Teammates Appreciate How Rocker Has Come to Rescue

ATLANTA —  John Rocker wasn’t supposed to face those season-turning situations in the National League division series, but little has gone according to plan for the mettle-tested Atlanta Braves.

The hard-throwing Rocker entered spring training as Atlanta’s left-handed setup man. Rocker wasn’t expected to finish games regularly, but his role quickly changed because closer Kerry Ligtenberg suffered a season-ending elbow injury in March.

Without many options, the Braves promoted the inexperienced Rocker into the high-pressure position. Things couldn’t have worked out better for the league’s team of the decade.

“He’s been great all year,” said Manager Bobby Cox, whose Braves open the league championship series Tuesday night against the New York Mets in Atlanta. “He got the job done [after Ligtenberg was sidelined], and he was sensational [during the division series]. Just sensational.”

In Atlanta’s final two division-series victories over the Houston Astros at the Astrodome, Rocker escaped jams and helped the Braves advance to their eighth consecutive championship series. Notably, he kept his cool throughout.

His teammates weren’t surprised.

“People don’t understand how tense those games were and how different they could have gone, one way or another,” said Atlanta starter John Smoltz, whose division-series-clinching victory was saved by Rocker.

“There are just too many guys who were heroes on our team this year to say that one guy was the hero [of the division series]. But the one guy I could think of is John Rocker. I’ve never seen a guy dominate the last two days in crucial situations like that.”

It doesn’t happen often.

Rocker’s first stand occurred in Friday’s 5-3, 12-inning victory that gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. With the score tied, 3-3, Rocker entered in the 10th with the bases loaded and none out.

He worked out of the worst-case scenario--with a sensational assist from shortstop Walt Weiss--preventing the Astros from scoring and providing a major boost for his teammates. On the heels of that timely performance, Rocker earned the save Saturday in the Braves’ 7-5 clinching victory.

“Both those situations were pretty big for me personally,” Rocker said. “To be in those situations, and come through, it can’t help but give you confidence.

“I’m only one guy on the team, and it was more important for our team success to get the job done there. But it’s exciting to do my job and help us get through that. It was real big.”

Trailing, 7-1, on Saturday, the Astros scored four runs in the eighth while chasing Smoltz. Rocker entered with two out in the inning, a runner on third and all-star Craig Biggio at the plate.

Rocker struck out Biggio swinging. With a runner on second in the ninth, Rocker struck out Jeff Bagwell, Carl Everett and induced a series-ending fly to center from Ken Caminiti.

“That wasn’t easy to come in that situation and get four outs,” Cox said. “The game sort of got on the line there.”

That’s when Rocker has been at his best.

He has emerged among the major league’s top young relief pitchers, making the most of his opportunity. Rocker, who turns 25 on Sunday, had 38 saves in his first season as a closer at any level. Mark Wohlers established the franchise record with 39 in 1996.

Rocker went 4-5 with a 2.49 earned-run average, relying on his 95-mph fastball to strike out 104 in 72 1/3 innings. The second-year pitcher threw six scoreless innings during the ’98 playoffs, and is setting the bar higher this year.

Moreover, he’s a bargain. Rocker made $217,500 this season.

“When you get into these types of situations [the playoffs], you can’t let guys beat you by hitting their pitch,” Rocker said. “You have to have that confidence that you can get guys out by throwing your pitch, and that’s really all I’m trying to do.”

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Cox doesn’t expect to make changes in Atlanta’s rotation for the league championship series.

Barring unforeseen complications, Greg Maddux will start Game 1 against the Mets at Turner Field. Maddux will be followed by Kevin Millwood, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, maintaining the four-man rotation the Braves used in the division series.

Maddux lost the opener of the division series against the Houston Astros last Tuesday and faced one batter in the seventh inning of the Braves’ 5-3, 12-inning victory Friday. Millwood earned a save in that game, working the final inning on only one day’s rest.

Cox doesn’t foresee problems because of their relief work.

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Add the Chicago Cubs to the list of ballclubs pursuing Atlanta batting instructor Don Baylor as a managerial candidate.

Cub General Manager Ed Lynch will interview Baylor once the Braves’ season ends, according to a published report. Baylor, who formerly managed the Colorado Rockies, also is being considered for the Angel job among others.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.