Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kevin Gregg were suspended four games and fined Thursday for their parts in a July 8 bench-clearing brawl.
Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez was suspended three games, and manager Buck Showalter was suspended one game as part of the punishment handed out Thursday by Major League Baseball. Gregg and Gonzalez have decided to appeal, delaying the suspensions; Ortiz was not immediately available for comment.
"I'll let the process go out," said Gregg, who did not reveal the amount of his fine except to say it was "steep." "The four-game is a pretty hefty suspension. I get the right to meet in New York with some people, tell them how it went down, what happened, get to say my side of the story."
The Red Sox did not play Thursday, and manager Terry Francona said Ortiz was excused from the team's workout in St. Petersburg, Fla., to give him an extra day to recover from the All-Star game.
"I know now David has to kind of figure out what he wants to do," Francona said.
Showalter was to sit out Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Indians. He was replaced by bench coach John Russell.
"Managers don't really have any rights to appeal," Showalter said, adding that he hoped his players' punishment would be reduced on appeal. "I think we've seen in the past what's initially handed down and what initially gets served are two different things in a lot of cases. So we'll let the process play out."
The skirmish started when Gregg threw two inside pitches to Ortiz. The Red Sox designated hitter started toward the mound after the second, and players from both benches and bullpens trotted onto the field.
Gregg then got Ortiz to pop out and shouted something to the Boston slugger, who charged and met Gregg about halfway between the mound and first base line. Umpire Mike Estabrook ejected Gregg, Ortiz and Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Jeter surprised about All-Star commotion
Derek Jeter says he's surprised his no-show at the All-Star game caused such a commotion.
The Yankees shortstop became a lightning rod this week as talk about his absence kept building. Jeter's decision to rest his sore right calf rather than head to the desert stirred up fierce debate, even among his loyal fans in New York.
That was something of a shock to Jeter, who explained last Friday that it would be prudent for him to sit out and rest up for the second half. Jeter got his 3,000th career hit the next day.
"It seemed to be a non-issue at the time," Jeter said before starting Thursday night's game in Toronto. "I hadn't heard a word about it until someone told me it was all over the TV on Tuesday."
"I guess I was surprised. Surprised is the best way to put it, about the coverage. I understand the disappointment, I get that. I understand fans are disappointed but like I told you guys, I was disappointed I didn't get the chance to go play."
Elsewhere
RAYS: Tampa Bay has put catcher John Jaso on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right side. The move is retroactive to last Sunday.
ATHLETICS: Oakland says left-handed pitcher Brett Anderson will miss the rest of the season after having reconstructive surgery on his elbow.
CARDINALS: Pitcher Jaime Garcia is guaranteed $27 million over the next four years under the contract he agreed to this week with St. Louis.
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