Posted on 07/19/2005 4:50:07 AM PDT by TomB
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers had another run-in with a cameraman Monday when he turned himself in on misdemeanor assault charges stemming from an earlier tirade against two cameramen.
The three-time All-Star, who is appealing a 20-game suspension and $50,000 fine, was released after posting $1,500 bond. Rogers jawed at a cameraman for Dallas-Fort Worth television station WFAA as he was booked into the county jail. Just as with the incident that led to the charges, the exchange was caught on tape.
WFAA reported on its Web site Monday that photographer Mike Zukerman was videotaping the procedure when Rogers turned to him and said, "You're getting really close; you know that? Do you hear me?"
A few seconds later, Rogers again turned to the camera, saying, "You must be pretty proud of yourself, too."
After Zukerman replied, "It's just my job, Kenny," Rogers responded: "Yeah. Your job. That's just your excuse."
Rogers was not available for comment before Monday's game against the New York Yankees at Ameriquest Field. He is scheduled to pitch Thursday at home against Oakland.
Rangers officials said they don't know if Rogers' appeal will be heard Thursday or Friday. However, no hearing date has been set, according to MLB and players' association officials Monday.
"We'll miss him in those three, four starts he'll miss," Rangers owner Tom Hicks said. "He's our best pitcher."
The Rangers lost three of four games in a weekend series at Oakland, and Rogers (11-4, 2.54 ERA) was the winning pitcher in the only victory. A circus pregame atmosphere returned to Ameriquest Field with the arrival of the Yankees and news of Rogers turning himself in.
"It's not a distraction as long as we can go out and do what we do on the field," Rangers shortstop Michael Young said. "That's what we do best, and [Rogers' situation] doesn't translate onto the field."
Rogers, 40, faces a Class A misdemeanor charge of assault with injury in the shoving of KDFW-TV cameraman Larry Rodriguez, Arlington police spokeswoman Christy Gilfour said.
Police also will mail to Rogers' attorney a Class C misdemeanor assault citation for the shoving of Fox Sports Net Southwest cameraman David Mammeli, Gilfour said.
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000, or both. A Class C misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
On June 29, Rogers lashed out at the cameramen as they taped him walking to the field for pregame stretching. The episode led to Rodriguez being treated at a hospital after the camera was ripped from his hands and thrown to the ground.
Rogers apologized a week later, saying the incident was out of character and would never happen again.
Gilfour said Fox Sports -- which owns the camera Rogers damaged in the shoving of Rodriguez -- has declined to press criminal charges.
Rogers was booed at last week's All-Star Game, but he said he came because he wanted the players who voted for him to know he appreciated it. He didn't want those votes to be wasted.
Before giving up six runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings at Los Angeles on June 22, Rogers won nine straight decisions, a career best, and was the AL ERA leader. It wasn't known until after he pulled out of a start June 28 against the Angels that he had a broken bone in his non-pitching hand by punching a water cooler 11 days earlier.
A public figure wanting privacy in public. That's a concept to ponder.
I would love to see that happen. Then these overpaid, pampered slugs would realize that it is the game and the fans that make them not themselves. If the fans weren't filling the seats they would be working for a living and not living in the lap of luxury.
Why do you think that the media should give them any more of a pass than they now get? They get a break from the courts to the evening news.
Kids stand in line to pay for their autographs because of simple idol worship. That must really stress professional athletes,dealing with the masses.
More light being shined on professional jocks is what we need, not less.
Actually that Kenny Rogers had a thing for cameras.
How does taking their pictures set them up?
These clowns are worshiped. It is very seldom that anything negative is reported or published about a professional athlete unless their is a grand jury or a criminal charge involved.
I don't see any of them being set up. They do a fine job of that on their own, simply by being the people that so many of them are, low lifes with no marketable skills other than athletic ones.
If these cameramen want to try to provoke people, they should not whine when one of them reacts. Clymers all of them.
How, exactly, did the cameraman "provoke" Rogers in both cases?
Refused to get out of Rogers' face when asked. The camera toting moron then lipped off to him. Rogers was right to beat the guy down.
Which incident was this? What about the other incident?
I was referring to the first incident. The latest one at the police station was also uncalled for by the media.
The cameramen did nothing to deserve his abuse.
You picked a fine time to film me you heel
With my lousy temper and two fists made of steel
I'll take some bad shots and I'll make you see spots
And this time your black eyes won't heal
You picked a fine time to film me you heel
After I decked him I ordered more whisky
and with one punch that cameraman fell
From the lights of the bar room to a Hospital trauma room
We fought without stopping at all
Yet the camera kept rollin' and when I snapped his colon
He must have thought I'd gone too far
I had to pound him 'cos he wouln't stop filmin'
now he's got a handicap tag on his car
You picked a fine time to film me you heel....
Shooting video is provocation? Nothing about the article indicates that anything more than shooting video in public took place.
They say a camera adds ten pounds. I figure I'm being filmed by about a dozen hidden cameras at any given moment.
He should count his blessing that he's making coin at his age... he does not have many years left. No long-term contract for you Kenny R.
p.s. Go Yanks... beat the hell outta the Texas stRangers tonight.
What is amazing is that he is standing in a police station getting booked for that very thing!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.