Rocker Now a Ranger

John Rocker, who never fit in when he joined the Cleveland Indians last season, was traded to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday for minor league pitcher Dave Elder.

Rocker, whose remarks on minorities and homosexuals in a magazine article led to his suspension for two weeks in 2000, will be reunited with new Ranger General Manager John Hart.

“I’m really excited about it,” Rocker said in a conference call from Puerto Rico, where he is pitching in a winter league. “I had a feeling I might at some point in my career end up in Texas. It happened sooner rather than later.”

As Cleveland’s general manager, Hart acquired Rocker from the Atlanta Braves in June for pitchers Steve Karsay and Steve Reed.

But the deal backfired on Hart, who thought adding the left-handed Rocker might finally get the Indians their first World Series title since 1948.

Mark Shapiro, who was Hart’s assistant in Cleveland and replaced him as general manager, said he was against Rocker ever coming to Cleveland.

“My advice to John Hart was not to make the trade,” Shapiro said Tuesday. “My advice had nothing to do with the character issue or the ethical issue. We took a core, stable strength of our team and disrupted it. I felt it was not a wise move.”

Hart went after Rocker again after failing to sign potential closers Jason Isringhausen and Karsay, instead settling for Jay Powell and Todd Van Poppel to set up closer Jeff Zimmerman.

Rocker, 27, pitched poorly in Cleveland, going 3-7 with four saves and a 5.45 earned-run average in 38 games. He was handed the closer’s job upon arrival, but gave it back to Bob Wickman.