Belcher Issues Statement Regarding Park

For the second straight day, Angel pitcher Tim Belcher declined to discuss his fight Saturday with Dodger pitcher Chan Ho Park. He did, however, compose a statement in which he called Park’s behavior “adolescent,” in italic letters.

Park was ejected Saturday after throwing an elbow into Belcher’s forehead and then kicking him, igniting a bench-clearing incident. Park said he believed Belcher had used excessive force in tagging him out on the play and said Belcher cursed him, inciting the physical response from Park.

“HANG WITH ‘EM! That phrase, hard tags and men cursing have been a part of our game forever,” Belcher said in his statement. “When players and teams fight, there are certain unwritten rules of engagement. His adolescent exception was to attempt to kick my face with his spikes. My reaction was self-defense and justified.”

National League officials are expected to review the incident and suspend Park. Belcher was not ejected.

Dodger Manager Davey Johnson declined to take the bait and respond to Belcher’s taunting of Park.

“I don’t think there’s any need for me to say anything else,” Johnson said. “I like Tim Belcher. He’s a heck of a competitor.”

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Angel Manager Terry Collins is leaning toward using Belcher on three days’ rest Wednesday as a replacement for Omar Olivares (strained hamstring). He said he will wait to see if Belcher has any lingering pain from Saturday’s fight.

“When you’re on the bottom of a pile like that, with a whole bunch of guys on top of you, your back can be a little stiff the next couple days,” Collins said.

There was no indication that Belcher was hurt beyond a bruised left arm and being spiked in the thigh. He is certainly in better shape than Olivares, who strained his left hamstring running out a ground ball Friday.

Olivares threw Sunday, but said he limited his movement to “50% or 60%.”

“I’m not concerned about the pitching, but what if I have to field a ball and run over to first base?” Olivares said. “When there is a foul popup, I usually take off after it. I don’t want to do anything stupid now and miss three or four starts.”

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Baseball in the ‘90s, when a cap is not a tradition but a marketing opportunity: Eric Young, getting dressed before Sunday’s Dodger photo day, looked inside his locker at the white cap, the blue cap, and the blue cap with the gray bill. He grabbed the white cap.

Said a clubhouse attendant: “Blue hat today.”

Said Young: “The new ones?”

Said the attendant: “No, the old ones.”