Updated: 10:30 p.m.
SAN DIEGO -- Crotch-grabbing Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended for seven games and fined an undisclosed amount of money, Major League Baseball announced on Monday night.
Papelbon is not appealing the suspension. He began serving it immediately.
Papelbon blew a save Sunday at Citizens Bank Park and was booed as he left the field. As he approached the dugout, he grabbed his crotch. Moments later, he was ejected by umpire crew chief Joe West, who called Papelbon’s gesture “obscene.”
After the game, Papelbon maintained innocence, saying he was simply adjusting his private parts.
The Phillies issued a statement Monday night saying they supported MLB's ruling on Papelbon. In the statement, the club took a remarkable step and apologized to fans for Papelbon's actions.
“The Phillies fully support the decision of the Commissioner’s Office, which has exclusive jurisdiction for on-field player behavior,” the statement said. “By Major League Baseball rules, the Phillies have no authority to make official judgments about activity which occurs on the field or to determine the appropriate penalty for misconduct. We apologize to our fans for the actions of our player yesterday.”
MLB
By issuing that apology, the Phillies actually did make a judgment: Papelbon was wrong.
The seven-game penalty was a stiff one, but Major League Baseball clearly takes insults toward its paying customers very seriously. Baseball revenues have swelled to over $8 billion and the fans fuel those revenues. Papelbon benefitted from the revenues when he signed a four-year, $50 million contract -- the largest ever awarded a reliever -- in November 2011.
Papelbon, making $13 million this season, continues to get paid during his suspension. He can work out with the team before the game, but has to be out of the clubhouse and dugout before the game.
The Phillies will likely look at Ken Giles in the closer role while Papelbon is out. Giles, who projects as a closer, has had a remarkable rookie season. He has allowed just five earned runs in 41 2/3 innings. He has struck out 60 and walked 10 while holding opposing hitters to a .167 batting average.
Papelbon met with manager Ryne Sandberg before batting practice Monday. The meeting lasted 18 minutes.
Sandberg was very circumspect when he met with reporters. He said that Papelbon stuck with his explanation from Sunday, that he was simply adjusting himself and not making a gesture toward booing fans.
“The biggest thing that he indicated to me was that whether it was poor timing on the field or whatever he had no intention of giving any type of a signal or gesture to the fans when he left the game,” Sandberg said. “From him, it was poor timing. He'd have much rather waited to get in the dugout. He indicated that to me. That was basically our conversation.”
Sandberg seemed to distance himself from the situation when asked if he believed Papelbon’s explanation.
“That’s not my job or position to believe him,” he said. “All I can base it on is what he told me and he had no intentions of that being toward the fans. It’s not my position or my spot to make any judgment on that, but just to listen to him.”
Papelbon seemed eager to tell his side of the story to reporters after his meeting with Sandberg, but he was busy in a telephone conversation with his agent. That conversation was apparently quite serious as it preceded MLB’s announcement by just minutes.
Papelbon did issue a statement later in the night.
“Today, I was informed by MLB that I was suspended. I am accepting my suspension and regret making any contact with the umpires. While I completely understand how the fans would perceive my gesture while being booed, it was not my intent whatsoever to insult the fans of Philadelphia. If it was perceived in that manner, I sincerely apologize.
“I have decided to accept my suspension and begin serving it immediately. I look forward to returning this season and closing it out strong. For those reasons, I will not delay this process with an appeal.”
After being ejected Sunday, Papelbon confronted West and the umpire pushed the pitcher away. There was no word whether West had been or will be disciplined. He was on the field in Tampa Bay on Monday night.