| | Associated Press
BOSTON -- Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez was suspended for
five games Wednesday for hitting Roberto Alomar with a pitch after
being warned not to retaliate for a hit batsman.
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ESPN.com analysis
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Whether you think Pedro Martinez deserved a suspension or not, you have to agree that the rule that led to his suspension is seriously flawed. Martinez and Nagy did exactly the same thing. Each hit a batter in the mid-section, purposely.
Yet Martinez will miss a start because his bench had been "warned," while Nagy draws no punishment at all except a small fine. Essentially, in this situation the team that plays dirty first is rewarded. It's a little like awarding a prize fight to the boxer who bites an ear off first.
-- Rob Neyer
ESPN.com
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Martinez, the 1999 AL Cy Young winner, immediately appealed the
ruling from Frank Robinson, baseball's vice president of on-field
operations. The suspension was announced the same day that Martinez
was named the AL's pitcher of the month for April.
Martinez, who is 5-0 and leads the AL in wins, ERA and
strikeouts this season, will be able to pitch until his appeal is
heard. His next start is scheduled for Saturday against Tampa Bay.
"I'm hopeful that the suspension will be reduced on appeal,"
Boston general manager Dan Duquette said before the Red Sox played
the Detroit Tigers. "Pedro takes a lot of pride in making his
starts when asked. He also takes pride in being a leader on the
ballclub."
Martinez, who was also fined an undisclosed amount, didn't
comment on the ruling Wednesday, but said earlier in the week that
he did not expect to be punished for his role in two bench-clearing
confrontations last Sunday in Cleveland.
"There's no discipline to be issued. There's nothing. There's
no fight," Martinez said Monday. "This is all part of the game."
Alomar also declined comment, but other members of the Cleveland
Indians were still steamed about the incident on Wednesday.
"He deserved it. He deserved to get something. If not a
suspension, a fine or whatever," shortstop Omar Vizquel said in
Cleveland. "That was pretty chicken, what he did."
Cleveland pitcher Charles Nagy was also fined, but not suspended, for hitting Boston's Jose Offerman moments before
Martinez beaned Alomar. He said he would not appeal.
"There are ways of pitching inside. You don't have to throw at
guys' heads," Nagy said. "I think everybody expected something to
happen. I'll just pay it and move on."
Sunday's confrontations began when Martinez brushed back Einar
Diaz, who had doubled twice already, with a pitch in the seventh
inning. The two glared at each other across the diamond.
"Pedro was clearly pitching inside to Einar Diaz because he was
hanging over the plate," Duquette said. "He was pitching inside
to try to get him out."
In the top of the eighth, Nagy hit Offerman in the side with a
pitch. As Offerman took a few steps toward the mound, the Red Sox
and Indians ran onto the field from the dugouts and bullpens.
"It was clear that Nagy was throwing at Offerman," Duquette
said. "Otherwise, why would Nagy be fined?"
After the umpires warned him not to throw at any batters,
Martinez hit Alomar in the backside in the bottom of the inning and
was ejected.
"It's a very strong statement by Frank Robinson that he's not
going to let Pedro Martinez stand out there and have target
practice," general manager John Hart said.
Indians reliever Scott Kamieniecki said he was more upset about
the brushback pitch to Diaz than the one that hit Alomar.
"You don't throw at a guy's head. That's got no business in
baseball," he said. "Any ballplayer will tell you that what he
did was intentional. It was premeditated. You could tell."
Detroit manager Phil Garner, who was suspended for eight games
after last week's brawl against the Chicago White Sox, said he is
concerned that the suspensions might make pitchers even more timid
about pitching inside.
"We have a code: An eye for an eye," Garner said. "I don't
believe in firing the first bullet, but there are situations where
you do have to protect your players."
Martinez's appeal will be heard by Paul Beeston, baseball's
president and chief operating officer. Beeston will rule on all
appeals that previously were heard by the league presidents.
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