March 23, 200521 yr I wonder if this will effect who makes the team? http://www.suntimes.com/output/sports/cst-spt-sox23.html Suspension hangs over Sox reliever Hermanson BY DOUG PADILLA Staff Reporter TUCSON, Ariz. -- With Mark Buehrle's availability uncertain for Opening Day, the White Sox will learn Thursday how long they will be without a valuable piece of the bullpen during the first week of the season. Reliever Dustin Hermanson is scheduled to have an appeal Thursday of a three-game suspension he received last season with the San Francisco Giants but did not serve. Against the Houston Astros on Sept. 23, Hermanson hit Jeff Kent with the next pitch after Lance Berkman hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning to put the Astros ahead. Hermanson was ejected by home-plate umpire Mike Reilly and five days later was hit with the suspension and a $1,000 fine. The game was being played under a warning after Barry Bonds nearly was hit by Astros pitcher Brandon Backe. Bonds walked toward the mound and both benches emptied, but the situation did not escalate. Because the Giants were in a pennant chase with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hermanson's agent filed an appeal allowing the matter to spill over into this season. Hermanson has denied he was throwing at Kent. ''It's something that happened,'' said Hermanson, who has not given up a run this spring in seven innings. ''A ball ran in on somebody, I got suspended. I have to let them know that, hey, I've been throwing in on the guy the whole time. "What else is there really to say? We're pitching Jeff Kent in the whole series, I let one in a little too hard and hit him and I get thrown out and suspended for three games. That's not right.'' Hermanson said he has no idea what to expect from the appeal hearing. In fact, he said he never has been in court, and the only time he ever was disciplined was for a speeding ticket as a teenager while driving his 1972 Chevy Chevelle. ''I've never been suspended before, I've never been in this situation and I may never be in it again because I'm not that type of guy where this kind of stuff happens,'' he said. ''I'll protect my teammates, but it wasn't that type of situation.'' Whatever happens Thursday, he figures to be missing some time. ''I don't think I've seen too many appeals get knocked out completely,'' he said. ''I'm hoping that maybe they knock it down to one or two days or just give me the $1,000 fine.''
March 23, 200521 yr ''It's something that happened,'' said Hermanson, who has not given up a run this spring in seven innings. ''A ball ran in on somebody, I got suspended. I have to let them know that, hey, I've been throwing in on the guy the whole time. It's not that hard to tell when someone is lying...but it would be dumb to tell the truth in this instance.
March 24, 200521 yr With the day off between the first and second game, along with the RHP depth in the pen, this should be a nonissue.
March 24, 200521 yr No worries, we have enough guys so that noone will have to pull and back to back apperances.
March 24, 200521 yr QUOTE(backman @ Mar 23, 2005 -> 08:43 PM) No worries, we have enough guys so that noone will have to pull and back to back apperances. Yup. For once the pen is looking pretty deep.
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