Ex-Dodger Suspended for Pulling Team

Former major league outfielder Mike Marshall, now the manager of the Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, was suspended for eight games by the independent Northern League for taking his team off the field in a game last Friday.

Marshall ordered his team off the field in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Allentown Ambassadors leading 15-3. The game was declared a 9-0 forfeit.

In addition, the Diamond Dogs were fined $5,000 and Marshall was fined an undisclosed amount.

Marshall, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1981-89, said he felt the Ambassadors were trying to run up the score.

“They kicked our butts, and then they rubbed our noses in it,” Marshall said. “My hat’s off to them for kicking our butts, but there’s respect for the game and your opponents, and they went over the line.”

Northern League president Dan Moushon said Marshall was remorseful.

“He basically admitted he made a mistake and said if he could do it again, he would have handled it much differently,” Moushon said. “He feels bad about it, and he was very apologetic.”

Marshall hit 148 homers in an injury-plagued career with the Dodgers, Angels New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He was a National League all-star in 1984 and helped the Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics in 1988 World Series title.

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