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Morning News

Atlanta Braves Relief Pitcher John Rocker in New York for Arbitration Hearing

Aired February 9, 2000 - 10:39 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The Atlanta Braves' top reliever suspended for comments he made in a magazine interview is back in the city he once berated. John Rocker has a hearing in New York today before Major League Baseball's arbitrator.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick in New York with the latest on that -- Deborah.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, New Yorkers booing John Rocker as he walked into Major League Baseball headquarters this morning. He basically said, I'm not talking to you guys. You'll have to be patient and read it in the papers like everyone else.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ROCKER, ATLANTA BRAVES RELIEF PITCHER: You guys will find out later. Just be patient. I don't have anything to say to you guys. There's no reason for me to talk to you guys and just be patient. You'll find out later.

QUESTION: What will happen later that won't happen now?

ROCKER: Read it in the papers like everybody else.

QUESTION: What's in the papers, John?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: You can hear some of those boos.

The relief pitcher is here for an arbitration hearing. He is appealing his two-month suspension, a suspension which basically means he misses all of spring training, as well as the first month of games.

Rocker is being represented by the Players Union. A spokesperson for that union says there is, quote, "no just cause," unquote, for such a heavy penalty. He also says that it's a penalty over what he called "pure speech." Now, Rocker, as you remember, disparaged minorities, immigrants, gays, all of this in a "Sports Illustrated" article several months back.

Inside this baseball headquarters, the commissioner, Bud Selig, he's going to be calling witnesses; among them an Atlanta councilman who basically says that Rocker is appealing this shows he doesn't understand the impact that his comments have had not only on the Braves, but on Major League Baseball and on the nation as a while.

Now, this is an arbitration hearing. Unlikely that there will be any judgment or decision by the end of the day.

Reporting live, Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

HEMMER: All right, Deborah, thank you.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Deborah, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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