n his first two appearances since his suspension, both in home games, John Rocker, the Atlanta Braves relief pitcher, received standing ovations. Brows have been furrowed and lips pursed as thinkers try to decipher the meaning of this. Does it mean that Atlanta, which has long fancied itself "the city too busy to hate," approves of what Rocker said in the Sports Illustrated interview that got him into so much trouble? (He disparaged immigrants, people with AIDS, welfare mothers, etc.) Not really. It is impossible to prove, but plausible that the crowds were simply saying, in the only way open to them: Enough already! The piling on by the media and the cloying self-righteousness of Rocker's critics were, in their way, as off-putting as Rocker's statements.

His future? If he keeps on getting the 25th, 26th, and 27th outs, he will be a very rich man, in Atlanta or elsewhere.