BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Belle Accused of Dousing Cameraman

Albert Belle of the Cleveland Indians, in another run-in with a member of the media, threw a cup of Gatorade at a television cameraman, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

The incident took place during the Indian-White Sox game in Chicago Thursday night, the newspaper reported.

Belle threw the drink on Wyn Griffiths, a cameraman for Chicago television station WGN. Griffiths was staffing one of the cameras to the right of the Indians’ dugout during the Indians’ 15-10 loss to the White Sox, the newspaper said.

The incident occurred in the seventh inning after Belle had been removed from the game for a pinch-hitter.

“Belle came and got a drink. He took a cup of pink Gatorade, that sticky stuff, and threw it on me and the camera. Some of it also splashed on the camera next to me, someone from Cleveland,” Griffiths told the paper. “As soon as Belle threw it, he walked into the dugout without saying a word.”

Belle was fined $50,000 for berating TV reporter Hannah Storm during last year’s World Series and earlier this season threw a baseball at photographer for Sports Illustrated. After that, he was ordered by American League President Gene Budig to undergo counseling to curb his temper.

Belle last week served a two-game suspension for decking Milwaukee Brewer second baseman Fernando Vina with a forearm on the basepaths in a game May 31.

He was also fined $25,000 for that incident.

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Dennis Martinez was put on the Indians’ 15-day disabled list, one day after the right-hander strained a tendon in his pitching elbow against the White Sox. The Indians purchased the contract of right-hander Danny Graves from triple-A Buffalo.

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Atlanta Brave outfielder Danny Bautista had surgery to repair his broken nose, but will have to wait on getting his fractured left orbital rim repaired until swelling decreases. He was hit in the face with a pitch Thursday and had his nose and the bone around his left eye broken. . . . The Houston Astros put outfielder Brian Hunter on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right rib cage and purchased the contract of outfielder Ray Montgomery from triple-A Tucson. . . . The Minnesota Twins put outfielder Roberto Kelly on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring and activated infielder/outfielder Denny Hocking from the disabled list.