that's what has to remain in our minds."
Rocker and pitching coach Leo Mazzone both are focusing on finding the good in what he's doing.
"I got hosed on a couple calls to the first hitter [in Houston], and I tried to be careful with [Jeff] Bagwell," said Rocker, who walked both, threw a wild pitch and then intentionally walked another. "And then Javy and I got crossed up. ... It's not like I have control problems on every hitter. [On Tuesday,] I was ahead of Glenallen Hill, ahead of [Julio] Zuleta."
Fellow Braves reliever Rudy Seanez knows about trying to control a dominating fastball. "He's just trying too hard," said Seanez, who lost Friday night in the 10th inning in Houston. "Everybody tries hard, but there's a point where it's forced. Sometimes it looks that way. I'm not in his shoes, but sometimes his concentration might be off a little. It's easy to understand, with everything that's gone on."
Mazzone said he felt good about his discussions with Rocker after his outing in Houston, and he said he saw some results in a more consistent release point Tuesday in Chicago.
"He was very open-minded," Mazzone said. "He talked about concentration. He made a lot of sense. He talked to me about his pitching, his approach. He knows what he has to do."
Rocker has been criticized for overthrowing his pitches, for trying to throw them too hard or make them too perfect, but Mazzone isn't convinced that it's a bad thing.
"I've never known him when he hasn't overthrown," Mazzone said. "I don't think that's a factor in getting him straight. What I'm concerned about is if he starts to underthrow."
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