As baseball resumed yesterday, the league was finally able to hand down suspension from last Friday’s brawl between the Red Sox and Orioles.
David Ortiz and Kevin Gregg, the two main players involved in the altercation, were handed the steepest penalties. Each were suspended four games and hit with hefty fines. Gregg has announced he will appeal the decision and will remain playing until his case is heard. Ortiz and the Red Sox were off Thursday and it is not yet clear if he will also appeal or simply begin serving his time.
The madness began last week towards the end of what was already an ugly game. Gregg entered the contest in the 8th with the O’s trailing 9-3. He went on to give up an RBI triple to Josh Reddick, and that 10th run apparently set him over the edge.
Next at the plate was Big Papi. Gregg threw three straight fastballs in tight to Ortiz, and Boston’s DH was none too pleased.
"“This is a guy that I always face and he never pitches in,” Ortiz said the next day. “He throws a whole bunch of pitches inside, and I’m quite sure he was trying to hit me, no question about that.”"
After Gregg nearly missed Ortiz a third time, the big man took a step towards the mound visibly agitated. A fight was avoided, but only for another pitch.
Ortiz popped the next offering into center field and as he began making his way to first base, Gregg started yelling at him and gesturing for him to move faster. The reliever was upset that Ortiz was not running the hit out.
As ridiculous as Gregg’s argument may now sound, it was enough to cause Papi to see red. He rushed Gregg and punches were thrown. Benches and bullpens cleared and Gregg and Ortiz were ejected along with Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and O’s reliever Jim Johnson.
However, the fireworks didn’t end there. Orioles’ reliever Mike Gonzalez and manager Buck Showalter were also handed down suspensions as Gonzalez threw at Ortiz during Sunday’s finale after both teams had received warnings.
For more on the Orioles and Red Sox, be sure to check out Birds Watcher and BoSox Injection.