bravest
09-11-2004, 03:24 AM
Jorge Julio to Appeal Suspension (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=545&ncid=755&e=8&u=/ap/20040910/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_julio_suspension)
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Orioles pitcher Jorge Julio received a four-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Friday for throwing a pitch that nearly hit Minnesota's Augie Ojeda in the head.
Julio, who has 21 saves for Baltimore this season, was also fined $1,000.
Julio has appealed the suspension and fine, saying that he did not throw at Ojeda in Tuesday night's 3-1 loss to the Twins.
"I never try to hit this guy in the face, in the head, whatever," the Orioles closer said Friday. "I'm appealing because the (accusation) is not true."
Julio gave up a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning on Tuesday to Michael Cuddyer, then threw a high inside pitch that almost beaned Ojeda. Plate umpire Ron Kulpa promptly ejected the right-hander.
"I wasn't mad about the home run," Julio said.
"I called for a fastball. I don't know his intentions," Orioles catcher Javy Lopez said. "This team we have, nobody has done anything like this all year, and we've had plenty of chances to do it. If he did throw at him, that would really surprise me. One thing I do know: If he hit him with a pitch, it would have killed him."
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Well, I'm on Julio's side, being a pitcher myself. Pitches slip, and that's probably what happened... Even if $1,000 seems like a chump change-fine for Baltimore's closer, the embarrasment from this whole incident in noteworthy.
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Orioles pitcher Jorge Julio received a four-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Friday for throwing a pitch that nearly hit Minnesota's Augie Ojeda in the head.
Julio, who has 21 saves for Baltimore this season, was also fined $1,000.
Julio has appealed the suspension and fine, saying that he did not throw at Ojeda in Tuesday night's 3-1 loss to the Twins.
"I never try to hit this guy in the face, in the head, whatever," the Orioles closer said Friday. "I'm appealing because the (accusation) is not true."
Julio gave up a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning on Tuesday to Michael Cuddyer, then threw a high inside pitch that almost beaned Ojeda. Plate umpire Ron Kulpa promptly ejected the right-hander.
"I wasn't mad about the home run," Julio said.
"I called for a fastball. I don't know his intentions," Orioles catcher Javy Lopez said. "This team we have, nobody has done anything like this all year, and we've had plenty of chances to do it. If he did throw at him, that would really surprise me. One thing I do know: If he hit him with a pitch, it would have killed him."
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Well, I'm on Julio's side, being a pitcher myself. Pitches slip, and that's probably what happened... Even if $1,000 seems like a chump change-fine for Baltimore's closer, the embarrasment from this whole incident in noteworthy.