By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 9, 2005
NEW YORK - Dewon Brazelton figured justice would eventually catch up to him so he didn't consider it any big deal to start serving a suspension Thursday dating from his actions in the April 24 brawl with Boston.
"I knew this was going to happen," Brazelton said. "Everyone in the ordeal has served their time except me, so did I think I was going to not have to? No. To be honest, I've had so much going on in my life that was the last thing I've worried about."
Brazelton was demoted twice to the minors and took a three-week unauthorized leave of absence after the brawl, which resulted in discipline for four members of each team.
The most interesting development was that the suspension was reduced from five games to three, the result of negotiations between MLB and the players union rather than an appeal.
"I'm willing to bet the reason I'm only serving three games instead of five is because I'm not starting anymore," Brazelton said. "If I was starting I'd bet I would have to serve more."
The other Rays pitcher suspended for the incident, reliever Lance Carter, had his suspension reduced from five games to three in June. Boston starter Bronson Arroyo served a six-game suspension.
MAC'S TALE: Bench coach John McLaren had a 30-minute audience with MLB vice president John McHale and other officials to tell his version of the Aug. 30 ejection and argument with umpire Ed Montague that led to a three-day suspension.
McLaren and assistant general manager Scott Proefrock also presented a video tape, compiled by the Rays TV crew, that showed Montague walking toward the Rays dugout before the confrontation started. MLB already had video showing that McLaren made contact with Montague with his cap and may have sprayed him.
"It felt good to at least explain my side of the story," McLaren said.
The Rays expect to find out today if the penalty will be reduced. McLaren is likely to start serving whatever he ends up with tonight.
HOMEFIELD EDGE: The Rays are 37-32 overall at Tropicana Field and 17-6 since the All-Star break, but manager Lou Piniella said that doesn't mean they have a homefield advantage.
"For us to get a homefield advantage you've got have more home fans," he said. "You've got to start getting to the point where you play more meaningful games later on in the season."
The Rays are clearly last in the majors in attendance with an average of 13,878 and it seems unlikely that will increase much until they field a contender.
"For this to take off, you can't keep selling the future," Piniella said. "You've got to start showing people the present. Unfortunately that's the way it is in sports. It has nothing to do with Tampa Bay; it has to do with any franchise in pro sports.
"Sports is discretionary income. It's not essential like a bottle of milk in the refrigerator or some eggs. It's entertainment. Discretionary income. And people have got to get enthused.
"The amazing thing about it is that people do watch it, and people do listen to it. The ratings have been good. The problem is you've got to get them to come to the ballpark."
CENTURY CITY: Jorge Cantu joined Aubrey Huff and Fred McGriff as the only Rays to have 100 or more RBIs in a season. Huff had a team-record 107 in 2003 and 104 in 2004; McGriff had 106 in 2000 and 104 in 1999. "It's a tremendous accomplishment, and I couldn't do it without these guys," he said.
MINOR MATTERS: Class A SW Michigan was eliminated from the first round of the best-of-three Class A Midwest League playoffs Thursday, losing 11-7 in Game 2 against Arizona's South Bend affiliate.
MISCELLANY: The victory over the Yankees wasn't the only thing the Rays were smiling about after the game - seven rookies had to wear too-tight orange shorts and too-tight Hooters tank tops on the way home as part of the annual hazing. ... Danys Baez joined Bobby Thigpen (White Sox, 1990) as the only pitchers to have seven saves against the Yankees in a season. ... The Rays started their road trip 0-5 but finished 4-6.
