Reds’ Bowden Fined for Remarks

Jim Bowden was fined an undisclosed amount Friday by Commissioner Bud Selig, a day after the Cincinnati Red general manager compared a potential baseball strike with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

A statement issued by the commissioner’s office called Bowden’s remarks “insensitive and inappropriate.”

With union head Donald Fehr close to completing his meetings with players on the 30 teams, the union’s executive board could set a strike date later this month.

“If players want to strike, they ought to just pick Sept. 11, because that’s what it’s going to do to the game,” Bowden said before Thursday’s game. “I don’t think there’s going to be a work stoppage. I don’t think anybody’s that dumb.

“If they do walk out, make sure it’s Sept. 11. Be symbolic. Let Donald Fehr drive the plane right into the building, if that’s what they want to do.”

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Baltimore’s Willis Roberts and Boston’s Derek Lowe were among five players suspended for their roles in a brawl last weekend.

Roberts was suspended for seven games and Oriole teammate Melvin Mora was suspended for four games by Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline.

Lowe (five games) was among three Red Sox players suspended, joined by Jason Varitek (four games) and Rey Sanchez (three games). Boston pitching coach Tony Cloninger was given a two-game suspension.

All those suspended appealed, meaning no suspensions can start until after a hearing before Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer.

The suspensions for all except Sanchez were to start Friday. Sanchez’s was to begin Wednesday.

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Expo President Tony Tavares and General Manager Omar Minaya issued a statement asking New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner to apologize for his criticism of the deal that sent Cliff Floyd to Boston.

“We have acted appropriately all across the board and I think that’s why we’re a little bit sensitive about these kind of comments, especially coming from one of our own owners,” Tavares said before the Expo game against Houston.

Floyd, acquired by Montreal from Florida after the All-Star game, was traded from the Expos to the Red Sox on Tuesday.

“If Major League Baseball owns Montreal and they get [Floyd] and [three] weeks later they trade him to our biggest competitor, that’s hard to believe,” Steinbrenner was quoted as saying in Thursday’s editions of the New York Post.

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Outfielder Darren Lewis told the Cubs that he’s retiring and won’t report to Pittsburgh, forcing the teams to rework the trade that sent outfielder Chad Hermansen to Chicago.

The Cubs will send minor league left-handers Ricardo Palma and Tim Lavery and cash to the Pirates, who also sent minor league outfielder Aron Weston to Chicago. The trade began Wednesday as a one-for-one deal.

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The Texas Rangers put Juan Gonzalez on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained ligament in his right thumb and purchased the contract of infielder Donnie Sadler from triple-A Oklahoma.... The Atlanta Braves put catcher Javy Lopez on the 15-day disabled list because of an inflamed right shoulder and recalled catcher Steve Torrealba from triple-A Richmond.... The Montreal Expos put outfielder Wil Cordero on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained calf....The Arizona Diamondbacks activated first baseman Greg Colbrunn from the 15-day disabled list, replacing him there with infielder Chris Donnels, who is sidelined because of a back strain.... Right-hander Jon Lieber was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Chicago Cubs because of right elbow tendinitis.... The Tampa Bay Devil Rays reinstated Russ Johnson from the restricted list and put him on the 15-day disabled list. Johnson left the team for personal reasons July 6.... The Oakland Athletics released left-hander Mike Magnante, a 12-year veteran.

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Mark Gubicza, who pitched for 14 years in the major leagues, mostly with the Kansas City Royals, has been hired as baseball coach at West Hills Chaminade High. Gubicza, 39, takes over for Scott Drootin.