Furcal given OK to play
Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal was cleared Wednesday to play in the postseason despite a probation violation on a drunken-driving charge.
The ruling came hours before the Braves opened their playoff series with the Houston Astros. Furcal tripled in Atlanta’s 9-3 loss.
Furcal must remain in home confinement for the rest of the year and has to return to a hotel if on the road, Judge David Darden said.
Darden sentenced Furcal to 21 days in jail to be followed by a 28-day in-house treatment program. The judge delayed the start of the sentence until the day after the Braves’ season ends.
Furcal, 26, seemed surprised by the length of the sentence.
“That’s a lot of days,” he said during batting practice before Game 1. “It’s bad for me. I’ve never been in jail that long.”
The judge also ruled Furcal may not drink alcohol or participate in post-game celebrations. Most times, teams celebrate with champagne when they win postseason series.
Brown to start Game 3
Kevin Brown was picked over Orlando Hernandez to start for the New York Yankees in Friday’s Game 3 of their first-round American League playoff series against Minnesota.
Brown has started twice since Sept. 3, the night he broke his non-pitching hand while punching a clubhouse wall during a 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Brown, a 39-year-old right-hander, was 10-6 with a 4.09 ERA for the Yankees, and was on the disabled list from June 10 to July 29 because of a back injury.
Carlos Silva, 14-8 with a 4.21 ERA, will start Friday for the Twins.
Bradley lashes out at reporter
Los Angeles Dodgers star Milton Bradley allegedly called a reporter an “Uncle Tom” after the outfielder was asked how he was treated by St. Louis fans following his season-ending suspension for throwing a bottle into the stands.
The confrontation occurred in the clubhouse at Busch Stadium after batting practice during an off day in the Los Angeles-St. Louis playoff series. Bradley fielded a question from Los Angeles Times reporter Jason Reid regarding fans during the Cardinals’ 8-3 win in Game 1.
The Cardinals will send Jason Marquis to the mound against Jeff Weaver today.
It was the first game for Bradley since he was suspended for the final five games of the regular season by Major League Baseball after a bottle-throwing tantrum during a win over Colorado in Los Angeles.
Bill Dwyre, sports editor for the Times, said that various reporters who were in the Dodgers clubhouse said that Bradley didn’t like Reid’s question and allegedly called him an “Uncle Tom.” Reid, who is black, took offense at the insult and began yelling at Bradley, who also is black.
Beltran questionable for Game 2
Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Beltran is questionable for tonight’s Game 2 of the N.L. division series after getting hit in the ribs by a pitch from Atlanta’s Juan Cruz.
Beltran was 3 for 3 — including a two-run homer and a stolen base — when an inside fastball from Cruz caught the hitter in the right ribs in the seventh inning.
Beltran hobbled to first and managed to stay in the game, but he didn’t go back in the field for the bottom half. X-rays were negative.
Clearing the bases
New York Yankees bench coach Willie Randolph will get a chance to interview with the New York Mets for their managerial opening, a National League source confirmed. … Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox surgery on his left ankle to remove debris, get a bone graft and insert two screws. His status for spring training is undetermined. … ESPN’s regular-season baseball audience, averaging more than 1.2 million viewers for its 86 games, was up 7 percent from last season and the highest it has been since 2001.