DODGERS: Third-base coach Larry Bowa was suspended for three games and fined by the commissioner’s office Wednesday following a wild argument.
Bowa was ejected from Tuesday night’s game against San Francisco in the sixth inning by umpire Ed Montague, who had told him to keep within the boundaries of the coaching box.
Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, cited Bowa for “inappropriate and aggressive conduct,” which included making contact with Montague several times.
Major League Baseball announced in late February that starting this year, first- and third-base coaches must not cross the lines toward home plate or the field until batted balls pass them. Only then can they take up other spots to guide runners.
In November, general managers decided big league base coaches must wear protective headgear this year, starting with exhibition games.
Double-A first base coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a line drive to the neck last season.
Third-base coaches routinely stand much closer to the plate than the lines permit, trying to get a better look at where outfielders are positioned.
“I did it all spring, nobody said a word,” Bowa said after the game. “I did it yesterday, nobody said a word. It’s impossible to coach third and stay in the box with a runner at second.”
Montague said it was “probably one of the dumbest ejections he’s had.”
“We got a memo and an edict, and they’re adamant about the box and stuff,” the umpire said. “Don’t go up in front of the box toward home plate, and don’t get any closer to the foul lines. I told Bo in the bottom of the fifth, because he got up close. And that’s what caught my eye. And I just told him, ‘Bo, you got the memo, we got the memo, and you’ve got to stay back.’ I went over and told Joe in-between innings what I told Bo. And Bo just said, ‘I’m going to do it the way I’ve always been doing it.’
“I said, ‘Bo, if you go up, I’m going to have to run you.’ And he said, ‘Do what you’ve got to do, and it is what it is.’ When he got up in front of it again, I said, ‘Bo, I told you once, now get back in the box.’ He argued it, and finally I said, ‘You’re gone.’ So I gave him every chance in the book and he defied it.”
PHILLIES: Right-hander Rudy Seanez and Philadelphia finalized a $400,000, one-year contract. Infielder Wes Helms was designated for assignment to make room for Seanez. The Phillies have 10 days to either trade Helms or put him on the waiver wire. Helms is due $2.9 million this season, making it difficult to trade him. Helms opened last season as Philadelphia’s starting third baseman. He ended up splitting time with Greg Dobbs and Abraham Nunez. Each started at least 50 games. Helms batted .246 with five homers and 39 RBI in 280 at-bats.
TIGERS: Detroit center fielder Curtis Granderson expects to have X-rays taken on his broken right hand this weekend.
Granderson broke a bone in his right hand when he was hit by Philadelphia’s Travis Blackley on March 22, and has not worked out since. He plans to avoid contact until the injury has fully healed.
“I’m being cautious,” he said before Tuesday’s game against Kansas City. “I don’t want to make it worse.”
Last season, Granderson hit .302 with 38 doubles, 23 triples, 23 homers and 26 steals, joining Wildfire Schulte, Willie Mays and Jimmy Rollins as the only players to have at least 20 in all four categories.
Brandon Inge, who lost his third-base job when the Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera, has been filling in as Detroit’s starting center fielder. Inge hit .236 last year with 14 homers.
RAYS: Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir threw 44 pitches during a 13-minute bullpen session. Kazmir has been slowed by a left elbow strain, which he felt while warming up for an intrasquad game on Feb. 26. He expects to have another mound session Saturday. Kazmir, the AL strikeout champion, went 13-9 with a 3.48 ERA last season. He hopes to rejoin the team before the end of the month.
METS: Pedro Martinez returned to New York for a scan of his left hamstring, and the New York Mets prepared to be without the three-time Cy Young Award winner for an extended period.
“It doesn’t look good,” manager Willie Randolph said, a day after Martinez was hurt while pitching against Florida in his first start of the season.
“He said he heard a pop, and that is not a good thing,” Randolph said. “Usually, when something like that happens, you are put on the DL right away, but we’ll just wait and see what the results are. It could have just been a combination of a real bad cramp or a strain. Any time a pitcher pulls a hamstring, that is usually automatic DL.”
Martinez allowed four runs in 3 1-3 innings during a 5-4, 10-inning defeat, limping off the mound after injuring himself during a pitch. He was to be examined by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
“He’s an unfortunate loss,” pitcher John Maine said. “Everyone knows what Pedro can do.’
The Mets could move up Oliver Perez in the rotation to start Tuesday’s home opener on April 8 against Philadelphia. Jorge Sosa is a longshot possibility for the rotation.
“I think we will keep him where he is right now, but he is also an option,” Randolph said.
Orlando Hernandez started the season on the disabled list.
“We’ve been doing this the last couple of years and that means me, Oliver (Perez), and (Mike) Pelfrey have to step up a little more,” Maine said.
Associated Press
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