Rocker Sent To The Minors
ATLANTA -- John Rocker was sent down to the minors Monday, one day after he angrily threatened the reporter who wrote the story in which the Atlanta reliever disparaged gays, minorities and foreigners.
Rocker, who has struggled with his control since returning from a two-week suspension for the remarks in the article, was optioned to the Braves' Triple-A club in Richmond.
Rocker also was fined "a substantial amount" for Sunday's confrontation with Sports Illustrated reporter Jeff Pearlman, said manager Bobby Cox.
He would not elaborate, but a baseball source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the amount was $5,000.
Cox insisted Rocker's demotion was unrelated to the confrontation and was because of the reliever's inability to throw strikes. He has 25 walks in 18 1/3 innings.
"This is something that's been brewing for a while," Cox said. "We've been bailing him out. It couldn't go on like that forever."
Rocker, who has struggled this season after 38 saves a year ago, pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Yankees. The first two hitters singled and moved up a base when Rocker was called for a balk. But he escaped trouble by getting Chuck Knoblauch on a popup and Derek Jeter on a flyout. The Yankees won the game 7-6.
"He made his bed, now he's got to sleep in it," outfielder Brian Jordan said after yesterday's game and incident. "If he feels this is the best way to handle it, he's going to get burned. You have to grow up sooner or later. He's not only hurting the team, he's hurting himself."
Rocker has 10 saves since rejoining the team May 18 but also has struggled with his control, issuing 25 walks in 18 1-3 innings. His ERA is 3.85.
The demotion to Richmond has the potential to cost Rocker millions if he remains in the minor leagues for 20 days or more.
Rocker began the season with 1 year, 147 days of major league service and was on track to become eligible for salary arbitration next winter as a "Super 2" -- under the agreement that settled the 1990 lockout, the top 17 percent of players with 2-3 years of major league service become arbitration eligible.
While the Braves gave him a $290,000 salary this year, he probably would get $3 million or more in arbitration instead of the $300,000 to $400,000 he would receive if Atlanta can unilaterally determine his salary.
Last winter, the cutoff for arbitration eligibility was 2 years, 131 days. If Rocker remains in the minors for fewer than 20 days, he still would be credited with major league service time for the period of the minor league assignment.
The Braves replaced Rocker on the roster by calling up righthander Jason Marquis from Greenville of the Southern League
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