Torii Hunter certainly got his money's worth as he argued a call and was subsequently ejected during the Minnesota Twins' 7-2 defeat to the Kansas Royals on Wednesday night. Now, it's really going to cost him.
Major League Baseball announced Friday that Hunter will be suspended for two games in addition to having to pay a fine, the amount of which wasn't revealed.
MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reported that Hunter will not appeal his suspension and will be active Tuesday vs. the Cardinals. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press showed Minnesota's lineup without Hunter:
Many baseball fans have already seen replays of Hunter's meltdown. Disagreeing with a called third strike by umpire Mark Ripperger, the 39-year-old proceeded to throw his shin guard, elbow protector, batting gloves and jersey onto the field of play:
After the game, Hunter explained what set him off:
Although the whole situation was rather innocuous, it was inevitable that MLB would levy some sort of punishment, be it a suspension, fine or combination of the two.
ESPN's Jim Bowden wondered, however, why Hunter got two games, while Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon didn't receive any additional reprimand. McClendon was animated, to say the least, as he argued with umpires following an ejection earlier in the month:
Dropping the appeal will allow Hunter to get back on the field as soon as possible which will only benefit the Twins as they continue their quest for a postseason berth.
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