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06-30-05, 11:27 AM
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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers could face assault charges after shoving two cameramen Wednesday, sending one to the hospital in a videotaped tirade that included throwing a camera to the ground and threatening to break others.
Rogers (9-3), who missed his last start for the struggling Rangers with a broken pinky he suffered during an outburst earlier this month, erupted at the cameramen as they filmed him walking to the field for pregame stretching before Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels.
The 40-year-old left-hander first shoved Fox Sports Net Southwest photographer David Mammeli, telling him: "I told you to get those cameras out of my face."
Rogers then approached a second cameraman. He wrestled the camera from Larry Rodriguez of Dallas-Fort Worth television station KDFW, threw it to the ground and kicked it.
Rodriguez filed a formal police report against Rogers on Wednesday night, claiming assault. Police went to interview Rodriguez at about 9 p.m. ET at the Medical Center of Arlington where the cameraman was being examined for possible injuries.
According to Lt. Blake Miller, detectives plan to interview Rogers sometime on Thursday.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound pitcher saw two other cameramen who were recording from the Rangers' dugout and walked toward them. He did not make contact with the men, who were backing away.
"I'll break every ... one of them," Rogers said before he was escorted to the clubhouse by catcher Rod Barajas.
The Rangers sent Rogers home about an hour later.
KDFW news director Maria Barrs said paramedics took Rodriguez to the hospital to be checked out.
"He does have quite a bit of pain, in his shoulder and his arm and his leg," Barrs said. Rodriguez was treated and released.
Fox Sports Net Souhwest spokesman Ramon Alvarez said Mammeli wasn't injured.
Footage shot by Dallas-Fort Worth station KTVT shows Rogers pushing Rodriguez's camera, which goes over the photographer's head and falls to the ground. As Rodriguez puts the camera back on his shoulder, Rogers approaches again, pushing the lens away and having words with the photographer.
As players begin to intervene, Rogers pulls the camera to the ground and kicks it before walking away.
Rodriguez said that when he picked up the camera the second time, his intentions were to keep getting footage of Rogers.
"I figured since now he vented that he was all good, but the second time was just a little bit too much," he said in an interview on KDFW.
"There's no question he was upset. I don't understand why we were the ... I don't know if we were the stem of the problem or what," he said. "I don't think we did anything wrong."
Rangers general manager John Hart said late Wednesday that the team had contacted Major League Baseball, and wouldn't say whether the team would suspend Rogers.
Hart said he had talked to Rogers and "Kenny obviously realizes his actions were incorrect."
"His comment to me was 'I didn't handle this right. I'm frustrated. My integrity and toughness is being called into question,' " Hart said.
Rangers manager Buck Showalter, who did not witness the events, said the said the team will investigate.
"It's not something we'll take lightly," Showalter said. "When I have all the facts, I'll deal with it."
Showalter added: "One person was frustrated -- frustrated at not being able to win."
Texas lost eight of nine entering Wednesday night's game, which the Rangers won 7-6.
"I think it demonstrated an appalling lack of control," Barrs said. "The team doing poorly is no excuse for assaulting a guy who's just doing his job."
"What Kenny did was wrong and we won't condone it," Rangers owner Tom Hicks said. "It will be handled internally."
Rogers missed his turn Tuesday night against the Angels because of a small broken bone in his right pinkie. Rogers was hurt after he came out of a game against Washington on June 17. Video clips showed him knocking multiple coolers to the ground, then looking at his right hand.
Rogers has refused to talk to reporters all season, and on Tuesday night ordered television cameras turned off around him. He has boycotted most media since a report before spring training that he threatened to retire if he wasn't given a contract extension.
Hicks said he's aware that Rogers has a temper.
"Kenny has had a short fuse dealing with the media," said Hicks. "I've heard stories about what may or may not have happened. He has issues. It's directed at the media and I don't know why."
Rangers players were supportive of Rogers.
"It's something we're going to keep in-house," said Gary Matthews Jr., who hit a two-run homer for the Rangers. "It's going to be between Kenny and the front office."
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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers could face assault charges after shoving two cameramen Wednesday, sending one to the hospital in a videotaped tirade that included throwing a camera to the ground and threatening to break others.
Rogers (9-3), who missed his last start for the struggling Rangers with a broken pinky he suffered during an outburst earlier this month, erupted at the cameramen as they filmed him walking to the field for pregame stretching before Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels.
The 40-year-old left-hander first shoved Fox Sports Net Southwest photographer David Mammeli, telling him: "I told you to get those cameras out of my face."
Rogers then approached a second cameraman. He wrestled the camera from Larry Rodriguez of Dallas-Fort Worth television station KDFW, threw it to the ground and kicked it.
Rodriguez filed a formal police report against Rogers on Wednesday night, claiming assault. Police went to interview Rodriguez at about 9 p.m. ET at the Medical Center of Arlington where the cameraman was being examined for possible injuries.
According to Lt. Blake Miller, detectives plan to interview Rogers sometime on Thursday.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound pitcher saw two other cameramen who were recording from the Rangers' dugout and walked toward them. He did not make contact with the men, who were backing away.
"I'll break every ... one of them," Rogers said before he was escorted to the clubhouse by catcher Rod Barajas.
The Rangers sent Rogers home about an hour later.
KDFW news director Maria Barrs said paramedics took Rodriguez to the hospital to be checked out.
"He does have quite a bit of pain, in his shoulder and his arm and his leg," Barrs said. Rodriguez was treated and released.
Fox Sports Net Souhwest spokesman Ramon Alvarez said Mammeli wasn't injured.
Footage shot by Dallas-Fort Worth station KTVT shows Rogers pushing Rodriguez's camera, which goes over the photographer's head and falls to the ground. As Rodriguez puts the camera back on his shoulder, Rogers approaches again, pushing the lens away and having words with the photographer.
As players begin to intervene, Rogers pulls the camera to the ground and kicks it before walking away.
Rodriguez said that when he picked up the camera the second time, his intentions were to keep getting footage of Rogers.
"I figured since now he vented that he was all good, but the second time was just a little bit too much," he said in an interview on KDFW.
"There's no question he was upset. I don't understand why we were the ... I don't know if we were the stem of the problem or what," he said. "I don't think we did anything wrong."
Rangers general manager John Hart said late Wednesday that the team had contacted Major League Baseball, and wouldn't say whether the team would suspend Rogers.
Hart said he had talked to Rogers and "Kenny obviously realizes his actions were incorrect."
"His comment to me was 'I didn't handle this right. I'm frustrated. My integrity and toughness is being called into question,' " Hart said.
Rangers manager Buck Showalter, who did not witness the events, said the said the team will investigate.
"It's not something we'll take lightly," Showalter said. "When I have all the facts, I'll deal with it."
Showalter added: "One person was frustrated -- frustrated at not being able to win."
Texas lost eight of nine entering Wednesday night's game, which the Rangers won 7-6.
"I think it demonstrated an appalling lack of control," Barrs said. "The team doing poorly is no excuse for assaulting a guy who's just doing his job."
"What Kenny did was wrong and we won't condone it," Rangers owner Tom Hicks said. "It will be handled internally."
Rogers missed his turn Tuesday night against the Angels because of a small broken bone in his right pinkie. Rogers was hurt after he came out of a game against Washington on June 17. Video clips showed him knocking multiple coolers to the ground, then looking at his right hand.
Rogers has refused to talk to reporters all season, and on Tuesday night ordered television cameras turned off around him. He has boycotted most media since a report before spring training that he threatened to retire if he wasn't given a contract extension.
Hicks said he's aware that Rogers has a temper.
"Kenny has had a short fuse dealing with the media," said Hicks. "I've heard stories about what may or may not have happened. He has issues. It's directed at the media and I don't know why."
Rangers players were supportive of Rogers.
"It's something we're going to keep in-house," said Gary Matthews Jr., who hit a two-run homer for the Rangers. "It's going to be between Kenny and the front office."
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