Rocker sent to Minor League

Its about time the braves do something.

ATLANTA -- Embattled Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker was sent down to the minors Monday, one day after an angry confrontation with a reporter at Turner Field.

Rocker, who has struggled with control since returning from a two-week suspension, was optioned to the Braves Triple-A club in Richmond. Manager Bobby Cox said the move was unrelated to Sunday's incident with Sports Illustrated reporter Jeff Pearlman, who wrote the story in which Rocker made derogatory comments about gays, minorities and foreigners.

"This is something that's been brewing for awhile," Cox said. "We've been bailing him out. It couldn't go on like that forever."

Pearlman said the pitcher threatened him and tried to get him banned from the Atlanta clubhouse.

Rocker's teammates were clearly disturbed by the latest outburst.

"You've got one guy being a cancer time and time again," said outfielder Brian Jordan, who has been one of Rocker's most vocal critics. "Eventually, it's going to have an effect on the team."

Pearlman, in Atlanta to do a story on the Braves playing the New York Yankees in a rematch of last year's World Series, met up with Rocker in a service tunnel near the clubhouse about two hours before the final game of the series.

According to Pearlman, Rocker made threatening comments such as, "This isn't over between us," and, "Do you know what I can do to you?"

The confrontation lasted about two minutes and became so heated that Rocker flipped around the bill of his cap so he could get face-to-face with the reporter.

"I was scared," Pearlman said. "But he didn't do anything."

General manager John Schuerholz declined to discuss the incident, but issued a statement saying team officials "immediately began to address the matter internally and are continuing to do so."

Apparently, no other Braves players saw the confrontation.

"I've heard him say time and time again that he feels like he was misrepresented in that article," Chipper Jones said. "Obviously, he still has issues with the guy who wrote the article.

"Sure, the right thing to do would have been to walk away. But I haven't seen John back down from a conflict yet."

Rocker, who has struggled this season after 38 saves a year ago, pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Yankees. The first two hitters singled and moved up a base when Rocker was called for a balk. But he escaped trouble by getting Chuck Knoblauch on a popup and Derek Jeter on a flyout.

The Yankees won 7-6.

After Rocker's comments in a December issue of SI, the team called together about a half-dozen players to discuss what action should be taken with Rocker. The consensus was to give him another chance.

"Obviously, it hasn't worked," said Jordan, adding that he expects management to call another meeting soon to discuss Rocker's conduct.

"He made his bed, now he's got to sleep in it," the outfielder said. "If he feels this is the best way to handle it, he's going to get burned. You have to grow up sooner or later. He's not only hurting the team, he's hurting himself."

Pearlman said it was the first time he has spoken with Rocker since the December article, in which the pitcher said he would never play for a New York team because he didn't want to ride a subway train "next to some queer with AIDS."

He also said, "I'm not a very big fan of foreigners. ... How the hell did they get in this country?" In addition, Rocker called a black teammate a "fat monkey."

Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rocker for the first month of the regular season and fined him $20,000, but an arbitrator reduced the suspension to two weeks and the fine to $500. The pitcher also was ordered to undergo sensitivity training.

Rocker has 10 saves since rejoining the team May 18 but also has struggled with his control, issuing 25 walks in 18 1-3 innings. His ERA is 3.85.

"I think his anger is misdirected," Pearlman said. "I really do feel bad for the guy. I feel bad for his family. It was not my intent to do that kind of story."




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