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 Out of the lineup Eddie Perez suspended for four games, Cox for two
Posted: Tuesday August 03, 1999 11:34 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Atlanta Braves catcher Eddie Perez said Tuesday he is upset and disappointed with a four-game suspension and $1,000 fine for his role in a brawl with Philadelphia and will appeal. Manager Bobby Cox drew a two-game suspension, but won't appeal and will sit out games in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Thursday. Pat Corrales will manage in his absence. "I'm going to have to sit sometime, I might as well sit here," Cox said. "What are you going to do?" Cox clearly was unhappy with the suspension, saying he returned to the field only to "restore the peace." Then, taking a verbal jab at Mets manager Bobby Valentine, said, "I don't think it's the same thing as coming back and sitting on the bench in disguise." Cox, who was ejected for the eighth time this season, also was fined $5,000. Perez was fined $1,000. Braves pitcher John Smoltz, who also was ejected, was fined $2,500 but was not suspended. Perez, 0-for-1 with two walks in a 7-1 loss Tuesday at Pittsburgh, was especially upset that no Phillies were suspended. "Nobody [from the Phillies] gets fined or suspended," he said. "That's ridiculous." The fight began after Phillies pitcher Paul Byrd hit Perez in the third inning Friday night, the second time in less than a week that Byrd hit his former teammate with a pitch. Byrd leads the majors with 13 hit batters. The following inning, the pair exchanged words when Byrd came to the plate and Perez threw a punch, setting off a brawl. Cox had been ejected the previous inning for arguing a double-play call and was suspended for returning to the field. Smoltz was ejected by plate umpire Jerry Meals in the fourth after hitting Alex Arias with a pitch. However, Smoltz was not suspended, apparently after arguing he should have been warned first by Meals.
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