Baseball Capsules: Perfection: Sox' Mark Buehrle pitches perfect game
CHICAGO — The 105th pitch of Mark Buehrle’s day broke in toward Gabe Kapler, who turned on it and connected. Buehrle looked up and knew — his perfect game was in jeopardy.
Just in as a defensive replacement, Chicago White Sox center fielder DeWayne Wise sprinted toward the fence in left-center, a dozen strides. What happened next would be either a moment of baseball magic or the ninth-inning end of Buehrle’s bid for perfection against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Wise jumped and extended his right arm above the top of the 8-foot wall. The ball landed in his glove’s webbing but then popped out for a split second as he was caroming off the wall and stumbling on the warning track. Wise grabbed it with his bare left hand, fell to the ground and rolled. He bounced up, proudly displaying the ball for the crowd.
Magic. A home run turned into an out.
His biggest threat behind him, Buehrle coolly closed out the 18th perfect game in major league history, a 5-0 victory Thursday.
"I was hoping it was staying in there, give him enough room to catch it. I know the guys were doing everything they could to save the no-hitter, the perfect game, whatever it might be," said Buehrle, who has now thrown two no-hitters in his career.
Wise knew the stakes.
"I was with the Braves in ‘04 and I was there when Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks pitched a perfect game. So I’ve been on both sides of it," he said. "It was probably the best catch I’ve ever made because of the circumstances.
"It was kind of crazy, man, because when I jumped, the ball hit my glove at the same time I was hitting the wall. So I didn’t realize I had caught it until I fell down and the ball was coming out of my glove, so I reached out and grabbed it."
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was happy he made the switch to Wise, who came in at center while Scott Podsednik shifted to left and Carlos Quentin was pulled out.
"I guess that’s our job," Guillen said.
Buehrle fell behind 3-1 in the count to Michel Hernandez, the second batter in the ninth, who took a called strike and then swung and missed at strike three.
With fans chanting Buehrle’s name, Jason Bartlett got ahead 2-1, then grounded to shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who threw to first baseman Josh Fields. Buehrle put both hands on his head and was mobbed by teammates between the mound and first base.
"Never thought I’d throw a no-hitter, never thought I’d throw a perfect game, never thought I’d hit a home run," said Buehrle, who has done all three. "Never say never in this game because crazy stuff can happen."
The pitcher received a congratulatory telephone call from President Barack Obama — a White Sox fan — following the 16th perfect game since the modern era began in 1900 and the first since Johnson’s on May 18, 2004.
"We joked around, a 30-second phone call, and I’m like ‘What? That’s all he’s got for me?"’ Buehrle said.
Obama, a lefty like Buehrle, wore a White Sox jacket when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at last week’s All-Star game in St. Louis.
"I told him how surprised I was that he actually did it," Buehrle said. "He said, ‘Congratulations, and it’s an honor. A lot of people are going to remember this forever."’
Obama had spoken with Buehrle — a St. Charles, Mo., native — in the AL clubhouse last week.
"As a fan, it’s extraordinary," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs quoted Obama as saying. "When you’re a White Sox fan and know the guy who did it, it makes it even more fun."
Backed by Fields’ second-inning grand slam, Buehrle (11-3) threw 76 of 116 pitches for strikes and fanned six in his second no-hitter, helping Chicago move within a percentage point of AL Central-leading Detroit.
Kapler understood his role.
"That moment was magical for both Wise and Buehrle," Kapler said, "and most guys earn those moments."
In a 6-0 win over Texas on April 18, 2007, Buehrle also faced the minimum 27 batters. He walked Sammy Sosa in the fifth inning of that game, then picked him off two pitches later.
"I bought everyone watches after the last one. That was an expensive no-hitter," Buehrle said. "This one will probably be more expensive."
Buehrle and Johnson are the only two active pitchers with a pair of no-hitters, according to STATS LLC. In addition to his perfect game in 2004, The Big Unit tossed a no-hitter for Seattle on June 2, 1990, against Detroit.
Before the ninth, Buehrle needed no great plays behind him. In the fourth, Evan Longoria hit a line drive right at Ramirez. In the eighth, third baseman Gordon Beckham didn’t have to move to catch Pat Burrell’s liner.
"I’ve been involved in no-hitters before and you just have to move along," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It’s just a loss, but it does impact the team that gets the win, I believe."
Buehrle went to three-ball counts on five batters, including 3-0 to Bartlett in the sixth. Bartlett took the next two pitches for strikes, fouled one off and then hit a routine grounder to Ramirez. As the shortstop threw to first, those in the crowd of 28,036, sensing history, cheered loudly.
With one out in the eighth, Ben Zobrist hit a weak grounder that just rolled foul and later popped out on a 3-2 pitch. The next batter, Burrell, lined one just foul to left, with third-base umpire Laz Diaz making an emphatic "foul" call. Burrell then lined out to third moments later.
The 30-year-old Buehrle became only the second pitcher to throw two no-hitters for the White Sox: Frank Smith did it against Detroit in 1905 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908. The only previous perfect game for the White Sox was by Charles Robertson at Detroit on April 30, 1922.
It was the second no-hitter against the Rays. Derek Lowe accomplished the feat for Boston on April 27, 2002.
Scott Kazmir (4-6) allowed five runs and five hits in sixth innings. In addition to Fields’ grand slam, Ramirez hit an RBI double in the fifth.
Toward the end, Buehrle’s wife Jamie was a wreck as she watched from the seats near home plate with 4-month-old daughter Brooklyn.
"I’m so proud of my husband, it’s unbelievable," she said. "He just never ceases to amaze me. He keeps accomplishing more and more in his career."
NOTES: The Rays placed RHP Chad Bradford on the 15-day DL with low back tightness and recalled RHP Dale Thayer from Triple-A Durham. ... After failing on their previous four attempts to go five games over .500, the White Sox succeeded. ... Chicago activated RHP Bartolo Colon from the 15-day DL and optioned RHP Carlos Torres to Triple-A Charlotte.
Amazing catch preserves perfect game
CHICAGO — DeWayne Wise has had to earn every bit of playing time.
Now his leaping catch to save Chicago White Sox teammate Mark Buehrle’s perfect game has earned him a spot in history.
The 31-year-old journeyman, who never has spent a full season in the majors, robbed Tampa Bay’s Gabe Kabler of a home run in the ninth inning of Chicago’s 5-0 victory Thursday over the Rays.
"I knew I had a shot," Wise said. "It’s probably the best catch I ever made."
Given the magnitude of the situation, there’s no probably about it.
After Wise made his acrobatic grab for the first out of the ninth inning, Buehrle struck out Michel Hernandez and retired Jason Bartlett on a grounder to finish the 18th perfect game in major league history.
"I said to myself that it would come down to me having to make a play," Wise said. "It seems like every time you come into a game late, the ball finds you."
Wise was inserted just before the ninth inning, with manager Ozzie Guillen moving Scott Podsednik from center to left and taking out slow-footed Carlos Quentin.
After Kapler swung at the 2-2 pitch and the baseball took flight, catcher Ramon Castro — working with Buehrle for the first time ever — slammed his glove on his leg in disgust.
"Oh my God," Castro said, when asked later what he was thinking. "No way he’s catching that ball."
Said Wise: "I knew it was going to be one of those balls where I either had to jump up and rob it or I had to run through the wall.
"I just told myself: ‘I’ve got to do whatever it takes to catch this ball."’
With Wise running hard, he and the baseball reached the left-center-field wall almost simultaneously. Wise jumped and extended his right arm above an artist’s rendering of Billy Pierce, one of only seven pitchers in team history with more victories than Buehrle’s 133.
"I didn’t realize I had caught it until I fell down and the ball was coming out of my glove, so I reached out and grabbed it," Wise said.
And just like that, a center fielder who often has been booed by the fans because of his offensive shortcomings claimed a place of honor in White Sox lore.
"I was thinking that it wouldn’t be close to a homer but that (Kapler) broke up the perfect game. I thought it would be a double," White Sox captain Paul Konerko said. "Then it just hung up there and carried more than I thought and gave DeWayne time to track it down.
"All things considered, that’s got to be the play of the year because of what was on the line."
Pitch perfect: President congratulates Buehrle
CLEVELAND — First fan Barack Obama made time for a congratulatory call to the pitcher on his favorite baseball team who just threw a perfect game.
Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox didn’t allow a hit or walk a batter in a 5-0 victory at home over the Tampa Bay Rays. It was only the 18th perfect game in major league history.
The president’s spokesman says Obama told Buehrle it was "an unbelievable achievement" and "something that everyone will always remember."
Just last week Obama stepped to the pitcher’s mound at Busch Stadium in St. Louis for the first pitch at the All-Star game. Obama wore a White Sox jacket and visited Buehrle and other players before the game.
Obama was in the Cleveland area on Thursday discussing health care. He later traveled to Chicago for several fundraisers.
Trade
Indians send Betancourt to Rockies
TORONTO — Rafael Betancourt has watched teammates come and go during his tenure with the Cleveland Indians.
On Thursday, he was on the move.
The Cleveland Indians traded the reliable reliever to Colorado for minor league pitcher Connor Graham.
Betancourt, who has spent his entire seven-year career with Cleveland, learned of the deal following the Indians’ 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays.
"I was here for a long time with this team and I have a lot of good friends here, front office, coaches, players," Betancourt said. "They’ve always been great to me. I can’t say anything bad about it."
The Rockies are a game ahead of San Francisco for the NL wild card and nine games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the West and wanted to strengthen their bullpen.
Set-up man Manny Corpas is expected to undergo surgery Friday to remove bone chips in his right elbow. The operation could sideline him for the season although he hopes to return in September.
"We thought it was a good gamble to take in light of the situation," Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd told The Associated Press.
The Rockies also plan to promote right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, the organization’s top pitching prospect, from Double-A Tulsa, O’Dowd said. Chacin, who is expected to serve in a long-relief role, went 8-6 with a 3.14 ERA as a starter for the Drillers.
"We felt it was the appropriate time," O’Dowd said. "He’s a very talented kid."
Betancourt will serve as closer Huston Street’s set-up man.
"It’s time for me to leave and go there and keep pitching and keep playing, try to help the team win games," Betancourt said. "It’s a sad moment for me right now but I have to be a professional and keep playing."
In 29 appearances this season, Betancourt is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA. The right-hander has given up 25 hits and struck out 32 in 30 2-3 innings.
Betancourt has been primarily a set-up man since joining the Indians in 2003. He had a 1.47 ERA in 68 games when the Indians made the playoffs in 2007.
"These things can happen. You never know when it’s going to happen," Betancourt said. "I have to go there for the last two and a half months and help that team win."
The 34-year-old has been the Indians’ most consistent reliever for the past month. The Indians held a $5 million club option for him in 2010 and did not want to pick it up.
"Looking at the market this season and next, we don’t see $5 million as the right price for that kind of role in the bullpen," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.
With the July 31 deadline approaching, the disappointing Indians, who have the AL’s worst record, have been taking calls from contending teams looking to make a deal. Shapiro refused to comment specifically on reports that Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and All-Star catcher Victor Martinez have been drawing interest.
"He’s been a pretty solid pitcher for us for a while," Lee said of Betancourt. "He’s going to be missed. I’m sure the organization is trying to make a move to make us better."
Lee said he’s trying not to worry about the trade talk but acknowledged it can be a strain.
"If something’s going to happen you want it to happen sooner rather than later and get it over with, make the adjustment and get there, get to a new team and keep going," Lee said.
Shapiro would like to add starting pitchers to his roster and said a bigger deal was possible. However, he added that the Indians would approach any possible trade with diligence.
"Our job on any player is to examine the market and decide whether it makes sense to make a deal or not," he said.
The 6-foot-7 Graham has spent the entire season with Class-A Modesto of the California League. The 24-year-old went 7-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 16 starts. Shapiro said the Indians will send Graham to Double-A Akron.
National League
Dodgers to give away poster of Manny’s grand slam
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are producing a poster with artwork depicting Manny Ramirez’s pinch-hit grand slam that moved him within two of tying Lou Gehrig’s career record.
The individually numbered posters will be given away to the first 20,000 fans attending the game against Milwaukee on Aug. 5.
Ramirez’s slam propelled the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory over Cincinnati on Wednesday night, their 12th consecutive home win against the Reds. It was the 21st of Ramirez’s career, leaving him trailing Gehrig.
The poster is the third in a series depicting great moments at Dodger Stadium this season. The first featured Orlando Hudson hitting for the cycle on opening day, and the second one depicted the Dodgers’ nine walk-off victories in the first half.
Nats’ Olsen undergoes left shoulder surgery
WASHINGTON — Nationals left-hander Scott Olsen underwent surgery Thursday to repair a small labrum tear in his left shoulder.
The 25-year-old Olsen, who was scratched from two starts in the past week because of persistent back muscle tightness, was diagnosed with the shoulder injury after an examination Monday by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.
Thursday’s surgery showed no further damage, but Olsen will be out six to eight weeks to begin a throwing program and should be ready for spring training, acting general manager Mike Rizzo said.
Olsen, acquired in an offseason trade with the Florida Marlins, is 2-4 with a 6.03 ERA in 11 starts this year.
SS Lugo joins Cardinals, added to 25-man roster
WASHINGTON — Shortstop Julio Lugo has joined the St. Louis Cardinals and was available for Thursday’s makeup game against the Washington Nationals.
Lugo was acquired Wednesday from the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Chris Duncan and a player to be named or cash. Lugo was hitting .284 with a home run and eight RBIs in 37 games with Boston, which designated him for assignment July 17.
To make room on the 25-man roster for Lugo, the Cardinals optioned right-hander P.J. Walters to Triple-A Memphis. Walters had a 9.58 ERA in eight appearances, including one start.
Braves recall Kelly Johnson from minors
ATLANTA — Kelly Johnson is back on the Atlanta Braves’ active roster, although he returned as a backup instead of a starter.
Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before Thursday’s game against San Francisco. The Braves optioned infielder Brooks Conrad to Gwinnett.
Johnson started 57 games at second base in the first half of the season before going on the disabled list July 3 with right wrist tendinitis. Even before the injury, Johnson was losing playing time to Martin Prado, who is hitting .323 and started on Thursday.
Manager Bobby Cox has credited Prado with being a spark to the team’s hot streak. The Braves had won 10 of their last 13 entering Thursday’s game.
Johnson was hitting only .214 when he was placed on the disabled list.
Romero, Durbin land on DL
PHILADELPHIA — Phillies relievers J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin were placed on the disabled list Thursday, a big blow to the Philadelphia bullpen.
Romero has a strained left forearm and Durbin strained a muscle in his back. Tyler Walker and Andrew Carpenter were recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill their roster spots.
The left-handed Romero has a 2.87 ERA in 20 appearances since rejoining the Phillies after serving a 50-game suspension. Durbin, a right-hander, is 1-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 42 games.
Walker was 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in nine games in an earlier stint with the Phillies. Carpenter made a spot start this season, earning a win.
Gonzalez struck by liner, leaves game
ATLANTA — Braves left-hander Mike Gonzalez sustained a bruised forearm when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the San Francisco Giants’ Nate Schierholtz on Thursday.
Schierholtz’s liner bounced off Gonzalez toward first base for a single to start a four-run inning for the Giants, who were trying to snap a three-game losing streak.
Gonzalez, who had ligament-replacement surgery on his left elbow in May 2007, left the game with a left forearm contusion. X-rays were negative and the Braves listed him as day to day.
Gonzalez has shared the closer’s role with Rafael Soriano this season. He is 3-2 with a 3.25 ERA and nine saves in 13 chances.
Soriano allowed a run in the ninth before earning his 14th save Wednesday night.
Hot dog! Coors Field offers gluten-free food
DENVER — Buy me some peanuts and gluten-free hot dogs? Yes, at Coors Field in Denver.
Food vendor Aramark said Thursday it is opening a gluten-free concession stand at the home of the Colorado Rockies. Aramark says it’s believed to be the first such stand in the major leagues.
Gluten is a protein particle in wheat, barley, rye and their derivatives. It can trigger reactions in people with celiac disease.
In addition to hot dogs, the new stand’s gluten-free offerings include burgers, chicken sandwiches, brownies and, yes, beer.
American League
Wang seeks second opinion on injured shoulder
NEW YORK — Chien-Ming Wang received a second opinion on his injured pitching shoulder, and it remains uncertain when the New York Yankees right-hander might return to the mound.
Wang went on the 15-day disabled list July 5 with a strained right shoulder. After two weeks of rest, he played catch Monday and experienced more discomfort.
"I feel the same in the front of my shoulder," he said Thursday.
Wang was examined Wednesday by New York Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek. The Yankees received an assessment, which they didn’t detail. Next, they will confer with renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Alabama.
When the analysis is complete, the Yankees said, they will discuss Wang’s status. As of now, there are no plans for the pitcher to see Andrews, the team said.
"Second opinions are almost routine here," general manager Brian Cashman said before New York’s series opener against the Oakland Athletics.
A 19-game winner in 2006 and 2007, Wang missed the final 3½ months last season after injuring his right foot while running the bases in Houston.
This season has been wrecked by injuries and ineffectiveness. Wang is 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games, including nine starts. The sinkerballer was sidelined from April 19 to May 21 with adductor muscle weakness in his hips.
New York called up Sergio Mitre from the minors to take Wang’s spot in the rotation and he beat Baltimore 6-4 on Tuesday night for his first major league win since July 29, 2007, with Florida.
With Wang sidelined and former starters Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves now in the bullpen, the Yankees would like to have more starting pitching depth in case of another injury.
"We know that we’re a little thin," manager Joe Girardi said.
In other news, Cashman and Girardi said the Yankees still plan to keep 23-year-old starter Joba Chamberlain on an innings limit this season, though they didn’t divulge details.
Cashman said Chamberlain would not be shut down before the end of the regular season, and Girardi said it’s possible the right-hander could shift back to the bullpen at some point this year to prevent him from surpassing his innings limit.
"Nothing’s changed," Cashman said. "It’s not a new plan."
And it’s not an issue that must be dealt with in the next couple of weeks, Cashman said.
Chamberlain, mostly a starter in college and the minors, emerged as a dominant setup reliever when he reached the majors late in 2007. He was moved to the rotation in the middle of last season and there’s been much debate in New York about where he belongs.
"There’s a lot of different things that we could do," Girardi said. "As time goes on we’re going to evaluate him. There’s nothing that’s completely in stone."
Scheduled to pitch Friday night against Oakland, Chamberlain is 5-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 18 starts covering 95 2-3 innings.
NOTES: Left-handed reliever Damaso Marte, on the disabled list since April 26 with inflammation in his left shoulder, is on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Cashman said Marte’s arm strength is good, but he needs more time. "We just don’t think he’s quite ready," Girardi said.
-- Mike Fitzpatrick
GM: free agency main reason for Halladay talks
TORONTO — Roy Halladay’s desire to test the free-agent market following the 2010 season is the primary reason the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to trade their staff ace, general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Thursday.
"That’s the whole reason we’re going down this avenue," Ricciardi said, hours after revealing Halladay’s intentions in a pre-game chat with a Toronto radio station.
Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline is July 31. Ricciardi said July 6 he would field offers for Halladay, who has a full no-trade clause. The Blue Jays have set a loose deadline of July 28 to make a deal but Ricciardi said there is room to maneuver.
"If we’re down the road with something, obviously the deadline can fluctuate," Ricciardi said. "If we’re not down the road by (Tuesday), nothing’s going to happen."
Halladay, due to start against Tampa on Friday, declined to talk about his free agent status following Toronto’s loss to Cleveland on Thursday.
"I’m not addressing it," Halladay said. "I don’t even know what (Ricciardi) said. I’ll (talk) after I pitch."
Halladay signed contract extensions with Toronto before the 2004 and 2006 seasons but has told the Blue Jays he will test the open market when his contract expires next year, Ricciardi said.
"He’s willing to stay here and play," Ricciardi said. "Then, when he becomes a free agent, if we went to him with an extension, he’d probably say I’d rather take a chance and see what free agency is, and we would then become one of 30 teams, as opposed to the one that had the right to keep him away from that."
The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner and this year’s AL starter at the All-Star Game, Halladay is 11-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 18 starts. He pitched a six-hitter to beat Boston on Sunday, his first victory since June 7.
Halladay was placed on the 15-day disabled list and missed two turns in the rotation after injuring his groin while pitching against Florida on June 12. He is 1-2 in four starts since returning June 28.
Ricciardi said Halladay has given him a list of teams he would consider joining and said some new teams have entered the bidding for the righty in recent days, although he declined to identify them.
Ricciardi has repeatedly said he thinks Halladay will still be with the Blue Jays once the trade deadline passes.
"If we don’t trade him, we still have a very good player and we still have a chance to have a very good team next year," Ricciardi said. "If we’re wowed, we’ll think about it. And my gut is that we don’t get wowed."
Blue Jays RHP McGowan has knee surgery
TORONTO — Blue Jays right-hander Dustin McGowan had surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee earlier this month, the latest setback on his recovery from shoulder surgery.
McGowan, who was not pitched for Toronto this season, hurt his knee while doing conditioning drills in Florida and had surgery July 9.
General manager J.P. Ricciardi said Thursday that McGowan did not have any ligament damage but will need six weeks to recover, likely ensuring he will not return until spring training.
"I feel bad for the poor kid," Ricciardi said. "He can’t stay healthy."
McGowan had been pitching with a partially torn rotator cuff last season when he left a July 8 start against Baltimore because of pain. He had surgery to repair a frayed labrum July 31.
A four-year veteran, the 27-year old McGowan has a career record of 20-22 with a 4.71 ERA. He missed all but six games of the 2004 minor league season because of elbow ligament replacement surgery.
McGowan is one of six Blue Jays right-handers on the disabled list, along with Casey Janssen (shoulder), Jesse Litsch (elbow surgery), Shaun Marcum (elbow surgery), Robert Ray (shoulder) and Scott Richmond (shoulder).
Sprained knee sends Guillen to DL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals right fielder Jose Guillen is headed to the 15-day disabled list after spraining his right knee while putting on his shin guard against the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday night.
Guillen started against the Angels and played in the outfield in the first two innings, then felt a pop in his knee as he bent over to put on his shin guard. He was replaced by a pinch hitter for his first at-bat and went to the hospital with what the team said was "sudden right leg pain."
Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Thursday that Guillen will go on the DL with a sprained knee and outfielder Mitch Maier will be recalled from Triple-A Omaha. Guillen is hitting .245 with nine homers and 40 RBIs.
Former White Sox pitcher admits HGH use
CHICAGO — Jim Parque, a former pitcher for the White Sox and Tampa Bay, says he used human growth hormone "about six times" after he was cut by Chicago in 2002 and before he tried a comeback with the Rays the following season.
Parque made his confession in a lengthy, first-person account printed Thursday in the Chicago Sun-Times. He says he tried HGH in a bid to recover from a shoulder injury that he blames for derailing his career.
"It never gave me more strength or bulked me up, but it provided quicker recoveries," Parque wrote. "I began to throw harder because my shoulder felt no pain. I was able to withstand more throwing, creating a work environment that I had not experienced in two years."
Parque made five starts for Tampa Bay in 2003, compiling an 11.94 ERA. He never pitched again in the majors. In 2007, he was named as a drug user in the Mitchell Report.
Elsewhere
Minors pitcher says he didn’t throw to hit anyone
DAYTON, Ohio — A minor-league pitcher accused of throwing a baseball that injured a fan in Ohio testified Thursday that he threw the ball downward toward a dugout to try to keep opposing players from rushing the field during an on-field melee.
Julio Castillo, 22, of the Dominican Republic, was pitching for the Peoria Chiefs against the Dayton Dragons when the bench-clearing brawl broke out last July. A fan in the stands suffered a concussion after getting struck by a ball Castillo threw; he has pleaded not guilty to felonious assault.
Testifying in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, Castillo said he had been having pitching control problems earlier in the game, became frightened as the brawl began, and did not throw at an opposing player or with the intention of hitting anyone.
"I saw that the players with the Dragons were coming," the Spanish-speaking Castillo said, testifying through a translator. "I was nervous and frightened. I threw the ball in front of the dugout to see if they would go back. I didn’t throw it to hit anyone."
Under cross-examination by assistant Montgomery County prosecutor Tracey Ballard Tangeman, Castillo acknowledged that he threw the ball hard and that it went into the stands.
Castillo is now on the roster of the Boise Hawks, a Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, but is not allowed to play. The Cubs are awaiting the outcome of the trial to determine whether his status will change.
In the previous game before the brawl, three Peoria batters had been hit by pitches. In the next game, a Peoria player was hit in the top of the first inning, then Castillo hit two Dayton batters in the bottom half — one in the head. The second batter hit by Castillo, Angel Cabrerra, made an aggressive slide into second to break up a double play.
Castillo followed that by throwing his next pitch up-and-in, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to complain to the home plate umpire. Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez came onto the field to join the discussion. The two managers began arguing, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.
Video from the game shows Castillo throwing a ball, but doesn’t show where the ball landed.
Officials in the Midwest League suspended and fined 15 players, including Castillo, and both managers for the fight.
-- James Hannah
Ex-ballplayer Neel sentenced in child support case
SAN ANTONIO — Former major leaguer Troy Neel was sentenced Thursday to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $700,000 in delinquent child support that branded the former Oakland Athletics first baseman with the worst deadbeat rap in Texas history.
Spared a maximum two years in prison so he can work and chip away at a decade’s worth of lapsed payments, Neel is a long way from the million-dollar South Pacific island resort where he lived after his playing days ended.
Neel, 43, wore a dark blue prison jumpsuit and spoke flatly while expressing regret toward his two children.
"I’m tired. I want to close this out," Neel said. "I don’t want this following me around anymore. It’s time."
Neel joined the A’s in 1992 and played three seasons before going to Japan following the 1994 player’s strike. He hit .280 with 37 home runs in three major league seasons, and finished seventh in the 1993 rookie of the year voting.
Neel divorced his first wife in 1998 and was ordered to pay $5,000 a month in child support. But he only made a few payments in the first year before the checks stopped and now owes nearly $779,000 after penalties.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has called Neel "the most egregious child support evader in Texas history," putting the owed amount as more than the combined total of the top 10 deadbeat parents in the state.
Neel isn’t a free man just yet. He remains held on a separate Travis County criminal charge of nonpayment of child support that could be resolved early as next week. Karen Meinardus, one of Neel’s attorneys, said they are also hoping for no jail time on that charge.
Neel said his failure to pay was a mistake and he wanted to make amends. Federal prosecutors didn’t push for prison time during the hearing but characterized Neel’s return from islands in the Republic of Vanuatu last year as not exactly voluntary.
Vanuatu is a small chain of islands located about 1,000 miles east of Australia. Authorities arrested Neel at a Los Angeles airport in December, and he pleaded guilty in May to a charge of foreign travel to evade child support obligations.
"He’s willing to work at McDonald’s if he needs to, coach Little League, whatever he needs to do to get his child support paid," James Sustaita, Neel’s attorney, told the court.
Neel said his life in tropical Vanuatu wasn’t an endless vacation of fishing and excess in paradise. He said he paid $1.5 million for Erakor Island, depicted on a Web site as a lavish resort surrounded by white sandy beaches and azure blue waters.
In reality, Neel said, he never turned a profit on the resort and essentially went belly-up. He said he lived on $3,000 a month in a one-bedroom studio and worked everywhere from marketing to the resort’s restaurant.
The resort island was placed in receivership in April 2008 and Neel is not expected to receive any money from the venture, according to court documents filed by Neel’s attorney.
-- Paul J. Weber
