Kenny Rogers suspended for 20 Games

SUMG · July 1, 2005

Also, he was fined an undisclosed amount.

untbowler · July 1, 2005

ooops you just beat my post, found out he is getting fined 50K

MeanGreenBuzz · July 1, 2005

Holy crap. I think that is harsh considering what people caught using steroids get...

UNTFan23 · July 2, 2005

What happened?

Monkeypox · July 4, 2005

A Chronology:

2002 - Kenny continues to make bad financial decisions, with the help of Scott Boras. Following a 13-8, 3.85 ERA campaign for the Rangers, he and the aforementioned Boras overestimate his value. Boras tells the Rangers he can get x-number from 9 other teams in baseball tomorrow. Rangers say "good luck," and all Kenny gets is an 11th-hour one-year deal with the Twins for half what the Rangers offered.

2003 - Kenny's season with Minnesota is solid, but unspectacular. It's the kind of season you might get w/ a 38-39-yr-old junk-baller, and he goes into free agency.

2004 - The Rangers are one of the few teams willing to pay a 39-yr-old Kenny to pitch for them AT ALL. And, they're the only ones to give a multi-year deal, something Boras was looking for. Rogers signs, has a good 1st half, and tanks in the 2nd half.

2005 - February - Rogers doesn't like his multi-year deal now, and wants to negotiate during spring training. Rangers tell Kenny they'll see after the season. A rumor circulates that Kenny threatened to retire if he doesn't get a new deal. He gets pissed at Rangers brass (again) and the media for circulating the rumor. His response is ever-so-clever, to stop talking to the media. Of course, when you don't talk to the media, they still have things to say.

So, Kenny has had an ongoing feud with the Rangers brass and the media all season.

2005 - June 17 - Kenny pitches well, but gets pulled late in a game after a 4-pitch walk. At the time, they're LEADING 8-1, and the Rangers go on to win. Kenny, angry, punches a water cooler with his right hand (non-pitching) and breaks his pinky. The next day, Kenny again brings up re-negotiating his contract.

2005 - June 22 - Kenny pitches against Anaheim and has his worst game of the year.

2005 - June 28 (?) - Kenny sits out a game vs. Anaheim, who are on a tear and the current AL West Division leader, on account of his broken pinky. The media makes comments about Rogers toughness in comparison to other great pitchers, and wonder aloud whether he's dodging the Angels to keep his numbers nice for the upcoming contract negotiations.

2005 - June 29th - Kenny gets pissy and smashes the framed photo of Nolan Ryan beating on Robin Ventura, signed "Keep Fighting. - Nolan" that resides in the clubhouse.

2005 - June 30th - Coming out of the clubhouse for pre-game warm-ups, Kenny assaults two Fox Sports cameramen. The first cameraman gets by relatively unscathed, as his camera gets tossed over. Kenny walks 30-ft out of his way to attack the 2nd cameraman, who suffers an aggravation to previous neck and back injuries.

Kenny is thus suspended 20 games and $50,000. It's really pretty minor for an assault on work-property, especially when you consider the suspension is paid. If assaulting people at work would get ME a month-long paid vacation, I'd be knockin' suckas out left and right. It will probably actually help his trade value, since there's really nowhere for his ERA to go but UP, particularly given his 2nd-half downward trends.

untgirl04 · July 5, 2005

I just can't help but think there's more going on in Roger's personal life right now that's escalating his reactions. However, I think that he's acting very selfishly toward his teammates in that he can't control his anger enough to pitch when they need him most.

I'd like to point out that that series against the Angels was crucial to the rest of the season. At this point, it's hard to say whether or not the Rangers can pull out a division win, since the Angels are determined to play good ball.

That being said, I don't think that suspensions should be paid. How much of a hit to your pocketbook is it when you get a 20 game rest, get paid half a million dollars, and pay out $50,000? I think the real root of the problem here is that MLB has so inflated its players' egos with irrational salaries that players have forgotten why they play the game and what their real worth is. No player is worth $250 million dollars. Not even Satchel Paige or Babe Ruth.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Coach · July 5, 2005

I think you are on the right track blaming the total amount of A-Rod's 10 year contract for a 40 year old with the maturity and temperament of a child.

The fact he gets paid during his suspension is lame, but that's what the players union and MLB agreed upon. Maybe Bud could actually get that changed next time, or even better, there may be a commish with doo-dads when the current CBA runs out.

I feel like this is just like everything else in pro sports...a reflection on our society, just on a different scale. Every day idiots lose their temper and fight someone or damage someone else's property. And every day someone is claiming neck and back injuries for their $250,000 settlement. If that weren't the case, we wouldn't hear near as much from Jim Adler, the Texas Hammer. Rogers is clearly insane and should be punished for whatever damage he did, but I'm listening to sports talk today, and it seems like everyone needs to calm down and take a step back (of course if they don't execute the latter, they may have a 40 year old left handed fist in their mouth).