Media Strike Back at Hostile Rogers

Howard Cole, for his BaseballSavvy.com column, wrote that he recently consulted the website for the late Fred Rogers of children’s television fame. And he found some advice for Texas Ranger pitcher Kenny Rogers.

“Open your workbook to Mister Rogers’ ‘Brave & Strong’ section,” Cole wrote. “And I don’t think a couple of minutes with the ‘Rules and Self-Control’ category would be a waste of time.

“In particular, ‘Mad Feelings’ and ‘When Things Get Broken’ are worth a little peek-a-boo.”

Trivia time: On July 28, 1994, Rogers, during his first stint with the Rangers, pitched a perfect game against what team?

Ouch: Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post wrote that Rogers wasn’t always so tough:

“It would have been nice to see Kenny Rogers be such a tough guy back in the day, back when he was stealing money from both the Yankees and Mets, back when he was such a big, strong, macho guardian of pride and stoutness.”

This hurts too: Also from Vaccaro, after reliever Mike Stanton was released by the Yankees last week one day after giving up a 10th-inning, game-winning home run to Baltimore’s Brian Roberts:

“If Mike Stanton was really surprised by the walking papers ... then he probably should have turned around to see just where that Brian Roberts home run landed the night before.”

Not a good thing: Baltimore starting pitcher Bruce Chen was shelled in the first inning of Monday’s game against the Yankees.

He didn’t throw one pitch that reached 80 mph until after giving up two homers and four runs.

Said commentator Dave Campbell, calling the game for ESPN Radio: “Remember the punter for the Oakland Raiders, Ray Guy? Chen’s pitches have had more hang time than a Ray Guy punt.”

Excuses, excuses: Tiger Woods shanked one off the tee during the second round of the Western Open, prompting Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune to write:

“What’s that old gag in golf? You drive for show, you putt for dough and you shank for comic relief?

“Woods himself couldn’t resist a wisecrack at his own expense. Of his terrible shot he said: ‘I must have had a bad lie on the tee.’ ”

Looking back: On this day in 1991, Gary Carter, in his first season with the Dodgers, got his 2,000th hit. He had 1,969 with Montreal, the New York Mets and San Francisco before joining the Dodgers.

Trivia answer: The Angels. Rusty Greer’s diving catch of a Rex Hudler shot to right-center field in the ninth inning preserved the perfect game.

And finally: “I’ve had all weekend to digest the Lakers’ drafting 17-year-old Andrew Bynum,” said KFWB’s Bret Lewis. “And soaking in broadcast and print reaction, I’m going to go on record saying he’s going to be a great player.

“In fact, I believe in three or four years he will be so good that Kobe will demand that the Lakers trade him.”

Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.