Times wires
Saturday, June 4, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO — Buster Posey called out the fans making threats toward Scott Cousins, the Marlins player who ended the Giants catcher's season in a home-plate collision on May 25.
"I appreciate the continued support of Giants fans and others as I begin the process of working my way back," Posey, a former FSU standout, said in a statement Saturday. "But in no way do I condone threats of any kind against Scott Cousins or his family.
"As I said last week, I'm not out to vilify Scott. I appreciate that he made the effort to reach out to me on the night of the play, but I was in no physical condition to talk to anyone. I have not been back with the team since that night so I haven't even been aware of any other messages he's left for me. We all need to move on, so it isn't necessary to have a conversation with him at this point."
The collision at home left Posey with a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle. Giants GM Brian Sabean criticized Cousins on his radio show last week, calling the play malicious and unnecessary.
The incident has sparked a debate about the safety of catchers and perhaps modifying rules to protect them in plays at the plate.
In an interview with the Tulsa World, Hall of Fame C Johnny Bench put much of the fault on Posey's positioning.
"I teach my kids to stay away from the plate when you don't have the ball so the runner actually sees home plate and his thought is, slide," said Bench, a Reds spring training instructor. "But Buster is laying in front of home plate, and it's like having a disabled car in the middle of a four-lane highway. You're just going to get smacked."
Joe West, the home-plate umpire during the game, called it a "good, hard-nosed play" and said he wouldn't back a rules change.
"They said the same thing when (Hall of Famer) Carlton Fisk got hit. Carlton Fisk learned how to tag a guy like a third baseman," West said.
AMATEUR DRAFT: The Pirates are likely to take UCLA RHP Gerrit Cole with the top pick in the draft on Monday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
ASTROS: 2B Bill Hall was placed on unconditional release waivers to make room for OF Jason Bourgeois, who will be activated from the disabled list today.
BRAVES: CF Jordan Schafer sustained a small nondisplaced sinus fracture after fouling a bunt attempt off his face Friday and is day-to-day.
DODGERS: RHP Jon Garland and SS Rafael Furcal went on the 15-day DL. Garland has shoulder soreness, and Furcal pulled muscles in his left side.
ORIOLES: 1B Derrek Lee, out since May 17 with a strained left oblique, was activated.
PHILLIES: SS Jimmy Rollins left during the third inning with a bruised right knee.
RED SOX: RHP Clay Buchholz, who felt lower back discomfort during a poor outing Friday, is expected to make his next start.
TWINS: C Joe Mauer, out since April 14 with bilateral leg weakness, is set to begin his minor-league rehab as the DH today for Class A Fort Myers. His brother Jake manages the Miracle.
YANKEES: RHP Phil Hughes, out since April 15 with shoulder inflammation, felt good after throwing 22 pitches to batters in a side session.