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 Take a seat Barring appeal, contact with ump will cost Cook, Mets
Posted: Thursday September 30, 1999 06:39 PM
NEW YORK (AP) - New York Mets reliever Dennis Cook was suspended for one game and fined $2,000 Thursday by the National League for bumping the cap of an umpire this week. The suspension, given for "overly aggressive behavior and making contact with an umpire," will not take effect until after NL president Len Coleman hears an appeal from the players' association on Friday. "I have no comment until I talk to Mr. Coleman," said Cook, who admitted he was "a little bit surprised" by the ruling. Cook was removed from the Mets' 9-3 loss to Atlanta Tuesday night after walking Gerald Williams in the eighth inning and got into an animated argument with plate umpire Alfonzo Marquez. During the argument, Cook's cap bumped the cap of Marquez, one of the 25 new umpires hired this month. Cook also drew a line with dirt over the plate to point out where he thought his pitches went. "We had a difference of opinion," Cook said Tuesday about the ball-strike calls. "I expressed mine. He expressed his. I'm frustrated. I thought some of the pitches were good pitches." Cook still maintains he made no contact with Marquez. The punishment to a key member of the Mets bullpen comes with the team in the middle of a tight race for the NL wild card. If Cook is to miss a game, Friday might be the least costly because the Mets will start another left-hander, Kenny Rogers, against Pittsburgh. "With Kenny pitching, the need for a left-handed reliever is not as great tomorrow," manager Bobby Valentine said.
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