Burnett Apologizes for Critical Words

Florida Marlin pitcher A.J. Burnett apologized Tuesday for comments that led to his banishment, and with free agency looming, his agent conceded the episode could be costly.

Manager Jack McKeon told Burnett 30 minutes before Monday’s game to leave. The right-hander will continue to be paid but won’t be with the Marlins the last week of the season.

The move came after Burnett lost his sixth straight decision Sunday then said the team plays scared because McKeon and his staff are too negative.

“I have always been a very passionate player and person,” Burnett said in a statement Tuesday released by agent Darek Braunecker. “I often wear my emotions on my sleeve, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. I hope that my teammates always respect that of me, as I trust they know my commitment to winning.

“For those I’ve offended, I offer my most sincere apologies.”

Burnett’s contract expires this week, and General Manager Larry Beinfest said the Marlins won’t attempt to re-sign him. That was unlikely to happen anyway, given Florida’s financial constraints and the market for Burnett.

“He made a decision that’s probably a bad decision, and he’s feeling the repercussions of making the statement when he did,” Braunecker said.

*

Career home run leader Hank Aaron and four other baseball Hall of Famers planned to accompany Commissioner Bud Selig on his latest trip to Capitol Hill to discuss steroids.

Selig, Major League Baseball players’ assn. Chief executive Donald Fehr, and commissioners and union leaders from the NFL, NBA and NHL will testify today at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing.

The hearing was called to discuss two proposed Senate bills that would standardize drug testing and punishment in major professional sports.

Three similar bills have been introduced in the House.

Selig had invited Aaron, Ryne Sandberg, Phil Niekro, Robin Roberts and Lou Brock to attend the hearing, a baseball official told Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The official was not authorized to disclose that information.

A sixth former baseball player will be present Wednesday, and he’ll be asking questions: Sen. Jim Bunning, a Kentucky Republican and former pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996.

Bunning was dismissive of Fehr’s offer to accept a 20-game penalty instead of 10 days for first-time steroid offenders, outlined in a letter to Selig.

“Basically, he says, ‘In your face. Twenty games, take it or leave it.’ That’s completely unacceptable to the Congress,” Bunning said.