Boston star Kevin Youkilis and Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello were suspended for five games each Wednesday and fined by Major League Baseball, a day after their brawl at Fenway Park. Youkilis began his suspension during Wednesday night's game against Detroit. Porcello appealed, and no penalty will take effect until the process is complete. "Basically, I left everything in the hands of the front office," Youkilis said. "Whatever they thought was best for the team was good for me."
Youkilis leads the Red Sox in getting hit by pitches this season with 10 and was tied for fourth in the AL entering Wednesday. "I don't have any regrets," he said. "There comes a point in your life when you can only take so much. When people don't do things in the right manner, you get kind of fed up with it and you have to do what you have to do in life to protect yourself. I take one ball off the eye, my career could be over."
MLB vice president Bob Watson cited Youkilis for charging the mound, throwing his helmet at Porcello and inciting Tuesday night's bench-clearing tussle. Porcello was penalized for intentionally throwing pitches at Victor Martinez in the first inning and Youkilis in the second.
In addition, Detroit pitched Edwin Jackson was fined for what Watson said were aggressive actions.
Players from benches and bullpens went onto the field and Youkilis tackled Porcello, but no punches were thrown. Youkilis and Porcello were ejected. Brewers send Hardy down, cut Hall MILWAUKEE | The Brewers' highly touted young core is being shaken up.
General manager Doug Melvin made his biggest statement this season about the team's future, sending former All-Star shortstop J.J. Hardy to the minors, cutting third baseman Bill Hall and firing pitching coach Bill Castro. A year removed from a magical NL wild-card run, Milwaukee has faced a stark reality after injuries on top of the free agent departures of Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia. The Brewers (55-57) came into July with a two-game lead in the NL Central before losing 22 of the last 35 to fall 6½ games out of the lead and the wild-card race coming into Wednesday.
Delgado has setback PHOENIX | Carlos Delgado's rehabilitation after hip surgery has been put on hold because of a strained right oblique muscle. New York Mets assistant general manager John Ricco says the new injury occurred while the Mets first baseman was working out over the weekend at the team's facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Delgado, who underwent surgery in May, returned to New York, where the oblique strain was diagnosed by a team doctor.
Ricco said Wednesday that the strain was not believed to be severe and the doctor told him it was possible that Delgado could resume baseball activity "in a couple of weeks."However, with only a month and a half left in the season, the setback seriously raises the possibility that Delgado won't be back until next spring. Around the majors Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard is going to have another surgery on his throwing shoulder, all but ending his season and perhaps his time with Seattle. Manager Don Wakamatsu said Wednesday that Bedard will have exploratory surgery on Friday in Los Angeles with Dr. Lewis Yocum, who removed a cyst from Bedard's shoulder in September. ...
The Kansas City Royals granted right-hander Sidney Ponson unconditional release waivers, making the veteran a free agent. ... The Houston Astros are getting a much-needed boost to their lineup. The team announced Wednesday before its game against the Florida Marlins that first baseman Lance Berkman and reliever LaTroy Hawkins were activated off the disabled list. ... Infielder Rich Aurilia went back on the San Francisco Giants' 15-day disabled list Wednesday so they could activate outfielder Nate Schierholtz from the DL. Aurilia returned to the DL, this time with an ankle injury, only five days after coming off from a toe infection. ...
Washington Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for inappropriate actions during a game at Atlanta. MLB vice president Bob Watson said Eckstein would serve his suspension Wednesday night. ... Red Sox announcer Jerry Remy hopes to be on the air soon after taking an indefinite leave of absence to recover from cancer surgery. ... Minnesota Twins left-hander Glen Perkins will have a second MRI exam on his troublesome left shoulder. ... Jordan Zimmermann will have reconstructive elbow surgery next week, leaving the Washington Nationals without their top pitching prospect for at least a year.