Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker - Deadspin Comments

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

baseballnut79 — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:50:11 EST

Good story Will. We will have to have you cover some of the wackiness that we at the Bowie Baysox will have this season!

baseballnut79

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Clyde Klutzzer — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 10:27:19 EST

Great Read Will.

Clyde Klutzzer

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Madman — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 09:55:44 EST

It's obviously all been said, but you got some balls, my friend. And the Ankiel jersey gave me a good laugh. Bravo!

Madman

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Lance Uppercut — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:56:56 EST

I got tossed out of the Vet on my birthday for throwing a hot dog at Rocker on his a-hole sprint in from the bullpen.

Lance Uppercut

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

TheHotWhang — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:54:00 EST

ya know this article could have been a lot better if you just decided to lean into one, then charge the mound with bat in hand

TheHotWhang

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Import — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:44:25 EST

"he'll always be doomed. We need him to be doomed. It makes us feel better." truer wortds are hard to find... honestly, a great write up Will, good to see you off that couch.

Import

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

whittlz — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 22:42:27 EST

I can see Rocker's Nike commercial now: ""Love me or hate me, it's one or the other. Actually, no it's not. People mostly just hate me. Still, you should check out my Match.com profile. There's a first time for everything. Just do it!" ps: Will, get that back elbow up! What are you, some Grady Sizemore-loving girl?

whittlz

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

HoosierTwinsFan — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 21:50:53 EST

Vatican Plum is correct. One reason that Rocker hasn't been 'Redeemed' is that he doesn't go through the requisite confessional and demonstrated that he understands that what he did was wrong. If I recall, the interview touched off the controversy, but there was other stuff as well. I think it was that same season, when the Braves were involved in a broohaha. No punches were thrown, until Rocker charged in from the bullpen and things got hectic again. Later Glavine (I think) said something to the effect of "It was all under control until some knucklehead came in." Also, he went postal on the reporter who filed the original story. And those are just the things that I can remember off the top of my head. Then in the middle of his comeback, while being totally accessible to fans in the independent league, he said: "I've taken a lot of crap from a lot of people," Rocker told ESPN. "Probably more than anybody in the history of this sport. I know Hank and Jackie took a good deal of crap, but I guarantee it wasn't for six years. I just keep thinking: How much am I supposed to take?" None of it is as bad as the original interview, but it all contributes to the conclusion that he is a grade-A first class knucklehead and Ass. I don't disagree with the points about how you have to have talent, but I am not sure that it's that strange. Especially for athletes that weren't that good for that long, what else should bring them to our attention? Rocker basically only had one really good season, so of course he is famous for being a knucklehead. So Rocker isn't forgiven because he wasn't good for that long, has done multiple stupid thing and hasn't shown that he's learned anything. I don't neccessarily believe that Kobe isn't a rapist and is really sorry for all that he did. But hewas aquitted, and he looked sorry, and he's really good (and has been for 5+ years). Ivan

HoosierTwinsFan

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

TMC — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 20:43:47 EST

footsteps, you write: "Sports fans are great at forgiving folks but the forgiveness usually coincides with success on the court or the field. " Excellent point, and exactly why the average sports fan has done a complete 180 on Kobe Bryant.

TMC

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Buffalo Byrne — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 20:31:02 EST

Man, great story! Props on the Ankiel jersey as well, I think that tops my Ryan Leaf and Alex Van Pelt jerseys ... As far as Rocker, I actually kind of miss the guy. And I'm a Mets fan. He was a great villain, one of the best for that short span. It's always fun to have those villains around.

Buffalo Byrne

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Yankeebunny — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 19:28:04 EST

WILL!!! So weird...I was there....we must have brushed right by each other...sooo bizarre!!

Yankeebunny

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Carson — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:27:28 EST

Sorry the whole Matt-Clement-line-drive-off-the-head thing didn't happen.

Carson

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

SlickBomb — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:26:38 EST

Leitch, that's a terrific story. Talk about your "Deadspin Original Coverage"! Love the Ankiel jersey too. It's almost as bad as my Scott Brosius t-shirt. Anyone remember Rocker circa 1996? The guy was flat-out unhittable. He was an abrasive jerk, but the Braves didn't care, so long as he kept on striking guys out. As soon as he lost his control and a few MPH off his fastball, he was done. It's funny though, even though Rocker now "sucks" by MLB player standards, he still made an average guy look even worse by comparison.

SlickBomb

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

vatican plum — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:13:50 EST

This is perhaps not the most appropriate thing to mention after the Grady Sizemore post, but John Rocker's ass looks disarmingly good in that second photo. I'm too lazy to do research on this, but if I'm not mistaken Rocker's famous comments from seven years ago were not the only stupid things he's said. Didn't he break out with some real gems as recently as last year?

vatican plum

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Jakob — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:53:19 EST

generally, i think we are more likely to forgive and give a second chance to an athlete who can continue to produce. but, rocker has failed to do anything since his PR boo-boo in the baseball world. yet, he continues to try and be in the spotlight and until he does something worthwhile again we will never forgive what he said.

Jakob

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

sw — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:50:57 EST

That is awesome. How did the contest 'winners' do?

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Frank Pentangeli — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:44:25 EST

interesting stuff, honest

Frank Pentangeli

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

kowgurl — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:42:23 EST

you are a brave man.

kowgurl

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

TsetseFly — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:41:22 EST

and could you imagine if he didn't have a PR person running around with him? setting up his website? he'd prob be selling shirts that say "Border control begins with a rifle" "Speak English...or die"

TsetseFly

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

AlexProp — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:41:22 EST

Should I be frightened that I have enough in common with Will to own the Ankiel #66 official BP jersey? Yikes. I mean, lookin' good my man. Lookin' good.

AlexProp

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

Footsteps Falco — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:41:04 EST

I agree with you about Rocker - not to ignore the idiocy and and insensitivity of what he said but it seems to me that the biggest reason that Rocker has not been forgiven (or, at the very least, allowed to go anywhere or do anything without being asked about that interview) is that his career pretty much tanked after he gave the interview. Sports fans are great at forgiving folks but the forgiveness usually coincides with success on the court or the field. And Rocker probably could have shaken alot of the drunken, racist good ole boy image problems if had managed to pitch well - go ask Kerry Collins how many people in NY or in general were still asking him about his previous displays of Rocker-like behavior after he managed to win a few ballgames for the Giants.

Footsteps Falco

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

TsetseFly — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:38:35 EST

Just checked out his publicists site...it's "under construction" but has a link to Rocker's website. under products: "Speak English" t-shirt. description: "Speak English" t-shirt - buy the shirt John wears!" wow. and to think this is his attempt at working his image.

TsetseFly

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

junkie — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:33:27 EST

Is that a leather jacket you have on as your warm-up Will? Hitting never looked this goooooood

junkie

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

jane — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:26:04 EST

What was the ump doing there? You should have argued balls and strikes just to see if you could get tossed.

jane

Deadspin Field Trip: Batting Against Rocker

William — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:24:01 EST

Wow. Oh wow. Will, you had to know what was going to happen after sporting the Ankiel jersey. I don't know what's worse: Will striking out against Rocker or me being happy with going 7 for 10 over two softball games last night. At any rate, way to get out there and live in the cold, frigid real world than on that couch!

William