Dodgers say Ian Kennedy should have received longer suspension

PITTSBURGH – Major League Baseball was too lenient with Ian Kennedy.

That was the consensus in the Dodgers’ clubhouse Friday, after players and coaches learned of the punishment issued by Major League Baseball for the violent brawl against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kennedy was suspended for 10 games. The Diamondbacks pitcher hit Yasiel Puig in the face and struck Zack Greinke on the shoulder. Earlier, Greinke had hit Miguel Montero on the back.

“It should be 10 starts,” J.P. Howell said. “He’s an idiot. That’s stupid.”

The Dodgers were upset that Kennedy threw near Greinke’s head.

Some players privately called Kennedy a coward for walking away from the mound as the benches cleared.

“I don’t want to talk about that guy,” reliever Ronald Belisario said.

Belisario continued to say that the Dodgers’ feud with the Diamondbacks wasn’t over.

“Everybody knows it’s not over yet,” Belisario said.

Belisario was suspended for a game and agreed to serve his suspension Friday night. Manager Don Mattingly (one game) and hitting coach Mark McGwire (two games) will also be suspended for the series opener in Pittsburgh.

Howell and utilityman Skip Schumaker both said they would appeal their two-game suspensions.

Howell said he wasn’t surprised he was suspended – he drove Diamondbacks coach Turner Ward into a railing and nearly flipped him into a camera well.

While Schumaker refused to comment on his suspension, some of his teammates said Schumaker’s punishment was undeserved.

Some players were also shocked to hear Eric Hinske of the Diamondbacks drew a five-game ban.

“He was actually being cool,” Howell said. Other players described Hinske as a “peacemaker” and “punching bag.”

Hinske was hit in the back with a roundhouse punch from Puig, but it appears the league office believes Hinske instigated the violence.

That Puig escaped with only a fine came as a surprise to some of his teammates. Puig didn’t speak to reporters Friday; he will no longer grant interviews before games, a policy that received the blessing of Mattingly.