Major League Baseball handed out punishments today for last night's brawl between the Red Sox and Rays at Fenway Park, suspending eight players, three of them Red Sox.
Outfielder Coco Crisp got the longest, a 7-game suspension (he is appealing). Jon Lester got 5 games (not appealing), and Sean Casey 3 games (no decision on an appeal yet).
For Tampa Bay, James Shields got 6 games, Jonny Gomes 5 games, Edwin Jackson 5 games, Carl Crawford 4 games, and Akinori Iwamura 3 games.
MLB staggered the punishments. The suspensions for Shields, Gomes, and Lester are slated to begin tonight. Crisp?s was supposed to begin tonight as well, but he?ll get to play while it is appealed. Crawford's will begin June 11, Jackson's June 13, Casey's June 14, and Iwamura's June 17.
The only Sox suspension that will begin tonight is Lester?s, though it will likely only result in his next start being pushed back a day thanks to Monday?s off day. Tonight?s starter Bartolo Colon will likely move up a day and pitch on Wednesday on regular rest, with Lester going Thursday.
When told that he was suspended this afternoon, Crisp claimed he did not know he had been penalized.
Asked if he was interested in hearing which Rays players were suspended, Crisp said "No, not really, doesn't matter to me."
Was Crisp surprised he was suspended?
"Everybody gets suspended when they charge the mound," he said.
All eight players also were fined undisclosed amounts.
Outfielder Coco Crisp got the longest, a 7-game suspension (he is appealing). Jon Lester got 5 games (not appealing), and Sean Casey 3 games (no decision on an appeal yet).
For Tampa Bay, James Shields got 6 games, Jonny Gomes 5 games, Edwin Jackson 5 games, Carl Crawford 4 games, and Akinori Iwamura 3 games.
MLB staggered the punishments. The suspensions for Shields, Gomes, and Lester are slated to begin tonight. Crisp?s was supposed to begin tonight as well, but he?ll get to play while it is appealed. Crawford's will begin June 11, Jackson's June 13, Casey's June 14, and Iwamura's June 17.
The only Sox suspension that will begin tonight is Lester?s, though it will likely only result in his next start being pushed back a day thanks to Monday?s off day. Tonight?s starter Bartolo Colon will likely move up a day and pitch on Wednesday on regular rest, with Lester going Thursday.
When told that he was suspended this afternoon, Crisp claimed he did not know he had been penalized.
Asked if he was interested in hearing which Rays players were suspended, Crisp said "No, not really, doesn't matter to me."
Was Crisp surprised he was suspended?
"Everybody gets suspended when they charge the mound," he said.
All eight players also were fined undisclosed amounts.
