Possible Discipline for Belle

Sullen slugger Albert Belle faced possible disciplinary measures by the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday after engaging in a shouting match with Manager Ray Miller.

The struggling Belle yelled at Miller and had to be restrained by teammates after being removed from Wednesday night’s 4-2 victory over the Florida Marlins at Miami.

“When things like that happen on the bench or in the clubhouse, those are the type things we deal with internally,” Oriole General Manager Frank Wren said.

Belle, who signed a five-year, $65-million free-agent deal with the Orioles in December, has been suspended six times during his career.

It wasn’t clear what, if any, disciplinary measures would be taken against him this time.

“What was said and what was done is an internal matter,” Wren said, adding that Miller “isn’t going to say any more about it, either.”

Miller could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The incident occurred in the top of the ninth inning in the Oriole dugout after Belle, who went 0 for 5, failed to run out a ground ball.

With two runners on and two out in the ninth--and the Orioles leading, 4-2--Belle grounded to Marlin third baseman Mike Lowell. Belle slowed up halfway to first, but Lowell’s throw pulled first baseman Kevin Millar off the bag.

Miller replaced Belle in the outfield with Rich Amaral on a double switch, a move he said he had planned to make before Belle’s groundout.

In the dugout, TV cameras caught an exchange of expletives between Miller and Belle. Belle yelled angrily at Miller and was restrained by teammate Jeff Reboulet. Miller waved off Belle with a toss of his hand.

“My comment is that what happens internally will stay internal and will be taken care of internally,” Miller said afterward. “What goes on between me and anybody stays in the clubhouse.”

Belle, approached by reporters after the game, responded with a stream of expletives.

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Baseball owners are not likely to act on Miles Prentice’s bid to buy the Kansas City Royals at their September meeting, Commissioner Bud Selig said.

Prentice, who has put together a group of more than 40 investors to buy the team for $75 million, met for almost three hours with the ownership committee Thursday.

Prentice reached his agreement with the team last Nov. 13. He and Royal President Mike Herman had been hopeful of getting approval of the owners in September.