Blue Jays Won’t Fine Leach; Say He Missed Game With Personal Problems

Outfielder Rick Leach’s 17-hour absence from the Toronto Blue Jays was caused by personal problems, an official of the American League club said Wednesday.

“From the club’s point of view, we will write it off as being personal problems,” Mike Mitchell, the Blue Jays’ traveling secretary, said from Seattle. “And we’ll deal with it as any major league club would.”

He added that Leach probably won’t be disciplined for missing Tuesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

“We’re looking forward to seeing him back in Toronto and back in uniform,” Mitchell said.

Leach, a second-team All-American quarterback at Michigan in 1978, was scheduled to start in right field against the Mariners. He also missed the team’s flight to Toronto after the game.

“We’ll talk to him when he gets home and find out what happened,” said Howard Starkman, public relations director.

The player’s father, Dick Leach, said he talked with his son about noon Wednesday after waiting up all night for a call.

“He indicated he was safe and making arrangements to report back to the Blue Jays,” the elder Leach said. “I was very, very happy just to hear his voice and hear that he’s alive.

“There’s something bothering him. What, I don’t know. He’s never been involved with drugs.”