Kumar Rocker pitches at Rangers spring training.Rocker is throwing in the upper 90s in camp and wowing folks, including star Marcus Semien, who said he was most impressed with Rocker’s “mound presence” in a recent throwing session. Semien surmised that Rocker’s time in upstate New York with the independent team Tri-City ValleyCats made for a nice transition, a level Rocker likened to the NBA’s G-League.
A little over a year after shoulder surgery to clean up the joint, Rocker, who once was seen as having the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick, feels great. “Everything’s back to normal,” he said. “So now it’s all about executing a pitch.” Rocker, very poised off the mound as well as on, said he learned the ropes of a pro athlete from his dad, Tracy Rocker, the former college great and NFL defensive lineman and coach. While he said he will try to be more “mindful” about not pushing himself, he also said he only knows one way.“I grew up with the philosophy you don’t get off the field until you have a bone sticking out,” Rocker said. “That’s how I grew up and that’s how I’m going to continue to play.