Bullpen shaken after fan intrusions

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 7, 2000

PHILADELPHIA -- The Devil Rays had some unsettling moments Monday when several fans entered their bullpen area during the game.

"Three different people came out of the stands and came into the bullpen asking for autographs and balls and stuff," reliever Rick White said. "The security here is very poor. The people working here should be fired."

Bullpen coach Orlando Gomez said he was caught off guard by the interlopers and was somewhat concerned. "You see a big guy coming in and asking for a ball, and you don't know what's going on," he said.

Gomez informed Rays traveling secretary Jeff Ziegler of the problem after the game, and Ziegler, a former St. Petersburg police officer, met with stadium security personnel. "They were a little bit alarmed," Ziegler said.

Some of the Rays pitchers were concerned for their safety, especially after the recent problem in Wrigley Field, when players in the Dodgers bullpen went into the stands and fought with fans. Other Rays said the fans were just on the edge of bullpen area and downplayed the incident.

"It happens every night here. I've come to expect it," veteran reliever Mark Guthrie said. "It's the worst place in the league."

Veterans Stadium operations director Mike DiMuzio said his staff didn't know how the fans got into the bullpen area, which is behind the leftfield fence. Still, they installed an additional scaffolding and added another security officer to the area Tuesday.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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