MLB Sexson suspended for 6 games SEATTLE — Seattle Mariners slugger Richie Sexson was suspended for six games and fined Friday by Major League Baseball after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Texas Rangers pitcher Kason Gabbard on Thursday night. Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, cited Sexson for “violent and aggressive actions.” Sexson asked the players’ association to appeal, and any suspension will be delayed until after a hearing. Sexson declined to comment on the penalties, citing advice from the players’ union. Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and Texas’ Gerald Laird and Sidney Ponson also were fined. Sexson charged the mound and flung his helmet at Gabbard after the left-hander threw an eye-high pitch to him in the fourth inning of Seattle’s 5-0 loss. While benches cleared, no punches were thrown. Sexson was ejected. Farnsworth’s suspension cut DETROIT — New York Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth’s suspension was cut from three games to one Friday by Major League Baseball after his appeal. Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, announced the original penalty April 19, two days after Farnsworth threw a fastball behind the neck of Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez. Farnsworth wasn’t ejected and said the ball slipped. PADRES Edmonds released SAN DIEGO — Center fielder Jim Edmonds, 37, was released Friday by the San Diego Padres after his batting average dipped to. 178 — more than 100 points below his lifetime average — and he struggled to track down fly balls. The Padres acquired the oft-injured Edmonds from the St. Louis Cardinals in December. An eight-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star, Edmonds strained his right calf in early March and started the season on the disabled list before being activated April 5. A lifetime. 286 hitter, he was just 16 for 90 in 26 games, with 1 home run and 6 RBI. While Edmonds once made spectacular catches while with the Cardinals and Angels, he clearly lost a step or two and simply couldn’t catch up to fly balls. The Padres acquired Edmonds and $ 2 million from the Cardinals in mid-December for minor league third baseman David Freese.
CUBS Pitching change made CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs activated lefthanded reliever Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list Friday and optioned left-handed pitcher Sean Marshall to Class AAA Iowa. Eyre, 35, has missed the first 34 games this season with left elbow inflammation. He said Friday he has been taking medication for arthritis in the joint. Eyre was placed on the DL on March 30. He made seven minor league rehab appearances with three of the Cubs’ minor league affiliates and had a 6. 75 ERA. Eyre did not allow a run over his final 19 outings last season, a span of 14 2 / 3 innings. He had a 2-1 record with a 4. 13 ERA in 55 relief appearances last season. Eyre said his elbow felt fine and he was ready to pitch. Marshall, called up from Iowa on April 9, was 0-0 with a save and 4. 15 ERA in 13 relief appearances. He was 7-8 and made 19 starts for the Cubs last season. He will go back to the minors and work on returning to a starter’s role. ANGELS Lackey pitches ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Los Angeles Angels right-hander John Lackey threw 88 pitches over six innings in an extended spring training game Friday. Lackey, who went 19-9 with a 3. 01 ERA last season, could rejoin the team next week. He opened the season on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right triceps. Lackey previously made three rehab starts for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. BLUE JAYS-RANGERS Outfielder Mench traded CLEVELAND — The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outielder Kevin Mench in a trade with the Texas Rangers. The Blue Jays gave the Rangers cash for Mench, who was with Class AAA Oklahoma after failing to make the club as a nonroster invitee in spring training. Mench was hitting. 282 with 3 home runs and 18 RBI in 29 games for Oklahoma. Mench was drafted by the Rangers in 1999 and hit at least 25 home runs in consecutive seasons in 2004-2005 before getting traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a deadline deal for Carlos Lee in 2006. Earlier that year, he became the fifth major league player to hit a home run in seven consecutive games.
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