Ichiro still dizzy; M’s rained out
Ichiro Suzuki did not sustain a concussion when he was hit in the head by a pitch, but the Seattle Mariners star still felt slightly dizzy Thursday and was not scheduled to play against Kansas City.
The game was postponed by rain before it began and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader in Seattle on Aug. 28. The Mariners are not scheduled to return to Kansas City, Mo., this year and the teams do not have a common day off. Both managers said their pitching rotation would remain the same.
Ichiro, who leads the majors with 189 hits and a .366 average, was hit on the back right side of his head by a 1-2 pitch from rookie Jimmy Serrano on Wednesday night. The outfielder stayed face-down in the batter’s box for several minutes.
“The tests were OK, so I should be fine,” Ichiro said through a translator. “We’ll see how dizzy I am tomorrow.”
It was first thought Suzuki sustained a mild concussion. Nevertheless, dizziness persisted Thursday afternoon.
“When I’m up and I’m moving around is when I feel it a little bit,” he said. “Last night’s was probably the hardest I’ve been hit.”
Selig gets extension; World Cup launched
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig received a contract extension through 2009 as owners praised his 12-year reign, but dissension surfaced among teams in the decision to launch a World Cup tournament.
Selig was given the three-year extension in a unanimous vote of the 30 teams. If he serves out the new term, he will have held the job for 19 years – the second-longest tenure behind Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who became the first commissioner in 1920 and held the job until he died in 1944.
Baseball owners also gave their preliminary go-ahead for the launch of a World Cup tournament, which Selig finally admitted could not begin until 2006.
The Chicago White Sox, Detroit and Kansas City voted against the World Cup and the New York Yankees abstained, one baseball official said on the condition of anonymity. In addition, Oakland made its vote for approval conditional, subject to insurance for players being worked out to its satisfaction.
White Sox manager suspended two more games
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended two more games and fined $2,000 by the commissioner’s office for calling umpire Hunter Wendelstedt a liar. Guillen originally was suspended two games and fined $1,000 for arguing in an Aug. 9 game against Cleveland.
City orders new inspections for Wrigley
Chicago city officials ordered a new round of inspections at Wrigley Field and threatened to block Monday night’s game if the team can’t prove the ballpark is safe.
Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek said he ordered the review after a reporter noted during an interview Wednesday that some repairs at the ballpark were “shoddy.”
“I said that certainly the reports we received from the Cubs don’t indicate that,” Kaderbek said, but he said he was concerned enough that he ordered new inspections.
Kaderbek said the Cubs have until noon Monday to show that 90-year-old Wrigley is safe.
Twins’ Hunter runs into wall
Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter strained his neck when he crashed into the padded wall trying to make a catch, and left the game against the New York Yankees. Hunter lay on his back on the warning track for several minutes before being helped to his feet and carted off the field. He was listed as day-to-day.
Clearing the bases
The Los Angeles Dodgers sent minor league outfielder Jereme Milons to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-hander Elmer Dessens and cash considerations. The Dodgers also put reliever Darren Dreifort on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Tuesday. … Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kip Wells returned to Pittsburgh to have an MRI exam, a day after he was scratched from a scheduled start because of elbow inflammation. The Pirates also recalled right-hander Ian Snell from Double-A Altoona. … The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed first baseman-designated hitter Randall Simon. … The Cubs signed free-agent infielder Neifi Perez to a minor league contract.