Condolences to John Rocker

John Rocker's father, Jake, was killed Tuesday in a car accident. He was 63.

I'm very sad about this. I know that John was close to his father. I know that 63 is way too young for anyone to go, these days. And, having lost my father at 22, I can imagine that it's not much easier at 32. Rocker is still young.

Much of my sadness must come from the illusion that I "know" John. I interviewed him for about a half-hour last summer, and it was one of the most pleasant, interesting, and insightful interviews I've ever had. We were talking about Leo Mazzone, but so much more came across about John. He was generous in his praise for many people, including Leo. He keeps up friendships with old teammates and coaches, even though he's out of the game. He displayed no bitterness. He was smart, and he was gracious, and he was patient when I stumbled on the occasional question, searching for the right words.

John Rocker has a reputation that he'll probably never live down. He did and said some things he shouldn't have done or said. But that was a while ago, and those incidents certainly don't define the man. I don't agree with some of the political opinions he expresses these days, but that's okay. I think his heart is in the right place.

John Rocker and his family are in my thoughts today.