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A Rocky Return: John Rocker Attempts a Comeback
by Daniel Paulling
May 9, 2005
What if John Rocker had never met Jeff Pearlman? In the December
of 1999, Rocker held an interview with Jeff Pearlman, a writer for
Sports Illustrated. In the ensuing article, Pearlman detailed the
then 24 year old Rocker’s thoughts towards the Mets and the
city of New York. To say the least, Frank Sinatra would not have
been happy.
Perhaps this was the catalyst, or perhaps not, but Rocker’s
career began to take a turn for the worse. The next season Rocker
learned just what a minor league rehab assignment was, but dominated
his time in the Majors. In 2001, Rocker pitched for the Braves,
but they traded him for Steve Karsay and Steve Reed, needing depth
in a depleted bullpen.
The move to Cleveland marked the beginning of the end for Rocker.
His ERA was 5.45, never a good indicator. The Tribe lost their General
Manager to Texas, who immediately re-acquired Rocker. In Texas,
he did not fare well at all. Even when he left Atlanta, I cheered
for the young lefty to be successful, out of respect for what he
had done for the Braves, my favorite team.
In a move considered a slap in the face, the pitching starved Rangers
released Rocker. He finally signed a contract with the Devil Rays,
a signal of desperation. He did not pitch well in Tampa Bay or in
Orlando, with the Devil Rays’ Double A club. In a final stroke
of embarrassment, Rocker was released by the worst team in baseball.
He, however, did not let that minor setback hold him back. In 2002,
Rocker starred in the horror film “The Greenskeeper.”
In this movie, Rocker takes the lead role as the villain and kills
and kills. Rocker’s acting career was put on hold until a later
date, due to the film not getting many positive reviews.
A year later, Rocker went under the knife to repair a torn rotator
cuff in his left (pitching) shoulder. He spent the entire year and
2004 rehabbing, both his arm and his image. The southpaw dedicated
time to helping strike out multiple sclerosis, spent time working
at the Ronald McDonald House, and with many outdoor organizations.
Rocker also raised money for the Make a Wish Foundation and many
local hospitals. For a team to sign him, Rocker thought it best
to show that he was no longer the brash 24 year old that he once
was, but now a mature 30 year old.
But which team would take a gamble? Rocker tried to advertise himself
on SportsCenter during the fallback from the “Frank Francisco
throwing a chair into the stands tribulations.” No team, however,
would take a gamble on the troubled pitcher. Rocker’s agent
Joe Sambito called an old friend in the form of Frank Bolton. Bolton,
a co-owner of the Long Island Ducks, took a risk and added Rocker
to his roster. On April 27th, a rocky return finally
began.
The first day of his new life was uneventful for the lefty. The
Ducks held their pre-season press conference with Rocker in a home
uniform. A congregation of nearly 70 reporters bombarded Rocker,
asking one question after another. Armed with public relations specialist
Debi Curzio, Rocker deftly handled the reporters. Not once did he
slip up, not once did he make a mistake that would have labeled
him villainous in the eyes of New Yorkers once again.
On the field, however, is a different story. In his first appearance,
Rocker allowed two runs to score, losing his first game. In his
second game, Rocker lost once again, drawing the ire of many fans.
On his approach to the dugout, one of the fans screamed “It’s
a long way from Atlanta.” How Rocker responded has been debated,
but everyone can judge for themselves however they wish. All in
all, Rocker is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA and 7 walks, which leads the
league, despite only throwing 2 innings so far.
For the time being, the Ducks have decided to shut down Rocker due
to a dead arm period caused by a period of rest and then rushing
back too quickly. This problem is to be expected and is not a result
of lack of faith from the Ducks managers.
Here’s to hoping the improved John Rocker turns his rocky return
into a successful comeback. Share your thoughts or comments in our forums.
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