John Rocker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Rocker |
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Rocker in 2014
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 17, 1974 Statesboro, Georgia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 5, 1998, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 14, 2003, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 13–22 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.42 | ||
| Strikeouts | 332 | ||
| Saves | 88 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Loy Rocker (born October 17, 1974) is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from America. He played for six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). John Rocker was best known for his time with the Atlanta Braves.
He made his big league debut in 1998 with the Braves. After leaving the Braves, he also played for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His last professional baseball game was in 2005. After his baseball career, Rocker appeared on the TV show Survivor: San Juan del Sur.
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Baseball Career Highlights
John Rocker was a talented pitcher in high school. He played for First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia. During his high school career, he pitched three games where no one on the other team got a hit. He had planned to play college baseball for the Georgia Bulldogs. However, the Atlanta Braves chose him in the 18th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves
In 1998, the Braves brought Rocker up to the major leagues. He had a good first season, with a 1–3 win-loss record. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.13 over 38 innings. The next year, the Braves' main closer, Kerry Ligtenberg, got hurt. This moved Rocker into the important role of closer. He finished that season with 38 saves and a 2.49 ERA.
In 2000, he continued to be a closer, getting 24 saves. However, he faced some challenges that year. He was sent down from the team in June 2000. This happened after he had a disagreement with a reporter.
Later Career and Challenges
As his career continued, John Rocker started to get a lot of teasing from fans. This was because of some of his public comments. His pitching performance also began to get worse. On June 22, 2001, the Braves traded Rocker to the Cleveland Indians. He was traded along with another player for two other pitchers and some money.
In Cleveland, his record was 3–7 with a 5.45 ERA. He also had four saves that year. After the season, the Indians traded him to the Texas Rangers. He struggled in Texas and was released in 2002. In 2003, he signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. However, he only played in two games before being released.
Rocker 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 an independent baseball league. He played 23 games for them before being released in June 2005.
TV and Movie Appearances
John Rocker's public comments were sometimes talked about in popular culture. For example, the MTV animated show Celebrity Deathmatch made fun of them. He also made his acting debut in a 2002 horror comedy movie called The Greenskeeper. In this movie, he played a golf-club groundskeeper.
In 2006, Rocker appeared on the Spike TV show Pros vs. Joes. This show features retired professional athletes competing against everyday people.
Appearing on Survivor
In August 2014, it was announced that John Rocker would be on the 29th season of Survivor. He appeared on the show with his girlfriend, Julie McGee. During the show, some other players recognized him. They knew about his past public comments. This caused him to become the focus of some negative attention. He was the third person voted off the show, finishing in 16th place. He was voted out on Day 8 of the game.
His girlfriend, Julie McGee, stayed in the game longer. She made it to the part of the game where the two tribes combine. However, she decided to leave the competition early. She said that the negative attention around Rocker earlier in the game was one reason she quit.
The main character of the HBO series Eastbound and Down, Kenny Powers, was partly inspired by John Rocker. The show's creator said Rocker was an inspiration for the character.
Other Activities
In December 2011, John Rocker released his autobiography. It was titled Scars and Strikes. From 2012 to 2015, he wrote articles for WorldNetDaily. This is a website that shares conservative political views.
See also
- Tampa Bay Rays all-time roster
