Brawls Draw Ire of AL President

American League president Gene Budig will announce Friday his disciplinary action against the Angels and Kansas City Royals, whose fight-marred game Tuesday night included two bench-clearing brawls, 12 ejections and five hit batters.

But the American League president, seldom known to be too outspoken or controversial, did drop a verbal hammer on the teams during a brief news conference in Kansas City Wednesday.

“It was a low point for major league baseball--our fans deserve better,” said Budig, who attended the game. “I was distressed by the utter disregard for safety on the field. There was a clear breakdown in leadership on the part of the teams.”

Angel Manager Terry Collins agreed that, yes, such incidents are not good for the game, but he took exception to the leadership issue.

“He says there was a breakdown in leadership--I disagree with that,” Collins said. “You’re talking about big, strong men. I got suspended for two days [in 1995] because I couldn’t get my guys off the field in a brawl. I’ve got news for you--Dr. Budig couldn’t have gotten those guys off the field.”

While the Angels weren’t guilty of the most blatant transgression Tuesday night--that dishonor belongs to Royal infielder Felix Martinez, who sucker-punched the Angels’ Frank Bolick in the mouth and sparked the most intense exchanges between the teams--several Angels are still vulnerable to suspensions, and many will be fined.

Collins all but acknowledged reliever Rich DeLucia hit Dean Palmer in retaliation for the two times Angel catcher Phil Nevin was drilled in the back by pitches. “He handled it professionally,” Collins said of DeLucia. But the league does not take too kindly to that.

The league also frowns on players who prolong fights, and Angel closer Troy Percival and Dean Palmer had a little flare-up in the ninth-inning melee, though no punches were thrown.

Nevin will likely be suspended because he charged the mound, precipitating the first brawl, and replays clearly show Angel pitcher Jack McDowell punching Martinez, whom the Royals demoted to triple-A Omaha Wednesday.

Budig suspended Oriole reliever Armando Benitez for eight games for his beanball that sparked an ugly brawl with the Yankees on May 19. Yankees Graeme Lloyd and Darryl Strawberry were suspended three games for throwing punches, and relievers Jeff Nelson (Yankees) and Alan Mills (Orioles) were suspended for two games for throwing at batters.

“I will respond in a very fair but firm way,” Budig said. “It’s also likely that, at the general managers meeting in November, there will be more talk of discipline for players leaving the bullpen or bench to fight.”

*

Collins said several Angels suffered minor cuts and bruises and jammed wrists and shoulders Tuesday night. Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who jammed his knee attempting a diving catch on the warning track in the ninth inning and was scratched Wednesday night, said he felt like he had played four quarters of football.

“I’ve got a bruised hand, a sore neck, sore knees . . . my whole body hurts, Edmonds said. “Everyone’s like that.”

But underlying the pain in the Angel clubhouse was a sense of cohesiveness. “A lot of people outside the game see that on TV and they don’t understand it,” shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. “They think, ‘How stupid, how silly, how obnoxious.’ But they don’t understand the bonds players have.

“We’re like brothers. For seven months we’re with the same guys, day in and day out. When you’re a team, you stick up for your brothers. When a guy gets sucker-punched, you take it like it was your brother.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL

(7-4, 4.85 ERA)

vs.

MARINERS’ KEN CLOUDE

(3-3, 5.63 ERA)

The Kingdome, Seattle, 7 p.m.

TV--Channel 9. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090), KIK-FM (94.3).

* Update--After Wednesday night’s game, the Angels recalled outfielder Orlando Palmeiro from triple-A Vancouver and sent down infielder Frank Bolick. Todd Greene, whose future as a catcher has been clouded by a shoulder injury, joined the Angels in Seattle sporting a brand new first baseman’s mitt. “This thing will be gold in three years,” Greene joked. Greene, who doesn’t feel pain when he hits, was not activated, but he could be if Nevin is suspended for his part in the fight with the Royals. For now Greene will take batting practice and infield at his new position. “I think I’ve got a handle on it,” Greene said of first base. “Not to take anything away from that position, but let’s be honest. I learned how to catch in three or four years. I don’t know if I’ll grasp first base as quickly as [Darin] Erstad, but I think I can do it.”