MLB Suspends Cubs Piniella Indefinitely for Tirade

Umpire crew alleges that Cubs skipper kicked Wegner.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

CHICAGO - By: Carrie Muskat

Courtesy: MLB.com

Cubs manager Lou Piniella was suspended for at least one game, and possibly more for "aggressive and inappropriate actions" in Saturday's game when he allegedly kicked third-base umpire Mark Wegner.

Piniella was at Wrigley Field on Sunday for the Cubs' series finale against the Atlanta Braves, but bench coach Alan Trammell got the nod to manage the team.

Piniella will talk to John McHale, Major League Baseball executive vice president for administration, on Monday to present his side of the incident. The length of the suspension will be determined after the conversation.

"We'll have a chance for an appeal," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "Today was going to happen -- you were going to get one [game suspension] no matter what happened. Hopefully, we'll get some things across as to how we feel and see what happens."

The fireworks came after Angel Pagan doubled to lead off the Chicago eighth inning against Braves reliever Rafael Soriano and tried to get to third on a passed ball by Atlanta's Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

The catcher recovered in time to throw Pagan out at third, although Pagan and third-base coach Mike Quade disagreed. So did Piniella, who ran onto the field to argue, which brought the Wrigley Field crowd of 40,290 to its feet and, for some reason, prompted bleacher fans to throw garbage onto the field.

The Cubs manager went nose-to-nose with Wegner, kicking dirt on his shoes and booting his own cap twice.

After the game, Piniella admitted Wegner got the call right.

"The umpire was correct," Piniella said. "The guy was out. I was going to argue if he was out, safe or whatever."

Crew chief Bruce Froemming said on Saturday that Piniella kicked Wegner.

"He made physical contact with the third-base umpire," Froemming told a pool reporter. "He made physical contact with his foot, and he kicked dirt on [Wegner] several times, and the rest was show and tell.

"The whole world saw what he did. It was a terrible display of disrespect, and [the MLB office in] New York will be called immediately and we'll take it from there."

"Froemming said that?" Piniella said after the game. "He's wrong. The league office can look at the film. I kicked some dirt on a guy and that was it."

The Cubs feel Piniella did not kick Wegner.

"I think there's some dispute as to whether there was contact," Trammell said on Sunday. "My watching some of the tape, the highlights, I just saw dirt being kicked on Mark Wegner. I would think if any of us was kicked on the shin, you'd take a step back. I didn't see that at any time. I saw Mark standing there with his hands folded, and obviously Lou was kicking dirt on him. If any of us were kicked in the shin, I think you'd take a step back."

It was the first time Piniella has been ejected this year and the 60th time in his career. The longest suspension he has served as a manager is two days.

The Cubs lost, 5-3, to drop their sixth straight game. It's been a rough week with baserunning gaffes, sloppy play, a fight in the dugout between catcher Michael Barrett and Carlos Zambrano on Friday and then Piniella's temper tantrum.

"When you play as poorly as we have for a few weeks time, a lot of frustration sets in," Hendry said. "You do have a lot of guys who care and a lot of guys who expect to win and a lot of guys who expect more out of themselves.

"Nobody's anything but extremely disappointed and frustrated with where we're at," Hendry said. "When that happens, things sometimes get to the boiling point that they did. I think Lou, in his heart, when he went out there yesterday, he thought the call was blown."

Trammell thought so, too, and he had a better vantage point from the top step.

"From our perspective he looked safe," Trammell said. "Obviously, from the replay he was out. [The third baseman] made a good tag, and Angel slid right into his glove. The reason I stay up on that step [in the dugout] is because when you sit on the bench you can't see the bases. It's really a different perspective.

"I thought he was safe myself," Trammell said. "I would've done the same thing."

Many Cubs fans have been waiting for Piniella to erupt. He gave them quite a show.

"You have to wait for the right play -- it's not like you go get kicked out to get kicked out," Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee said. "He felt the play was one of those plays. It was a big play. We could've had a guy at third with less than two outs. It was one of those moments. Things all clicked together."

Was Lee surprised that Piniella was suspended?

"For kicking an umpire? No," Lee said.

According to the statement by Major League Baseball, Piniella was suspended and fined an undisclosed amount for his aggressive and inappropriate actions, including making contact with Wegner "on multiple occasions" in the eighth inning.

Bob Watson, vice president of on-field operations for MLB, made the announcement on Sunday.

Piniella will serve his suspension until McHale has reached a decision on the length of the penalty.

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