Suspension upheld for Rays' Iwamura, reduced for Red Sox's Crisp

Rays 2B Akinori Iwamura's appeal of his three-game suspension was denied by MLB, the Times has learned, and he will have to sit out starting Saturday. The Rays confirmed the news with an announcement at 3:15 p.m. The team also said that INF Ben Zobrist was optioned back to Triple-A to make room for 1B Carlos Pena to be activated from the DL.

The Red Sox, however, got some relief as OF Coco Crisp's suspension was reduced from seven games to five. Crisp will start serving on Saturday in Houston, meaning he -- conveniently -- will miss the three-game series between the teams at the Trop that starts Monday. Iwamura will miss the first game of the series.

Crisp, who started the June 5 brawl by charing the mound after being hit by a James Shields pitch, was given the longest suspension of the eight players disciplined, but now will serve less than James Shields (who got six games, but missed only one start) and the same as OF/DH Jonny Gomes.

With Zobrist sent down and Iwamura out, Willy Aybar is expected to play second base the next three games.

The Rays and Red Sox play Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Trop. The Rays say tickets are available for all three games, but advise fans to purchase in advance to avoid lines.

[AP Photo files]

Comments

[Hawkeye]

7yr old mom,

What's your son going to tell me? That he only wants to root for the Sox? Are you a Sox fan? And you think he'll go against his parents and root for his "home" team (Rays)?

Has he even lived up there? Probably not.

[7yr old mom]

Hawkeye, I guess you have never spoke with my 7 year old son!!

[Captain Obvious]

Boston fans, such as Steve, are the worst fans in sports, with Steve being a frontrunner for the title of biggest douchebag fan in sports.

[Hawkeye]

Hey Steve,

If you don't like it here, there's I-4, then I-95 going north. Be on it.

[jeff]

STEVE (YOU ANGRY PERSON) - BEFORE YOU CALL BE NAMES (IDIOTS) CHECK OUT THE SPELLING OF MADDON.

NOW - HOW ABOUT THAT 93 MPH FASTBALL AT COCO'S LITTLE CRISP - SCOTTY?
ROCKIN' WITH KAZMIR

P.S. YES KATIE, MOST OF THOSE WHO MOVE HERE ARE FROM THE NORTH, AS FLORIDA IS THE MOST SOUTHERN CONTINENTAL STATE.

[Steve]

Also, for you morons complaining about Crisp going hard into Iwamura - Bartlett has a HISTORY of blocking the bag and did so when he was member of the Twins.

YOUR COACH (MADDEN) said last year that when Bartlett does this, take him out HARD. He even bitched about it publicly. Madden is a great coach and has gotten a lot out of the players. If you morons remember, Bartlett is the one who blocked the bag with his leg the same night and Crisp jammed his finger. Well, Iwamura got it. Just like Crawford and Gomes will get theirs.

So, learn something about the game before you spout off about things you all don't know. Crisp did what he was supposed to.

Idiots!

[Steve]

Crisp's reduction is in line with what MLB has done - for example, Richie Sexson and dozens of others. As far as all of you whiney (Devil) Rays fans - give me a break - when the Rays fall out of contention you will all crawl back into the holes you occupied for years. The city is a joke, the Florida sports scene is a joke. Don't think for a minute the Red Sox have forgotten Johnny Gomes and Carl Crawford for their cowardly acts for punching Crisp while on the ground - cold cocks to the back of the head. We'll see what happens this week and for the rest of the season.

With Love,

Red Sox NATION

[Uncle N.]

What's with the Rays and Ben Zobrist?? Here's a guy that has played 7 of the 9 positions in spring training, played each well and hit .421!! He get hurt by playing full bore and once he heals; how do the Rays reward him? They send him to Triple A. Oh sure, they bring him "up" for a few games when needed, he bats .292 with a couple homers. Now what? Send him back to Durham and keep the .200 hitter that play maybe two positions! Makes alot of sense, doesn't it? Trade him so he can be treated like a ball-player and play full time!

[HAROLD]

HJere is somthing I didnt see anybody mention Crisp went in spikes hi and tried to get his elbow into AKi'S Cup. Shields plunks him in the leg Not the head or the arm. If he goes after Crisps head He deserves the 6 games. He didnt. He plunked him in the leg. Crisp Should have just taken his plunk and gone to first then promptly stole second. Thats what a class ball player would have done. But Crisp is just another wanna be gangsta. And everybody on the tv and talk radio agrees that Crisp was a BIATCH and the reduction is insane.
OUT

[Hawkeye]

Very well said Katie!

As for Neil, "Sure there is bias involved but also a lot of you wouldn't know the game of baseball well enough to understand it."

I've only been watching it for over 50 years, have played on championship teams from little-league (3 years running), high school and while playing for the Air Force.

So Neil, tell me something about baseball that I don't know?

[Katie]

I have read every one of these comments (very entertaining). On the suspensions, it seems most everyone agrees that it was a bad deal. The comments, however, drifted to discussion on whether a person should embrace the area in which he lives (and therefore cheer for the "home" team). I was very interested in reading everyone's opinion on this matter, because this subject has been on my mind ever since I moved to Florida.

Florida is a unique state (alot like New York and California, I think) in that ALOT of people live here that did not grow up in Florida. Of course, that says alot about the great state that we live in. I come from a state that has a plan in place to keep people from leaving after they graduate from college (unspoken southern state).

Which brings me to my "problem." From my two years of living here, I notice that most new residents are from the north. This was completely new to me. At first, I loved getting to know my new co-residents. At least half (perhaps more?) of the people I work with are from north of the M-D line.

MOST (I cannot stress this enough) of the former northerners were great: easy-going, funny, and very accepting of the new state they live in. However, a few were the opposite of this. One lady had many discussions about how there is no "culture" here, especially compared to New York, and she misses living there soooo much. A few others would say different things along the same lines.

Normally, of course, these gripings would not bother me. However, after a while, I started feeling like I was an outsider in my own backyard. I could not vent to anyone about how I think it is wrong for someone to put down a state so much if they have made the choice to LIVE here, because I was surrounded by northerners. I am pretty sure I still live in the south. I shouldn't have to defend the state WE live in! The whole situation has increased my southern pride (a whole different story).

My point (sorry about the venting): it is a necessity that a person adopt at least some of the local culture (such as sports teams) as their own. This good faith gesture shows that you embrace the area that you CHOOSE to live in. Otherwise, you will never be home, only a permanent visitor. No, do not give up everything from your "home" town, but put an effort into supporting your new home.

[shane]

i've only been watching the rays on and off for the past couple of years(mostly because i'm not really into baseball, i'm a die-hard bucs fan) but now that their actually winning games i'm really getting pumped into their games and the team and i do feel that the suspension should not have been eased-up on Crisp because it takes a real hot head to do what he did, charge the mound, slide spikes first into 2nd, threaten Joe Maddon or the team(which ever he threatened i had to work and i missed both of those games), but he did let all of it go but that other guy Even Papelbum needs to grow up or be severely suspended if he does do anything to harm any part of the Rays' organization(meaning the players, the coaches, the fans or the stadium) because that would be a premeditated attack and it is documented(i hope) that he is wanting payback. As for someone mentioning that Crisp is a coward for conveniently starting his suspension before the series here in tampa is wrong for saying so because he will still make the trip to tampa and will be at the Trop(might be very protected though) and the suspension starting this series is just how the cards were dealt. Rays fans should not try to harm Coco(physically) or any BoSux fans because wouldn't that just make us look a hell of a lot worse than
their fans or organization be civil about it because the best way to piss off someone is not to stoop to their level and retaliate the right way(a sweep of the Bosux and a complete series sellout would help).

[Anthony]

Mike, no one at Fenway really cares about anyone wearing a Rays jersey. You(and most of you) need to lighten up. I hate to break it to you, but these guys you're threatening violence trying to defend don't care about your town, and they certainly don't care about you.

[MIKE]

BRYAN - YOU LITTLE YELLOW BELLY COWARD. IF THIS TOWN IS EVER GOING TO GET THE RESPECT IT DESERVES WE MUST START STANDING UP FOR OURSELFS. IT'S TIME TO BOMBARD SELIG AND MLB WITH LETTERS AND EMAILS TILL THERE SERVER SHUTS DOWN SAYING WERE MAD AS HELL AND WERE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE. SELIGS REDUCTION OF COCO'S SENTENCE IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO ALL IN THE RAYS ORGANIZATION AND IT'S FANS. ANYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN TO ANOTHER BALLPARK KNOWS YOU WOULD NEVER WEAR YOUR RAYS GEAR INTO BOSTONS BALLPARK OR YANKEES BALLPARK OR YOU WOULD COME OUT OF THE GAME BEATEN TO SHREADS. YET HERE RAYS FANS PUT UP WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING IN WITH YOUR FLORIDA LICENSE PLATE AND WEARING BOSTON OR YANKEE JUNK. THIS TEAM HAS STOOD UP FOR ITSELF THIS YEAR PLAYING INCREDIBLE BASEBALL NOW IT'S TIME FOR IT'S FANS TO DO THE SAME AND RUN ANYONE WEARING BOSTON JUNK OUT OF THE STADIUM!!! TAKE YOUR A__ BACK NORTH CHOWDA HEADS YOUR ALL SCUM. AS FOR YOU BRYAN COME ON OVER TO SEC 120 FIRST BEER'S ON YOU BOSTON LOVER.

[Bubba Ray]

GO HOME MASSHOLES!!!!! All you northeasterners are the same, rude ignorant and scum of the earth people! I look forward to fighting all of you! And cant wait to hear them playing SWEEP CAROLINE in spite of all you miserable people!

[nolefan]

Commish suffers from incompetence. When he says the Rays MUST have a new stadium to survive I wonder what he thinks about all the empty seats in the new stadium in Pittsburgh. The Trop is far from perfect but not that bad.

[McLovin]

I'm surprised they didn't suspend Bartlett.

He clearly intended to kneel down on the throw from home because he KNEW Cookie Crisp would slide head first on a steal... and he was trying to jam his finger, right?

I mean, as long as the MLB is using the same logic for everyone involved in the situation.

Listen to Coco Chanel after that night. Even he said Aki "wasn't sure" if he wanted to bust Covelli's head open or not.

Yeah, reduce that guy's suspension, but not the guys he was calling out. That'll teach him not to be so arrogant. That will keep him from being a lame excuse for a decent human being for the rest of his life.

I'd understand the reduction better if James Shields' punch had knocked his lower jaw off of his face, but now what? You basically rewarded him for being a douchebag.

[smiley]

That really an unbelievable decision for Crisp. I'm a St. Pete native but half of my family is from the Boston area. So I think I have a pretty fair look at it. It really seems like some money was exchanged there. There was no reason to reduce that suspension.
But oh well. It's over now. Hopefully BOTH teams behave and we have a good series to watch.

[J.J.]

This is ridiculous. BoSox fan has to know he's in the wrong on this one. For Casey (3:42) to even compare it to the spring training play at home doesn't make sense. I played catcher my whole life, including some college ball. You expect people to try to run into you when you're guarding the plate. That has NOTHING to do with someone sliding spikes up into second.
Seriously, this seems so fraudulent for these rulings to come out on the same day. At least it should make next week really interesting. Glad I got tickets to the Monday night game,

[Ben]

This is so entertaining.

[Neil]

I hope you guys who are so wound up really do support the team and aren't some internet bravado folks (but if that's the case, I'm not surprised with attendance matching what a good Triple AAA club draws)

Sure there is bias involved but also a lot of you wouldn't know the game of baseball well enough to understand it. Yeah, you're right: MLB and Bud are against the Devil Rays. (Jeeze oh pee!) You all should be more nervous that you drive the same streets as Gomes than worrying about this situation.

[Bubba Ray]

Im with you Mike i will be belligerent and obnoxious to any and all Kennedy loving Sux fan i see! And i will warn you hear first do not bring your kids Chowda heads bc i will eat them alive like mike tyson! I hate you people, you scum of the earth Bostonians! Please leave my state! LETS GO RAYS!!!!!!!

[razfan13]

Once again the RAYS get SCREWED. Not only by the CHOWDA HEADS, but by MLB. As long as MLB and the umps RUIN the game, teams like the RAYS will NEVER get the RESPECT they deserve! GO RAYS!

[Anthony]

I think the league is punishing the Rays for attracting redneck homophobic fans like Bodog.

[Bryan]

Mature Mike, Mature. I'm a Rays fan and you are what gives fans a bad name.

[Bryan]

Mature Mike, Mature. I'm a Rays fan and you are what gives fans a bad name.

[Bryan]

Mature Mike, Mature. I'm a Rays fan and you are what gives fans a bad name.

[MIKE]

ANYBODY WEARING BOSTON APPAREL INTO THE TROP NEXT WEEK SHOULD GET A BEER SPILLED ON THEM. SELIG DID ONLY ONE THING WITH HIS DUMB MOVE. HE MADE SURE THIS WAS NOT OVER. BRING IT ON BOSTON WERE GOING TO KICK YOUR A__.

[Unreal]

No matter what I write here you will disagree with. What I say isn't acceptable to you so that is completely fine with me. You can feel the way you want to feel and you are completely entitled to that. As am I. The Sox are my number one team and always will be. Every other team that comes into town mean nothing to me, that is why I can cheer for the Rays, because I live here now. When the Sox are in town, I cheer for them because I have cheered for them my whole life. It is really as simple as that. I am sorry that you disagree. Everything that you have written to me on here is not going to change that. But I can say that it is very nice to be able to "discuss" or "debate" this with you and not be called names or degraded. You can have a civilized "converstation" about this. At least there are some mature people on here. So thank you. Enjoy your Rays and I wish them all the success in the world. And if they were to win the WS, I would be so happy for them! But I wouldn't all of a sudden jump on the Rays bandwagon like so many other people around here. (Not saying that you are at all) So good luck to you on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It is exciting....a fight for first place! And this is why I love baseball!

[Spencer]

Time to let it rest. Boston got the better end of the deal, even though COCO started it the day before. Anyone not think that things don't spill over from one game to the next? Don't be so naive. Even Papelbum is talking smack right now about payback, and it has been quite some time and many suspensions. Do you think he learned? I don't think so. Pitchers have always been known to retaliate. Why do you think they have the retaliation rule. I guarantee that Papelbum will be tossed the first time he comes close, unless the umps are in on it, too.

[Hawkeye]

So Unreal, if you came to about 10-12 games and rooted for the Rays, why can't you do it when the Sox come in? Your Sox team isn't the same as when you grew up, so why not go with the team you're living with now?

And as far as kids, the last Cubs game there were a family and these 2 little girls all wearing Cubs stuff. You can't imagine the looks on their faces when they were leaving early because their parents "team" was losing. And I'd guess most, if not 99% of kids follow their parents teams. Why would they want to go against their parents? Maybe once they get older and get picked on at school they might want to change, but until.....

[Duffiedawg]

For all you die-hard sucks fans, remember The Bambino played many spring games in St Pete.

His ghost still lives here, and still makes Boston choke.

[Unreal]

No Hawkeye, when I go to "root" for the Rays, I wear a Rays shirt. And I actually haven't been to a Rays/Yankees game so that is incorrect also. I have been to about 10-12 games so far this year and I have cheered for the Rays for every single game. As far as who my future kids cheer for, I could care less right now. And I actually know many families where the kids cheer for a different team than the ones their parents grew up cheering for. I have a best friend that grew up in a Red Sox house and they the kid is a Cubs fan. So you are also wrong there.

[Hawkeye]

Dear Unreal,

"When the Sox are not in town, I go to so many games and support the Rays. As far as your point of raising children, I do not have any yet so I really do not know who they will root for."

And while coming to "root" for the Rays, you probably wear your Sox stuff, and it's probably just when they played the Yankees. It's the same when the Sox come in and all the Yankee fans show up.

And do you really think your kids would root for anybody else than "dad's" team? Please, you've got to be kidding?

[Bubba Ray]

I will fight any and every Sux fan i see! Go HOME MASSHOLE GO HOME MASSHOLE GO HOME MASSHOLE GO HOME MASSHOLE!!!!! We dont need you CHOWDA heads ruining our pristine state! Why dont you pack up your mobile home and get the hell back north of the Mason Dixon line. Your all yankees to me

[sarasotasoxfan]

Hey it's all in good fun. No offense taken. I'm going out now, have a good one!!

[Carl]

My apologies. Just having fun. You seem like a good guy. I'll pick on someone else for my own self-esteem.

[sarasotasoxfan]

OK Carl, Thanks. In reality I don't take myself all that serious, and my hair sucks, but if you're convinced you can analyze me by reading a couple posts, fine. I didn't come here to talk any smack. The only derogatory thing I said about the Rays is that they've sucked because of their ownership / management, not because of the commish (who I actually despise) or the MLB powers to be. Have a good weekend!!!

[Bodog]

However, if that was Coco that signed in under my name, then I forgive him because he's so cute.

[Carl]

Well, let's start with how serious you take yourself and others (not me) want to point out that you have never known a great passion in your life. For, as your dog will attest to, you treat sports like you you've treated everything in your life, with one finger in the dictionary to make sure you get the right word and one finger on your can of mace just in case - God forbid! - someone interprets your smugness for anger and tries to mess up your perfectly combed hair.

[Unreal]

Hawkeye, good for you to be a Rays fan first and a Cards fan second. Everyone is different. I choose to be a Sox fan first and a Rays fan second. When the Sox are not in town, I go to so many games and support the Rays. But when the Sox are in town, 3-4 times a year, I support them. But I still love to see the Rays do well. As far as your point of raising children, I do not have any yet so I really do not know who they will root for. That is for them to decide. And about the the real topic of this whole article. You are 100% correct on the reason for all that happened at the games. As a Sox fan, it was Crisp's fault, completely. He should serve a larger punishment than anyone else.

[What?]

So Red Sox fans choose to come onto a Rays news blog and talk smack, and then get offended when people talk smack to them for being Red Sox fans? Sounds about right.

[Bodog]

Coward, sign in under your own name!

[sarasotasoxfan]

Carl, in all seriousness. What makes me "one of the more sillier human beings to ever exist?" I really do want to know.

[Hawkeye]

Sox fans, the teams you rooted for back in the day isn't the same team. Root for the team you now live in (or surrounding area).

I was born in St. Louis, was a diehard Cards fan and still am. But, I will always root for the Rays first, because I live here. If the Rays are out of the playoffs, then it'll be Cards all the way. You can't do the same?

And bringing your kids up at Sox/Yankee fans when they go to school here, the other kids are all talking about the Rays, and what do they get to talk about with their friends? The kids don't know anything about that team and live here, let them grow up at Rays fans and they won't get picked on as much in school.

You can have your allegiances (and memories) of your past teams, make new ones with your kids with THIS team.

And it's just too bad MLB has the DH rule, otherwise Papelbon would get a ball upside his head.

And if Coco was so innocent, why is it that all the baseball analysists all said he was at fault and started this whole thing? If Shields had thrown at his head, he might have something to b-otch about, but since it wasn't done that way, he should have been a man and just walked to first, PERIOD. Instead he had to be like his mentor (trying to look like him) Manny.

MLB definitely screwed up and coddled to the Sox, just like they do to the Yankees and let them get away with it again.

Funny nothing has been said about their pitcher that hit CC, threw behind Aybar and then threw at the head of Cliff Floyd? And didn't even get thrown out of the game? Don't tell me the umps aren't afraid of causing a riot in Sox/Yankee stadiums.

[Brian]

Oh,unreal, I hear what you are saying, but that is a fairly typical response from the majority in power. The suppressed are angry, and as Fanon would say, there must be a revolt. Let's take over our stadium!

[Jesse]

Look at Greg, everybody. He's the voice of reason. It must be so nice to be Greg, the wisest person in the world.

[Bodog]

But Coco is kinda cute, I'll give him that...

[Greg]

Support your own teams and watch baseball. Enough said.

[Bodog]

Bob Watson is the biggest damn jackazz in the whole of MLB. That idiot needs to be removed from any descision making processes. Coco the thug starts this whole mess because he doesn't like the way Bartlett blocks second base and he hurt his pinkie finger (wuss), so Coco the thug slides into Aki intentionally with elbows to Aki's groin area (hell, if he wanted to cop a feel, I'm sure there are a lot of gay clubs he could have gone to after the game). Coco the thug then charges the mound after getting hit in the thigh (mind you, not his head or his upper body, the thigh)Coco the thugs then gets his hair bead wearing azz kicked. What color will he wear next( rainbox colors)Coco the thug gets his suspension reduced by two and Aki serves the full three. I wonder what sleazy gay club Watson and Coco the thug hooked - up to get that suspension reduced