Heraldnet.com
SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2008 4:46 pm
LocalNorthwestNation & WorldPoliticsSpecial ReportsPhotosColumnistsMultimedia 
RECENT POSTS:
Putz is back; Rowland-Smith sent down ... for now  July 20

With Bedard, M's can't fish or cut trade bait  July 18

Thinking of Bedard, Sexson and LaHair  July 17

With Sexson gone, who's on first?  July 10

Mariners release Sexson  July 10

Archives:
RELATED ARTICLES:
Lee leads Tribe by Mariners  July 20
Say Hey! Gotcha Willie!  July 20
Seattle back to losing  July 20
M's fans deserve more  July 20
Giants trade Durham to Brewers  July 20
Mariner notes  July 20
Major League Baseball Notebook  July 20
Ex-Mariner leads Indians by Seattle  July 19
M's off to good start  July 19
M's update  July 19
 

ADVERTISEMENT

Mariners Blog


 
ADVERTISEMENT

 

Sexson suspension cut to five games


Posted at 4:43 pm by By Kirby Arnold

In days gone by -- OK, until a couple of years ago -- players who were handed suspensions had to wait weeks before Major League Baseball heard their appeals. Now, when a player is suspended, MLB conducts a hearing within days via conference call.

In the case of Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson, that's a good thing and a bad thing.

Two days after Sexson charged the mound Thursday and was handed a six-game suspension, his case was heard this afternoon. The suspension was trimmed to five games and Sexson began serving it immediately.

MLB's quick handling of the matter is good in the sense that Sexson and the Mariners don't want it hanging any longer than possible. However, it could be a bummer tonight because he has a career .400 average against White Sox starter Javier Vazquez.

Still, Sexson said it's best to start serving the suspension now. He won't go on the road trip to Texas -- good thing, because the Rangers and their fans could be laying for him -- and will be eligible to play again Friday at Safeco Field against the Padres.

"I don't want to get hot in Augusst and then have to serve the suspension," Sexson said.

Mariners fans had better hope Sexson gets hot before August.

Other pregame notes:

With Sexson out, manager John McLaren said he would mix and match at first base. Tonight, he has Miguel Cairo playing first.

This is one of McLaren's more interesting lineups because he also has benched shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt for at least a game in an effort to temper his wild-swinging tendency. Willie Bloomquist is starting at short. Here's the lineup:

Ichiro Suzuki, center field
Willie Bloomquist, shortstop
Adrian Beltre, third base
Raul Ibanez, left field
Jose Lopez, second base
Jeff Clement, DH
Kenji Johjima, catcher
Wladimir Balentien, right field
Miguel Cairo, first base

McLaren also has dropped Lopez down in an effort to get more production out of the middle of the order.
READER COMMENTS
Be the first to comment.
You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet.

To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here.
Log in or register to post new commentLog out
  Return to Mariners Blog
TODAY'S TOP JOBS
 View All Top Jobs 
Top Cars
Top Homes


ADVERTISEMENT