Belle Gets Five-Game Suspension

It was an off day for the Cleveland Indians on Monday, but that didn’t keep Albert Belle from making headlines.

Baseball’s resident bad boy was hit with his fifth suspension in six years Monday for his part in last Friday’s brawl between the Indians and Milwaukee Brewers.

Belle, teammate Julian Tavarez and Milwaukee’s Mike Matheny were suspended for five games apiece.

Belle was penalized for his vicious forearm to the face of Brewer second baseman Fernando Vina, Tavarez was docked for throwing umpire Joe Brinkman to the ground and Matheny was disciplined for charging the mound.

American League president Gene Budig said Belle was suspended “since his action not only threatened injury to an individual but also led to the later disruption of the game.”

Belle’s Los Angeles-based agent, Arn Tellem, said, “Once again, Albert is being held to a different standard. It was just a good, hard play. Albert did not mean to injure Vina.”

Tellem said Belle will appeal his suspension.

Last month, Budig ordered Belle to undergo immediate counseling to help curb his temper. That decision was in response to an incident in April in which Belle hit a Sports Illustrated photographer with a ball.

And only last week, Belle cursed a fan in Texas who wanted to trade a home-run ball--which Belle wanted--for another souvenir.

Brewer Manager Phil Garner said he thought five games for Matheny was too much, but said he wasn’t surprised Belle was punished.

“The only thing we take exception to is when I see the film over and over again I see the elbow in the face,” Garner said.

Umpires’ union head Richie Phillips called Tavarez’s punishment “woefully inadequate.”

“I was shocked when I heard it was only five games,” Phillips said. “I thought it should’ve been a minimum of 30 days, and up to 60 days or the remainder of the season.”

MONDAY’S GAMES

Texas 9, Milwaukee 6--Dean Palmer hit a 437-foot homer and Bobby Witt (5-4) won for the first time in five starts as the Rangers won at Milwaukee.

Ranger catcher Ivan Rodriguez left the game in the first inning after getting hit on his right wrist by a wild pitch and was replaced by Dave Valle. X-rays were negative and he’s listed day-to-day.

Oakland 2, Kansas City 1--John Wasdin (2-0), making his fourth career start, gave up one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Athletics snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Royals at Oakland.

Wasdin walked Jose Offerman twice, the only walks he has given up in games he has started.