ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – 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, appealing a 20-game suspension and $50,000 fine imposed by baseball commissioner Bud Selig, 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 Yankee. He is scheduled to pitch Thursday at home against Oakland. and Rangers officials said they don’t know if Rogers’ appeal will be heard Thursday or Friday.
“We’ll miss him in those three, four starts he’ll miss,” Rangers owner Tom Hicks said.
“He’s our best pitcher.”
Texas 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.
“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.”
On June 29, Rogers lashed out at two cameramen as they taped him walking to the field for pregame stretching. The episode led to one of those cameramen, Larry Rodriguez of KDFW, 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.
Arlington police spokeswoman Christy Gilfour said Rogers faces a charge of assault with injury in the shoving of Rodriguez. She also said police will mail an assault citation to Rogers’ lawyer for shoving Fox Sports Net Southwest cameraman David Mammeli.
The assault charge involving Rodriguez is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. The other charge is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Gilfour said Fox Sports – which owns the camera Rogers damaged in the shoving of Rodriguez – has declined to press criminal charges.
AP-ES-07-18-05 2018EDT
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