Rocker Still the Hot Topic

The way Chipper Jones figures it, “I don’t think my place is to send John Rocker to Siberia, to exile him.”

It wasn’t so long ago that the Atlanta Braves’ third baseman experienced his own nationally chronicled trauma of adultery and divorce, so he brings some compassion to the Rocker ordeal.

“Everybody makes mistakes,” Jones said. “I’ve made mistakes and people have given me a second chance. I’m sure most of our guys are willing to give John a second chance. It’s, ‘What will John do with that second chance?’ ”

The focus was on the suspended closer as Atlanta’s pitchers and catchers--and several position players--held their first spring workout Friday.

Even amid the fantasy environment of Disney’s Wide World of Sports, site of their dazzling training complex, it is obvious that the Braves will be unable to escape the reality of Rocker’s absence--and the comments that led to it.

It is also obvious that there is no unanimity among the Braves on their feelings about Rocker and his disparaging comments about gays, minorities and foreigners in a December Sports Illustrated article--”I forgive him because he’s just a stupid guy who likes the attention,” catcher Eddie Perez said--except for the belief that Rocker eventually will have to stand in front of the team and make amends.

“The easiest part is saying he’s sorry,” pitcher Tom Glavine said. “Time will tell if he really understands the magnitude of what he said. It’s what he does day in and day out that will make me believe he’s not what his words imply. We were all offended. Some of the guys were hit more than others.”

The Braves were greeted Friday by what figures to be a daily media barrage.

Forget the perceived improvements produced by a winter trade or the attempted comeback of a beaming Andres Galarraga from the spinal cancer that sidelined him last year.

Forget even how this proud and successful team feels in reflection about the sweep by the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Inquiring minds want to know about Rocker, or as a grimacing Brian Jordan said, “the R word? No comprende.”

The manager doesn’t say it in Spanish, but as often as Bobby Cox insists that the Rocker situation is “a dead issue” until arbitrator Shyam Das rules on the union grievance seeking to reduce or overturn Commissioner Bud Selig’s suspension, as often as he says, “We’re here to get the club ready and that’s the only thing I’m thinking about,” he and his players know they face a spring dominated by the Rocker issue.

“A distraction? No doubt about it. Of course it is,” catcher Javier Lopez said. “Maybe the fact that he won’t be here for the month will help. Maybe the reporters will go away and maybe people will forget a little. I’m sure a lot of people we’re planning on coming to spring training to boo him.”

Selig suspended the 25-year-old left-hander until May 1, although he can report to extended spring on April 3 and pitch in the minor leagues before then.

Arbitrator Das is expected to rule before March 1. There are some in baseball who believe the Braves abdicated their responsibility by failing to discipline Rocker, forcing Selig to act. Atlanta, of course, could still try to trade him, but that assumes there is a team willing to relieve it of a public relations nightmare and that former closer Kerry Ligtenberg has recovered from elbow reconstruction. Ligtenberg’s injury last spring opened the door for Rocker, who responded with 38 saves.

Rocker’s comments in Sports Illustrated were what Jordan called an “angry and immature lashing out at New York” for the verbal abuse Rocker received--and fomented--there during postseason games against the Mets and Yankees. Cox twice instructed Rocker to button it during the National League playoff, to no avail.

Ligtenberg, who says he is throwing 90% and will be ready, is a different personality.

“I just think you need to keep your mouth shut, rather than egging people on,” he said. “We all fail eventually, and that kind of thing comes back to bite you. John is a good guy and he’s still my teammate, but he has some issues that need to be addressed. He has to come in and make amends. He has to explain to us why he did what he did and said what he said. He has to stand there and let us express our opinions. I think some of the older guys feel strongly about that.”

If the suspension holds, the Braves will be a month into the season before Rocker faces his teammates. The preference would be to get it out of the way in spring training, but that would require a reduction in the penalty, and many Braves, while concerned about the precedent of the longest non-drug, non-gambling suspension in history, believe Rocker got what he deserved.

“I don’t even think he should have appealed,” Perez said. “He should take it like the man he thinks he is.”

On the other hand, said Jones, a better resolution might have been to hit him with a larger fine than $20,000.

“You can say what you want about the suspension, but as far as the whole team being punished for something John Rocker said, I don’t know if that’s exactly right,” Jones said. “The rest of us didn’t do anything wrong, but when it comes down to the eighth and ninth innings and we don’t have our guy out there, that’s when it’s going to hurt us the most.”

Rocker and the Braves have become a major security problem and a target for zealous fans, especially in New York.

“I’m certainly not going to be standing close to him during batting practice,” Glavine said. “That’s a large part of the problem. He’s put us all in danger. As players, we have enough things to worry about when we’re on the field without having to worry about something being thrown at us. And what John has failed to understand is that the whole New York thing is not a battle you’re going to win. We’ve all traveled there. We know what the environment is like. You keep your mouth shut and do the best job you can.”

Rocker, of course, has apologized. He did it on ESPN and Spanish television. He has called several teammates, on Glavine’s advice, to apologize by phone. The question of sincerity lingers. He will need to say more when he finally rejoins the team.

“I don’t know if there’s ever been a sports team on which every player likes every other player,” General Manager John Schuerholz said, “and I don’t think that’s important. I do think it’s important that there’s a cohesiveness of effort and spirit and I’m confident that Bobby and our veteran players know what they have to do to create that and that John will be reassimilated when the time comes.”

The Braves always seem to know what they have to do. They have won eight consecutive division titles and five of eight National League pennants. They won 110 games overall last year, despite the loss of Galarraga, Lopez and Ligtenberg. Now they are getting Lopez and Ligtenberg back and, perhaps, Galarraga. They traded Ryan Klesko and Bret Boone to San Diego for a bona fide leadoff hitter, Quilvio Veras; power and speed in mid-lineup, Reggie Sanders, and insurance for Galarraga, Wally Joyner.

They figure to be stronger in a division they have dominated, but so do the Mets, who chased the Braves into the final week of last year’s race. Seemingly, the Braves will require that customary focus and cohesiveness, as well as a dependable closer behind their vaunted rotation.

Several Braves teed off on Rocker right after the article appeared. Right fielder Jordan was among the angriest but says now, “I’ve decided to take the Christian approach and not try to judge what was in John Rocker’s heart. My hope is that he’ll have learned from the experience and will be a better man, teammate and role model. He has a lot of making up to do.”

Starting with his address to wary teammates whenever he returns.