TWINS Gardenhire suspended MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire was suspended for one game Saturday for his outburst Thursday night that led fans to throw hats and baseballs on the field during a victory over the Chicago White Sox. Gardenhire missed Saturday night’s home game against the Cleveland Indians. Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president of on-field operations, said Gardenhire also was fined. Gardenhire was ejected in the seventh inning of the Twins’ 10-6 victory over the White Sox. The incident started when Denard Span squared to bunt and was hit by a pitch. Third-base umpire Marty Foster ruled Span’s bat went far enough to be called a swing at the pitch, so Span had to stay in the batter’s box. “You go back and look at the replay of the play that he argued, I think he had a right to argue,” Span said. “I think if the umpire watched that replay, you’d get him to admit that he missed that call. For him to get a suspension for that; I don’t think it’s right.” After being thrown out by Foster, Gardenhire punted his hat over his head and fans responded by tossing dozens of hats and several baseballs on the field.
White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen pulled his players off the field and it took about five minutes for fans to settle down.
“I figured something was coming,” Gardenhire said. “You kick your hat and then all the havoc that went on afterwards, I figured I’d get a little bit of a fine. I didn’t know about the suspension.” Gardenhire said he received a letter from the league saying he was restricted from being in any “Twins area” during the game, including the dugout, clubhouse and his office. He was on the field before the game, however, and posed for the team picture. He said he planned to stay for the game, and would watch from either the press box or stands. “I’m pretty sure we’ll see some more of that,” Span said. “If an umpire makes another bad call I’m pretty sure he’ll have our backs again.” CARDINALS Clement released ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals conceded the Matt Clement signing was a failed gamble Saturday, releasing a right-hander who has struggled to return from shoulder surgery in 2006. Clement, 33, was pitching for the team’s Class AAA affiliate in Memphis, going 1-0 with a 4. 61 ERA in 12 games. He did not make a start, totaling 13 2 / 3 innings, and had allowed three home runs. The move leaves the Cardinals with an open spot on their 40-man roster. “We just felt like he wasn’t making the progression that we thought he would, and ultimately it came down to taking innings away from some guys who we feel need it,” General Manager John Mozeliak said. “We tried to be as patient as we could during this process and I can tell you he worked extremely hard to get back, but in the end it just wasn’t there.” The Cardinals signed Clement to a $ 1. 5-million, one-year contract in January with a club option for next season. He’s 87-86 with a 4. 47 ERA in nine major league seasons and was an All-Star in 2005 with the Boston Red Sox, and made at least 30 starts in seven consecutive seasons from 1999-2005 before encountering shoulder problems. The Cardinals had envisioned him as part of a rebuilt rotation, but he never developed consistency in velocity or pitch movement. Mozeliak said Clement hit the mid- to upper-80 s at times. The Cardinals also announced that outfielder Chris Duncan would undergo surgery to repair a ruptured disc in his neck Monday, a procedure that is likely to end a star-crossed season. Duncan is batting. 248 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI after totaling 20 or more home runs in each of his two seasons. He got off to a slow start related to a sports hernia that required surgery last September and was briefly optioned to the minors to help him relocate his stroke before hurting his neck and landing on the 15-day disabled list July 22.
METS Anderson put on DL HOUSTON — The New York Mets placed outfielder Marlon Anderson on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring Saturday. Anderson is hitting. 222 with 1 home run and 10 RBI in 73 games this season. He said his hamstring has bothered him since he tweaked it in the Mets’ first road trip to Colorado in late May. “Nobody wants to go on the DL, no matter what it is,” the 34-year-old outfielder said. “There is always a letdown when you can’t be out there. But I think it’s best in the end, to get this thing worked out and taken care of.” ROYALS Japanese star demoted KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals designated RHP Yasuhiko Yabuta for assignment Saturday and placed second baseman Mark Grudzielanek on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right ankle. Yabuta, 35, a longtime star for the Chiba Lotte Mariners in Japanese baseball, signed a two-year, $ 6 million contract last November. First-year manager Trey Hillman, who spent the previous five years managing in Japan, planned to use him in middle relief. But he never was effective in his first stint in the major leagues and was sent to Triple-A Omaha on June 25 with a 1-3 record and a 5. 46 ERA. The Royals have an option for a third year for Yabuta and will pay a $ 500, 000 buyout if they choose not to exercise it. Grudzielanek, 38, was injured Friday night in a collision with Ross Gload. MARLINS Marlins pitcher suspended NEW YORK — Florida Marlins minor league pitcher Daniel Gil will begin serving a 50-game suspension immediately after failing a drug test. The commissioner’s office said Saturday that Gil tested positive for the steroid boldenone during a recent screening. Gil is with the Marlins’ Dominican Summer League team. He is the fourth Dominican League player suspended for 50 games this week. Pitchers Braulin Beltre and Yedilson Pena and outfielder Andres Beras of the Cardinals also failed steroids tests.
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