Umpire Says He Had to Eject Belcher

Seven days after umpire Joe Brinkman was body-slammed by Cleveland pitcher Julian Tavarez during a brawl in Milwaukee, the 52-year-old crew chief was called an “embarrassment to his profession” by Kansas City pitcher Tim Belcher.

“My wife called me this morning from Florida after reading about this latest thing in the paper,” Brinkman said. “After last Friday and this Friday, she was kind of worried about how I was doing.”

Brinkman disputed Belcher’s account of Friday’s incident, saying Belcher was ejected because of continued obscenities.

“There isn’t an umpire in the world who wouldn’t run him in that situation,” Brinkman said. “If there’s any embarrassment, I’d be embarrassed if I didn’t run him.”

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Minnesota Twin outfielder Kirby Puckett has had a second laser surgery on his right eye in an attempt to increase blood supply to the retina and clear blurred vision. A third laser surgery has been scheduled for June 17. Team physician Leonard Michienzi said the procedures could put Puckett on track to return to action in a little more than a month. But the Twins do not expect him back for at least two months. . . . New York Met rookie pitcher Paul Wilson went on the 15-day disabled list. He has tendinitis in his right shoulder.