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Ump calls Price ‘liar’

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price accused umpire Tom Hallion of directing profanity toward him on Sunday. (Associated Press)
Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price is not concerned about potential discipline from Major League Baseball after his verbal spat with umpire Tom Hallion last weekend.

Price accused Hallion of directing a profanity toward him during the Rays’ 8-3 win over the White Sox on Sunday. The A.L. Cy Young Award winner thought Hallion missed a pitch and exchanged words with the plate umpire after the seventh inning.

After the game, Hallion vehemently denied Price’s claim.

“I’ll come right out bluntly and say he’s a liar,” he told a pool reporter.

Price before Tuesday night’s game in Kansas City that he was upset with himself and never looked up until he heard Hallion’s voice.

“You can’t talk to me that way, period,” Price said. “That was my whole thing. It had nothing to do with the strike zone. You don’t talk to people that way.”

Price also took umbrage with being called a liar.

“I’m not a liar,” he said pointedly.

Price could be disciplined for violating MLB’s social media policy, which forbids “content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a Major League umpire.”

Hallion also could be disciplined for initiating the incident.

Clearing the bases

Atlanta right-hander Luis Ayala has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of an anxiety disorder. … Cleveland outfielder Nick Swisher was out of the lineup against Philadelphia because of a sore left shoulder. . … Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton expects to be sidelined for about a month because of a strained right hamstring. … Outfielder Delmon Young has been activated from the 15-day disabled list by Philadelphia. … Reliever Joel Hanrahan has been activated from the 15-day disabled list by Boston after two weeks out due to a sore right hamstring. … New York Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis is on the disabled list with a lumbar spine sprain. … Well-traveled outfielder Casper Wells is on the move again, this time going from Oakland Athletics to the Chicago White Sox. He started the year in Seattle and was claimed off waivers by Toronto on April 10.