John Rocker facts for kids

John Loy Rocker (born October 17, 1974) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He started his major league career in 1998 with the Atlanta Braves. He played for them for parts of four seasons. He also played for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His last professional games were for the Long Island Ducks in 2005.

Rocker became well-known during his career for making some controversial statements. These comments began with a 1999 Sports Illustrated interview. The attention continued even after he stopped playing baseball. After his baseball career, Rocker appeared on the TV show Survivor: San Juan del Sur. He competed with his girlfriend, Julie McGee, and finished in 16th place.

Baseball Career Highlights

Early Life and Draft

John Rocker was a pitcher for First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia. He pitched three no-hitters during his high school years. He first planned to play college baseball for the Georgia Bulldogs. However, the Atlanta Braves chose Rocker in the 18th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 516th player picked overall.

Playing in the Major Leagues

In 1998, the Braves brought Rocker up to the major leagues. In his first season, he had a record of 1 win and 3 losses. His ERA was 2.13 in 38 innings pitched. The next year, the Braves' closer, Kerry Ligtenberg, got injured. This moved Rocker into the role of closer. He finished that year with 4 wins, 5 losses, and 38 saves. His ERA was 2.49.

In 2000, he had 1 win, 2 losses, and 24 saves. His ERA was 2.89. However, in June 2000, Rocker was sent down to the minor leagues due to his behavior.

Challenges and Later Career

Rocker started to get a lot of teasing from fans of other teams. This was because of his negative actions and comments. His pitching also began to get worse. On June 22, 2001, Rocker was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He was traded along with minor-league player Troy Cameron. In return, the Braves received pitchers Steve Karsay and Steve Reed, plus some cash.

In Cleveland, his record that year was 3 wins and 7 losses. His ERA was 5.45, and he had four saves. Rocker pitched in the ALDS (a playoff series) against the Seattle Mariners. After that season, the Indians traded him to the Texas Rangers. He was traded for pitcher David Elder. In Texas, he did not want to be sent to the minor leagues. In 2002, he struggled again with 2 wins and 3 losses and a 6.66 ERA. He was then released by the team.

In 2003, Rocker signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But he was released after only two games. His ERA in those games was 9.00.

Independent League Play

He took the 2004 season off to recover from surgery on his left shoulder. In 2005, he signed with the Long Island Ducks. This team is part of the independent Atlantic League. In April 2005, he asked New Yorkers to "bury the hatchet," meaning to forget past disagreements. After playing 23 games with 0 wins and 2 losses and a 6.50 ERA, he was released on June 27, 2005.

Beyond Baseball: TV and Movies

Animated Series and Film Debut

The comments Rocker made about New York City were made fun of in the MTV animated show Celebrity Deathmatch. In an episode called "Celebrity Deathmatch: North vs. South," his opponent was New York Yankees star Derek Jeter. Rocker himself did not voice his character in the episode.

Rocker made his first acting appearance in a movie in 2002. It was a horror comedy called The Greenskeeper. He played a golf-club groundskeeper who was a killer.

Reality TV Appearances

In 2006, Rocker appeared on the Spike TV network's Pros vs. Joes. This show features retired professional athletes competing against amateur players.

In August 2014, it was announced that Rocker would be on the 29th season of the reality show Survivor. He was on the show with his girlfriend, Julie McGee. He was the third person voted off the island. He finished in 16th place after becoming the focus of negative attention. Some of the other players recognized him right away because of his past controversial statements. He was voted out of the game on Day 8.

Inspiration for a Character

Danny McBride said that John Rocker was "more or less an inspiration" for the character Kenny Powers. Kenny Powers is the main character of the HBO series Eastbound and Down.

Other Activities

In December 2011, Rocker released his autobiography, a book about his own life, called Scars and Strikes. As of 2012, he writes a column for WorldNetDaily. This is a conservative political website.

See also

• Tampa Bay Rays all-time roster