Erik Bedard was called up too soon to face Rays, who probably won't gain forfeit.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published April 13, 2004
NEW YORK - Could the Devil Rays have picked up another win on their day off?
The commissioner's office ruled Monday that pitcher Erik Bedard was illegally added to Baltimore's roster on Saturday. And because Bedard was the starting pitcher in the game won by the Orioles 11-3, the Rays are most interested in what the commissioner's office is going to do about it.
One unlikely possibility is a forfeit. Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie was concerned enough to ask MLB officials if that was a possible outcome. "They didn't say no," Beattie told the Washington Post, "but I was told that, to the best of anyone's recollection, there is no precedent for that."
The Orioles likely will be fined instead.
The Rays also spoke to the commissioner's office, which was scrambling Monday night to sort through an unusual, if not unprecedented, situation. At other levels of play, such as college and high school, it is common for teams found to have used an illegal player to forfeit games.
"The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are aware of Baltimore playing an illegal player on Saturday," general manager Chuck LaMar said at the team hotel. "We have been in contact with the commissioner's office and we expect to hear from them (today)."
The issue involves an MLB rule that a player optioned to the minors has to stay there for 10 days, unless there is an injury.
The Orioles sent Bedard to Triple A on March 30 and thought they met the requirement by recalling him Saturday, but apparently misinterpreted that the rule requires 10 regular-season days. The Orioles started their season April 4. MLB offices are closed on the weekend, and officials caught the mistake on Monday and notified the Orioles.
Bedard was sent back to Triple A and will be recalled to start Saturday.
