John Rocker – An amazing closer for the Atlanta Braves but all ruined by an intolerance for others and the rules

Tags

1974, 1993, 1998, 2001, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, John Rocker, June 23, Macon GA, October 17, Steroid

John Rocker – Atlanta Brave

Man, John Rocker could pitch and what a closer he was. John Loy Rocker (born October 17, 1974) is a relief pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, the Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as well as the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed. He is a native of Macon, Georgia and lives in Atlanta.

In high school, he was a pitcher for First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia.He threw three no-hitters during his high-school career. He was soon drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 18th round (516th overall) of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft.

In 1998, he was promoted to the major league club. In Rocker’s first season in the Major Leagues, he was 1–3 with a 2.13 ERA in 38 innings pitched. The following year, an injury put Atlanta closer Kerry Ligtenberg on the DL, moving Rocker into the role of closer, where he was 4–5 with 38 saves and a 2.49 ERA. In 2000, he was 1–2 with 24 saves, posting a 2.89 ERA, but in June 2000, Rocker was demoted for threatening a reporter.

John on whether he would ever play for the New York Yankees or the New York Mets.

I’d retire first. It’s the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark looking like you’re riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It’s depressing… The biggest thing I don’t like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?

Braves fans were initially willing to support him; however, as Rocker received intense taunting from opposing teams’ fans, his pitching performance declined. On June 23, 2001, Rocker, along with minor-league infielder Troy Cameron (Atlanta’s first-round draft pick in 1997), was traded to the Cleveland Indians for right-handed relievers Steve Karsay and Steve Reed, along with cash. 

I abhor the “steroid era” in baseball. In March 2007, Rocker was implicated in a steroid ring that included Applied Pharmacy of Mobile, Alabama. In December 2011, he admitted to using steroids, saying “Yeah, of course I was [using steroids]. I mean who wasn’t? Let’s be honest here, who wasn’t?”

So long to the Braves and so long to what little respect I had left for him. An amazing closer but all ruined by an intolerance for others and the rules.

John Rocker

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	IP	G	GS	R	RA9
1998	23	ATL	NL	38.0	47	0	10	2.37
1999	24	ATL	NL	72.1	74	0	24	2.99
2000	25	ATL	NL	53.0	59	0	25	4.25
2001	26	ATL	NL	32.0	30	0	13	3.66
2001	26	CLE	AL	34.2	38	0	23	5.97
2002	27	TEX	AL	24.1	30	0	19	7.03
2003	28	TBD	AL	1.0	2	0	1	9.00
6 Seasons				255.1	280	0	115	4.05
ATL (4 yrs)				195.1	210	0	72	3.32
TBD (1 yr)				1.0	2	0	1	9.00
TEX (1 yr)				24.1	30	0	19	7.03
CLE (1 yr)				34.2	38	0	23	5.97

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/10/2017.

Does “The Crime Dog”, Fred McGriff, deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?

Tags

1993, 1997, All Star, Atlanta Braves, Fred McGriff, Hall of Fame, Home Run Derby, World Series

Fred McGriff

I really enjoyed watching Fred “The Crime Dog” McGriff. Fred was a very good baseball player for a long time. I think he does deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

Fred was an Atlanta Brave from 1993-1997. McGriff hit a home run in his first game with the Braves, who acquired him to replace the struggling Sid Bream in at first and provide an offensive spark, and was a key player in the Braves’ 51-19 finish to overtake the San Francisco Giants and claim first place in the National League West for a third consecutive season. He finished with a career high 37 homers and fourth place in the NL MVP voting. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, McGriff was batting .318 and had 34 home runs when play ended in August 1994. He won the All-Star Game MVP Award that year after hitting the game-tying home run for the National League, after the NL trailed 7–5 in the bottom of the ninth inning. McGriff was runner-up to Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1994 Home Run Derby.

Fred remained with the Braves in 1995 and continued to be a successful cleanup hitter. He hit two home runs in the 1995 World Series en route to his only World Series championship ring. Fred hit .295/.365/.494 with a career-best 107 RBIs on his way to another World Series appearance in 1996. With 22 home runs in 1997, McGriff appeared to be in decline. He was called out on strikes by umpire Eric Gregg on a pitch 3 feet outside thrown by Liván Hernández during the 1997 NLCS, which was the last significant event for McGriff as a Brave. The team allowed him to be picked up by the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays after the season.

He made 5 All-Star teams while winning 3 Silver Sluggers, 2 league home run titles (one in each league…the first to pull off that feat), and won a World Series ring. His career WAR of 52.4, while not earth-shattering by any means, is as good or better than 62 players CURRENTLY in the Hall, including Lou Brock, Sandy Koufax, Kirby Puckett, Ralph Kiner, Jim Rice, and Phil Rizzuto.

Not that long ago, his 493 home runs as well as his long and consistent career would have essentially guaranteed that he would have at the very least gotten strong consideration for enshrinement even if there are reasons he isn’t a lock.

My my, how times have changed. It is hard to figure out the Hall of Fame voting some days. OK, it is hard to figure it out on many days.

When the voting results were announced in 2015, McGriff, despite being a worthy candidate on paper, only appeared on 20.9% of ballots in his 7th year of eligibility. While a decent jump from the previous year’s 12.9%, much of that can be attributed to decreased number of voters this year due a recent purge of the voting members’ ranks. The end result is that while its not outside the realm of possibility he gets close to induction, its a long shot. The relative snubbing hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Good enough (1898)

Tags

1892, 1898, 1993, Bobby Cox, Boston Beaneaters, Frank Selee

Frank Selee with the Boston Beaneaters – 1898

Being good enough in baseball is what it is about some days. The 1898 Braves (then known as the Boston Beaneaters) weren’t as good as they were in the previous season percentage wise. They ended up 6 games ahead to win the pennant. Frank Selee continuted to be a mastermind as the manager. Their record was 102-47.

So, they were good enough. They won 9 more games than the year before. Their winning percentage was .685 and a little lower than the year before.

Part of this is about statistics. This was the year that the National League expanded to the 154 game schedule. 102 wins was VERY good. It tied the 1892 pennant winners for a record. It stood until Bobby Cox and the Braves won 104 (of 162) in 1993.

Second place isn’t good enough (1884)

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1884, 1993, Boston Beaneaters, John Morrill

John Morrill

John Morrill moved into his third season in 1884. The year before he had won the pennant. This year the Boston Beaneaters would finish second 10 1/2 games behind for second place with a 73-38 record.

Their winning percentage that year was .658. In 1993 they won the NL West with .642 per cent winning record. Odd that they were over 10 games behind with that kind of talent. But that is the beauty and heartbreak of baseball.

Chipper Jones 1990 Baseball Card

Tags

1990, 1993, Atlanta Braves, Chipper Jones

Typically, draft picks didn’t make an impact on the hobby until their Major League careers began. By the late 1980s though, the rookie card craze had a firm grip on collectors and manufacturers alike.

The manufacturers were looking to get a jump on each other by featuring the first card of a player, and major league experience was no longer a criteria for making a checklist.

The entire story of Chipper Jones selection ensured that both his name and that of college bound (ha) Todd Van Poppel were known by virtually every collector. The manufacturers would cram Chipper Jones into virtually every product they could. By the time he made his major league debut in September of 1993, there were well over 20 cards already available.

Amazing year for Frank Selee with a .705 record (1897)

Tags

1897, 1993, Boston Beaneaters, Frank Selee

Frank Selee – Boston Beaneaters

Finally!! In Frank Selee‘s 8th season (1897) as manager, the Braves (then known as the Boston Beaneaters) had the best record in the franchise history at that time. They finished first, 93-39 and 2 games ahead. Frank was able to get the best out of them like he did earlier in his career.

How good would this record be in the modern era? A team today would have to win 115 games out of the current 162 game schedule. It was a .705 percentage record.

In 1993, the Braves had a .642 record which brought them 104 wins.

This was an amazing year for sure!!

Sad trade for Dale Murphy and a sad day for Braves fans (April 3, 1993)

Tags

1993, April 3, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Dale Murphy

Dale Murphy – Colorado Rockies

April 3, 1993 was a sad day for Braves fans. The Rockies signed free agent veteran Atlanta Braves outfielder Dale Murphy.

The two-time MVP would hit just .143 in 26 games for the Rocks. Unfortunately, I remember it.

I wish he had simply retired in Atlanta.