Everett: 10-Game Suspension for Head-Butting
N E W Y O R K, July 20 -- — Boston Red Sox outfielder Carl Everett wassuspended for 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount by MajorLeague Baseball today for bumping umpire Ronald Kulpa twice inSaturday’s game against the New York Mets.
The players’ union immediately appealed the suspension, whichmeans Everett can continue to play until a hearing is held by PaulBeeston, baseball’s chief operating officer.
No date was set for the hearing.
Batter’s Box Bout
In Baltimore with the Red Sox, Everett was angry over thepunishment imposed by major league baseball.
“They tried to make me out to be a monster,” he said. “If youlisten to what was said, it’s their own opinion, not what youactually see. It’s what they wanted everyone else to see.”
Everett, who is batting .323 and leads the Red Sox with 25 homeruns and 72 runs batted in, became furious when Kulpa, umpiring athome plate, drew the inside line of the batter’s box with his foot,showing where the hitter could stand.
The Boston slugger confronted Kulpa, making contact twice, thesecond time with a bump to the head that sent the umpire staggeringaway. Everett was thrown out of the game and continued his tirade.
He had to be restrained by teammates and coaches. When hereached the dugout, he threw over a water cooler and threw a bat.
Mets Complained of Plate-Crowding
A night earlier, Mets reliever Dennis Cook was thrown out of thegame after hitting Everett with a pitch. Cook stormed toward theplate, indicating that Everett’s wide-open stance takes him beyondthe batter’s box lines.
Major league baseball has reminded umpires that they can orderthe lines redrawn during the game.
The batter’s box measures 4 feet by 6 feet and is outlined inchalk on three sides with the inside line closest to home plate notdrawn.
Umpires allow 6 inches off the plate to indicate the insidelimits of the box. It was that 6-inch area that both Cook and Kulpasaid Everett had violated.
