The Cliff Lee-Chris Snyder flap from Monday, when Lee threw a fastball near Snyder’s head and benches emptied, was supposed to be forgotten by the time the Mariners and Diamondbacks get together again Saturday in Peoria.
This afternoon, it became something the Mariners must deal with all the way through the first week of the regular season.
Major League Baseball suspended Lee for five games, beginning with the opener on April 5, for what it said was an intentional pitch near Snyder’s head.
“I’m sure Cliff’s goig to appeal it and we’ll see where it takes us,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “I’m a little bit surprised. But at the end I don’t think we have a whole lot of comment on it. We’ll just let the process play itself out and we’ll see whrere it takes us. There is an appeal process and an opportunity for Cliff to state his case. He will do that and we will see what happens.”
Lee threw a pitch in the third inning Monday that sailed near Snyder’s head, and the Diamondbacks catcher moved toward the mound. Players from both teams left their dugouts and bullpens, although no punches were thrown.
If the suspension is upheld, Lee would miss his first start of the season, which was expected to be the second game on April 6 at Oakland. Barring a reduction of the suspension after appeal, Lee’s first game back would be April 10 when the Mariners play at Texas.
It may affect the Mariners at spring training because manager Don Wakamatsu planned to arrange his starters into a rotation the last couple of weeks in camp.
“We’d like to get a definitive on this sooner than later so you can set the pitching,” Zduriencik said. “I think we’ll leave it where it is right now. Let it play itself out.”
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