CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A baseball arbitrator takes the field today as the player's union goes to bat for John Rocker. They're appealing the Atlanta Braves pitcher's suspension for harsh comments about minorities and gays. CNN's Deborah Feyerick is covering today's hearing in the city Rocker blasted, New York. Good morning, Deb.</s>DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Carol. John Rocker is returning to the city where he offended just about everyone, those disparaging comments he made in "Sports Illustrated" about minorities, immigrants, homosexuals. Rocker is appealing the $20,000 fine and two-month suspension which bans him from spring training as well as the first month of games. His lawyer from the Players Association says that those comments show that there's no just cause for such a heavy penalty. Now, the lawyer calls this pure speech. Rocker apologized for several comments, including this one. He said, "Imagine having to take the number seven trained to Shea Stadium looking like you're in Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who got out of jail for the fourth time..." and Rocker goes on and on. Now baseball commissioner Bud Selig is calling a number of witnesses, among them, members of a coalition of my minority groups. One Atlanta congressman says that Rocker's appeal shows that the relief pitcher simply doesn't get it, or the impact that these kinds of comments have on the Braves, on Major League Baseball, and on the nation as a whole. This is just an arbitration hearing today. It's unlikely there is going to be any decision. Rocker expected to be here at about 10:00. Reporting live, Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.</s>LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Forget the fine, they should just make him walk to the meeting, that should be bad enough if it's in New York.</s>LIN: How about ride the subway?</s>HARRIS: There you go, same thing.</s>LIN: Meet a few native New Yorkers.
John Rocker Appealing Suspension Before Baseball Arbitrator