Angels’ Torii Hunter accepts four-game suspension
Reporting from Detroit — Torii Hunter already had advised his agent to start preparing his appeal for a possible suspension after the Angels right fielder’s tantrum Friday night at Comerica Park.
“I’m going to fight it,” Hunter told reporters in the clubhouse following his eighth-inning ejection, which preceded an outburst in which his batting helmet brushed against umpire Ron Kulpa‘s face and Hunter flung a bag of balls onto the field.
There wasn’t much fight in Hunter a day later.
He decided to accept the four-game suspension and undisclosed fine handed down by Major League Baseball after conferring with agent Larry Reynolds, Angels General Manager Tony Reagins and Manager Mike Scioscia. Hunter sat out the Angels’ game against Detroit on Saturday and won’t return until the Angels conclude a three-game series against Kansas City on Wednesday at Angel Stadium.
“The more you think about it, the more you watch it,” Hunter said, “that’s not me and I really let that guy push my buttons, and I shouldn’t have let it come to that. I apologize to the fans and to the kids out there and to my kids.
“I was terrible yesterday. I threw balls on the field, I said some things I wish I wouldn’t have said and you have to pay the price for it. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Hunter was upset after Kulpa called three consecutive strikes, later intimating that the umpire had said something to him during a previous at-bat in which Hunter complained about his strike zone.
“Passion is a double-edged sword,” Scioscia said. “Sometimes it drives a player to achieve things they might not think they can do and at times it comes back and it gets you.”
Hunter’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the Angels’ batting order and in the outfield. Slumping designated hitter Hideki Matsui batted cleanup and lumbering Juan Rivera started in right field Friday. Hunter leads the team in many offensive categories, including batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.505), runs batted in (70) and home runs (18, tied with Mike Napoli).
“Obviously, it’s tough for us as a team; it’s tough for Torii,” Scioscia said.
Thompson goes on DL
Reliever Rich Thompson, who has allowed only two runs in 9 2/3 innings over six appearances since being recalled last month, was placed on the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder. The move opened a roster spot for Scott Kazmir, who was activated from the disabled list before Friday’s game.
“Rich is throwing the ball as well as at any point that we’ve seen him, and we want to make sure this thing calms down,” Scioscia said.
Short hops
Relievers Jason Bulger and Brian Stokes, both sidelined by shoulder problems, have progressed to triple-A Salt Lake in their respective minor league rehabilitation assignments. Each pitcher completed a perfect inning Friday, striking out two of three batters in each inning.... Infielder Howie Kendrick had the day off.
ben.bolch@latimes.com
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