Rocker Says He Lost Cool and Sounded Like a ‘Jerk’

John Rocker acknowledged Wednesday that his comments about minorities and homosexuals in a magazine article made him sound like “a complete jerk.”

In his first interview since the uproar, the 25-year-old relief pitcher spoke to ESPN at his home in Macon, Ga., and again apologized, repeating that he is not a racist.

He pointed out that teammates Andruw Jones, Bruce Chen and Odalis Perez--all minorities from outside the United States--lived with his family in Macon while they were playing for the Brave minor league affiliate in Macon.

“If I was a racist, would I want a black guy living in my house and would I invite him to come to my house? I did that three times over,” Rocker said.

Other than a brief written statement, the interview marked the first time Rocker spoke publicly about the controversy.

Rocker said he “just lost [his] cool” and said things he didn’t mean about New York fans because he wanted “to inflict some emotional pain in retaliation to the pain that had been inflicted on me.”

Rocker said he was frustrated by New York Yankee fans who threw batteries at him during the World Series. He said Met fans spit in his face, poured beer on him and beat a likeness of him during the National League championship series.

“I’ll reiterate again and apologize one more time to anybody I’ve offended,” Rocker said. “It certainly was not my intent.”

In the Sports Illustrated interview, Rocker said he would never play for a New York team because he didn’t want to ride a train “next to some queer with AIDS.” He also bashed immigrants, saying “I’m not a very big fan of foreigners. . . . How the hell did they get in this country?”

While driving in Atlanta during the interview, Rocker spit on a toll machine and mocked Asian women.

Rocker was asked what he would think if someone else made similar comments.

“I’d think he was a complete jerk,” he said. “Who the heck does this guy think he is mouthing off like this? What kind of experiences does he have to talk from?”

Rocker said the reaction to his remarks already has forced his family to change its phone number twice. He has hidden in the back of a van to avoid photographers and TV cameras outside his home.

He also thinks his life eventually will return to normal.

“You hit one home run in the big leagues, it doesn’t make you a home-run hitter,” Rocker said. “To make one comment like this doesn’t make you a racist.”

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Outfielder Todd Hollandsworth and the Dodgers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.45-million contract. Hollandsworth, 26, batted .284 with nine home runs and 32 runs batted in in 92 games last year.

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The Texas Rangers reached agreement with left-handed pitcher Darren Oliver on a $19-million, three-year contract. . . . The Kansas City Royals agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Jorge Fabregas and invited him to spring training as a non-roster player. . . . The Milwaukee Brewers traded pitcher Cal Eldred and infielder Jose Valentin to the Chicago White Sox for pitchers Jaime Navarro and John Snyder.

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Federal regulators fined three companies more than $500,000 for safety violations in the collapse of a mammoth crane at Milwaukee’s Miller Park that killed three ironworkers last July 14.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was fined $240,500, Neil F. Lampson Inc. was fined $131,300 and Danny’s Construction, which employed the ironworkers, was fined $168,000. The companies have 15 days to appeal the citations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

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Road and sewer improvements, land purchases and other costs will drive the price of the taxpayer-financed Cincinnati Reds’ ballpark to at least $334 million, Hamilton County officials said. Previously, the ballpark, scheduled to open in 2003, was projected to cost $235 million.

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Due to overwhelming response from fans who want to attend ceremonies honoring longtime star outfielder Willie McGee, the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to hold a second day of activities in his honor. They are scheduled for April 8-9.