Victorino suspension reduced to 2 games
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Victorino suspension reduced to 2 games
Daily News staff
Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino has been suspended for two games for his role in a benches clearing brawl against San Francisco on Aug. 5.
The centerfielder was the only player suspended on either team, although Giants catcher Eli Whiteside and pitcher Ramon Ramirez were fined, as was the Phillies' Placido Polanco.
The Phillies felt Ramirez intentionally hit Victorino in the back with a fastball during their 9-2 victory.
After he was hit, Victorino took a couple of steps toward the mound, prompting Whiteside and Ramirez to converge on him. Polanco charged in, and the benches emptied. Victorino had to be restrained by home-plate umpire Mike Muchlinski, with whom he made contact, and hitting coach Greg Gross, but ultimately broke free and tackled a member of the Giants' coaching staff. He said later he was attempting to pull bodies away from Carlos Ruiz, who was at the bottom of the tangle of bodies.
At the time, manager Charlie Manuel did not dispute the suspension, but reiterated his belief that Victorino was prompted to react by Ramirez stepping off the mound in his direction.
He initially was suspended for three games and it was reduced on appeal.
The suspension starts tonight against Arizona. He also will sit out tomorrow night against Washington.
More to come ...
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
Why start tonight? They need him, especially with Chooch banged up.— blaqjaq- They don't have a choice. They can't choose a start date one the hearing is held.— scootch
- What is the line-up for tonight? People keep on saying so and so is in the line-up but nobody is saying what it is.— Armyofthe15Monkies
- well, because the appeal is complete. You can't defer a suspension to be based on your time. Besides, Mayberry will be in CF.— palmyra21
- Too bad it's tonight, I'm headed to the game and he has been fun to watch recently.— Phils Phan 28
- Wouldn't surprise me if the lineup was: Rollins, Martinez, Utley, Howard, Pence, Ibanez, Mayberry, Schneider and Worley. I know they like Martinez hitting down in the lineup, but he had a lot of success when he was hitting 2nd--Mayberry seems suited to hit 6th or 7th.— bobbyuk
- All that is lacking is equity.— pedge
- Maybe Ryan Howard can pick up some of the slack? - I doubt it!— Yankees For Life
- I cannot believe Gload is at 1B tonight. Pointless. Kennedy is a good pitcher. We need people that can actually run the bases. Not a cripple with a bad hip. Should have Mayberry at 1b, Martinez in CF for Shane, Valdez at 3b for Polly, and Schneider catching for Chooch. If we win tonight with 4 bench players in the main line-up and our young Vanimal on the mound, I will have no fear about the playoffs. At ALL!— bingbangbong
- That clown Eli Whiteside was the agitator. He was bouncing around looking for a fight like he thought he was a boxer or something. Then he goes at the kness of Polanco. How did he not get suspended?— MoRacker
- He deserved two games. But so do the Giant pitcher and catcher.— retzlaff
- What about Sandoval for throwing a punch? He didn't even get fined.— tommy1969
- Unfair! the giants needed to lose two players-at least for two games! Go Phillies!— weeza1
- I still think Whiteside escalated the situation with his baby hulk jumping jack inviting all for a 'free-for-all" and then draping himself all over Polanco. Can't believe he didn't get a suspension also.— dogman5
- Not a bad line-up considering......expect big John to continue to contribute. Hagen may very well end up eating his words per this mornings piece.....— Northcountry
