McNamara Fines Evans for Mental Lapse, Then Relents

John McNamara, the new manager of the Boston Red Sox, fined Dwight Evans $100 for a costly mental error Wednesday, then refused to take the money from the team’s elder statesman.

“It’s going to cost me $100,” Evans said after his lapse in right field helped Detroit score five runs in the seventh inning during the Red Sox’s 7-6 exhibition loss to the Tigers at Lakeland, Fla. “The man is mad, and I don’t blame him.”

McNamara said that Evans fouled up in thinking a fly ball he caught was the third out of the inning. Evans, who had been partially blinded by the sun, held the ball as runners scored from second and third on what was ruled a sacrifice fly.

However, a source who asked not to be named said that when Evans went into McNamara’s office to pay the fine, McNamara told him: “Forget it. It’s over. Get out of here.”