League, Mets prepare for Rocker's arrival

It seems no one can save John Rocker from himself.

But Major League Baseball, the New York Mets and the New York City Police Department will do everything they can to keep the Atlanta relief pitcher safe when the Braves visit Shea Stadium for a four-game series June 29-July 2.

Current security provisions call for increased personnel, surveillance and the placement of a visual shield above the visitors bullpen.

League and team officials won't say how many security personnel will be present, but a Mets official said it will be similar to a Presidential visit. About 100 to 130 uniformed, non-police personnel normally patrol regular season sellouts at the 56,521 seat stadium, said director of stadium operations Kevin McCarthy.

This week, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told a sports radio station that 450 to 500 police officers - some in plainclothes - will be at the games.

Additionally, cosmetic changes are being made to the bullpen, where Rocker will have to warm up should he be needed. The nearest seats hang diagonally above the bullpen near the left field foul pole, giving fans a clear line of sight - and sound. Officials plan to limit Rocker's exposure by building higher fences and adding drapes.

Also, video surveillance will be increased, and the Mets will make special announcements over the public address system and scoreboard.

''I think our biggest thing is that we want this to be like every other game throughout the year,'' said Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney. ''We want everything to run smoothly, and we want these games to go off like the other games do.''

Major League Baseball, the Mets and the Braves have had a series of meetings regarding this series and will meet again before the first pitch is thrown.

''We will have extra security, we will provide escorts, and we will have a pretty good security plan in place,'' said the Mets' McCarthy.

Large crowds are expected for what has become a widely anticipated series. Mets officials say they have had media interest from around the country.

The series would be significant even if Rocker weren't such a big issue. While this might not be a showdown for first place as some might have anticipated in the spring, the Mets were within four and a half games of the Braves in the NL East going into the weekend.

Bad blood between New York fans and Rocker runs deep. Both sides exchanged verbal barbs and lewd gestures through last season's pennant chase and playoffs. The Braves won the National League Championship Series but lost the World Series to the Yankees in New York.

In a December Sports Illustrated article, Rocker called New York fans ''degenerates'' and disparaged the city's homosexual, single-mother and immigrant populations.

A group of fans responded on April 8 by passing out fliers at Shea calling for ''Battery Night'' June 30, urging fans to throw size D's at the pitcher.

Rocker hasn't helped himself on or off the field so far this year. A lack of control prompted a brief demotion to Triple-A. He also had a confrontation with the Sports Illustrated writer who did the original story.

It's clear Rocker is no longer the pitcher who dominated Mets batters last fall. He is still being used as a closer, converting 11 saves in 12 opportunities, but his 5.85 ERA is two full runs higher than last season's, and he is walking twice as many batters. On Wednesday night he surrendered five earned runs in a third of an inning with four walks during a loss to the Cubs.

''Right now, he's lost out on the mound,'' Chicago manager Don Baylor, a former Braves coach, told reporters after the game.

Recently, Rocker told a reporter he vowed to ride the very No. 7 train he derided in the Sports Illustrated article. Responded a No. 7 regular, ''He'll definitely be hassled.''

Which is just what Major League Baseball and the Mets are afraid of come game time.

''We hope that fans will conduct themselves in the proper manner,'' said Courtney. ''I can understand that fans want to express themselves, but you would hope it would be in an appropriate way and obviously wouldn't be a security issue.''

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.