Marchand: John Rocker's New York Greeting Will be Just Boos
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In sports news, quickly now, they actually are going to play baseball this weekend between the Braves and the Mets, despite what you've been hearing. The Braves in town for a four-game series with New York. A divisional match-up with one giant distraction, the return of Braves pitcher John Rocker to Shea Stadium. Last year, Rocker was the player that Mets fans loved to hate. New York City officials believe it could be worse this year. This is the reliever's first trip to New York City since his now infamous magazine article in "Sports Illustrated," rather, several months ago. In that article, Rocker demeaned just about everybody in New York City.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A so-called Bronx cheer for John Rocker.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were going to try shower him not with only batteries, but probably battery acid.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He can burn in Hell for all I care.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We should kick his butt.</s>HEMMER: Tough crowd, special security measures will be in place at the ballpark tonight. Ten times the normal number of police officers, about 600, will work that game, and a protective cover has been placed over the Braves' bullpen, this to guard against thrown objects. By the way, the Mets trail the Braves by two games in their division.</s>DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In the NL East, that they do.</s>HEMMER: They're actually going to play some baseball, aren't they?</s>KAGAN: How about that, we're going to hear more about this series on how Rocker's return will play out in New York. We turn now to Andrew Marchand, he is a Mets beat writer for the "New York Post," he joins from our New York bureau. Andrew, thanks for joining us.</s>ANDREW MARCHAND, REPORTER, "NEW YORK POST": Thanks for having me. Did you hear those sound bites right before we came to you? is that representative of the kind of reception John Rocker will be getting from Mets fans today, do you think?</s>MARCHAND: Yes, let's hope it's just, you know, the verbal sort, that people just boo him and show that they didn't like his comments and the way he's acted since then, and that there's no batteries thrown or anything like that. But a lot of people feel like, you know, ignore the man as well. You know, he said that if he was to be ignored that would be the worst punishment he could have. So that would be the best outcome. But most likely there will be some boos and hopefully nothing worse than that.</s>KAGAN: We talked to the head of the New York police department the last hour, he said security is going to be very tight, a lot of officers. How ugly do you think this is going to be at Shea Stadium this weekend?</s>MARCHAND: It's hard to predict, again, like I said, let's hope it's not going to be too ugly. But you know, there have been batteries thrown, I mean, that's not, you know, only at Shea Stadium. That happens a lot of places. They are taking special security methods, they are going to have in excess of 500 policemen. They've done special things to the bullpen and, you know, the bottom line is that there's going to be enough security hopefully to keep things down. And you know, obviously, Major League Baseball and the police department think that something could happen. That's why they have done all the extra security measures.</s>KAGAN: I also understand they are cutting down on beer at Shea Stadium for this series. A two-beer limit each time you go up to buy and they're cutting things off in the 6th inning, instead of 7th inning; that can make plenty of fans not to happy.</s>MARCHAND: Yes, that's true, that's another reason for the fans to boo John Rocker. And it's probably a wise move. But you know, it's a strange move in some respects, though, because there's always is problems at the ball park, so why don't they just do that for every game. You know, because this could happen, as the GM Steve Phillips said yesterday to a group of reporters, you know, something bad could happen at any time at the ballpark, so, you know, eliminating alcohol from the ballpark's not that bad of an idea.</s>KAGAN: Ah, some fans might have a different opinion about that.</s>MARCHAND: Sure.</s>KAGAN: Bottom line, this could actually be a very good series in terms of baseball. I had a chance to look at your piece today on the NYPOST.com. And you talk about there's a very different 7-train the Braves must be concerned and that's New York Mets, a team that's on a seven game winning streak and hotly contesting for the lead in the NL east. Give us a little taste of baseball action this week.</s>MARCHAND: Sure, yes, by the way, there will be some baseball played.</s>KAGAN: Yes,</s>P.S. MARCHAND: Yes, exactly, Daryn. They are two games behind the Braves, one in the lost column. And the Mets are playing their best baseball of the season. It's a four-game series with some tremendous match-ups. Rick Reed, who's known as "Greg Maddux lite," pitches against Greg Maddux of the Braves, he's one of the best pitchers in baseball to start off the series this evening. So baseball, you know, and not John Rocker, should be fun this weekend. And again, hopefully nothing is marred.</s>KAGAN: And hopefully that's what you will be able to write about the in the Post. Andrew Marchand, from the "New York Post," thanks for joining us this morning.</s>MARCHAND: Thank you very much for having me.