New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns grew up as a Mets fan in Manhattan, and after a seven-year stint as general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, returned to his hometown to run his childhood club.
As was made clear on his recent appearance on Pablo Torre Finds Out, Stearns doesn't need to prove his Mets bona fides, but New York fans who have been following the team since at least the 1990s will love what he had to say about the team's current run against their NL East division rivals.
Ahead of Monday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, Stearns was asked whether he felt like the team was "waiting for the other shoe to drop" when the Mets played their more successful rivals as a fan.
His response couldn't have been better.
"So I was never waiting for the other shoe to drop," Stearns said. "I was really excited to go to Shea [Stadium] and boo John Rocker."
David Stearns was asked about "waiting for the other shoe to drop" as a Mets fan when the Braves or Phillies would come to New York:
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 21, 2025
"I was never waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was really excited to go to Shea and boo John Rocker" 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZNe5exjUPH
In 2000, Rocker—the Atlanta Braves' hotheaded closer—was public enemy No. 1 in Queens after going on an often racist and homophobic rant against the Mets and the city of New York in an infamous interview with Sports Illustrated's Jeff Pearlman. He was suspended by commissioner Bud Selig to begin the season, and his performance began to dip on the mound when he rejoined the team that May. The Braves sent Rocker down to the minor leagues after he threatened Pearlman before a June game. He was traded to Cleveland in 2001 and out of the MLB after the '03 season.
Other players, like Rocker's former teammate Chipper Jones, plagued the Mets for years, but even 25 years later it is hard to match the animosity that New Yorkers have for a lefty reliever with 88 career saves to his name.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mets Exec Had Savage Line About John Rocker That Fans Will Love.
