MLB suspends Rays reliever Peralta for eight games
Tampa Bay reliever Joel Peralta was suspended for eight games by Major League Baseball on Thursday for having pine tar on his glove. Peralta has appealed, and can continue to play until the process is complete. The Rays were at Washington on Thursday night.
Peralta was ejected from Tuesday night’s game in Washington after umpires found pine tar on his glove. The incident led to a verbal spat between managers Joe Maddon of the Rays and Davey Johnson of the Nationals.“I just know that we’re appealing right now so I’ve got to sit tight and see,” Peralta said.
“I’m allowed to pitch today and that’s all I care about right now.”
Peralta, who pitched for the Nationals during the 2010 season, said his former teammates approached him before Wednesday’s game and were supportive. He didn’t suspect that they turned him in.
“I knew it wasn’t them,” Peralta said. “I knew when they did it was not coming from the players. That made me feel good. I know they like me.”
“Of course it’s too much, and of course it’s unfair, but that’s the way they came down with it and it’s gonna be up to them to try and manipulate it,” Maddon said.
A’s recall Norris
The Oakland Athletics called up talented catching prospect Derek Norris to split time behind the plate with regular Kurt Suzuki.
Norris was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento in time to start the series finale with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went 0 for 3. Norris, who came to the A’s in the trade that sent All-Star lefty Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals last December, batted .273 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs in 55 games for the River Cats.
Clearing the bases
The Braves say Brandon Beachy had successful right elbow ligament- replacement surgery. The operation to reconstruct the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in Beachy’s elbow was performed by Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Fla. Andrews has performed many of the ligament replacement operations known as Tommy John surgery. Beachy faces a recovery period of at least one year and will miss the remainder of the season. … Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had surgery on his left groin to remove scar tissue and will miss at least six weeks. Tulowitzki, who has been sidelined since May 30, was hitting .287 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 47 games this season. … Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp still is optimistic about playing in the All-Star game next month in Kansas City – as long as he’s sure he will be healthy for the stretch run with N.L. West-leading Los Angeles. Whether manager Don Mattingly and the medical staff give him the go-ahead is another question altogether.