Machado Awaits Verdict After Suspension Hearing
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado stated his case Wednesday for the reduction of a five-game suspension he received for intentionally throwing his bat on the field against Oakland on June 8.
Now he's got to wait for the verdict, which will probably be rendered before the end of the week.
"We're hoping we made a good case and we got it down," Machado said.
Machado tossed his bat in the direction of third base during a plate appearance in which Oakland reliever Fernando Abad threw successive high-and-tight pitches. After the bat went soaring, both benches emptied.
Machado and Abad were ejected. Abad was subsequently fined but not suspended.
The bat throwing was an extension of a feud that began in the series opener two days earlier. Machado yelled in the face of Oakland's Josh Donaldson after the third baseman tagged him on the chest, knocking Machado off his feet.
The dugouts also emptied after that confrontation, but no one was ejected.
Machado was subsequently suspended and fined an undisclosed amount. He immediately appealed the punishment and has been playing for Baltimore since that time.
Machado, his agent and Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette spoke for about an hour Wednesday with Joe Garagiola Jr., senior vice president of standards and on-field operations at Major League Baseball. The meeting took place at the warehouse behind Camden Yards.
"We got it done," Machado said. "Now it's just sit back and wait and see what is going to happen."
He hoped to get a reduction of the suspension, and if possible, have it wiped out entirely.
"At this point, there's nothing to talk about," Machado said. "Just wait and see how many games I'm going to get suspended, hopefully I don't and just get fined."
Asked why he was optimistic, Machado replied, "I didn't throw the bat at anybody. And that's it. All the other cases that have gotten suspended have been when they go ahead and intentionally throw the bat at the person. I don't want to jinx anything. I just want to try and get as least games as possible."
If a suspension does occur, Machado and the Orioles hoped the decision would be rendered after Friday's split doubleheader against Tampa Bay.
"Hopefully, it doesn't hurt the team that I'm down with those two games," Machado said.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)