CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs reliever LaTroy Hawkins began serving a three-game suspension Friday after his appeal was rejected. His fine was reduced from $3,000 to $2,000.
After giving up a tiebreaking homer in the ninth to the Cardinals' Albert Pujols on July 20 at Wrigley Field, Hawkins was ejected after he started yelling at plate umpire Tim Tschida as he walked to the dugout. The reliever had to be restrained by manager Dusty Baker and several Cubs coaches from going at Tschida.
"Do I regret it? No," Hawkins said at the time, adding that he and Tschida had a feud dating back two years.
In 2002 when Hawkins was with the Twins, Tschida ejected him from a game in a disagreement over the positioning of the reliever's chair in the bullpen.
Hawkins wasn't immediately available for comment Friday. As the Cubs closer, he has 17 saves in 21 chances.
The Cubs said they expected to hear within the next couple days on the appeal of Kerry Wood's five-game suspension for an April run-in with umpire Eric Cooper.
Wood is set to start Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Wood and Hawkins had an appeal hearing this week before baseball disciplinarian Bob Watson.
A-ROD OUT WITH FLU: Alex Rodriguez was out of the New York Yankees' lineup for Friday night's game against the Seattle Mariners because of the flu.
Manager Joe Torre said he hopes to have the All-Star third baseman back for Saturday's game. Miguel Cairo, who hit his first career grand slam Thursday against Texas, played third in Rodriguez's place.
Going into Friday night's game, Rodriguez was tied for the AL lead in homers with 29. He's hitting .279, with 71 RBIs.
Torre said Rodriguez first got sick in Texas, where the Yankees beat the Rangers twice in the three-game series. Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with two walks in Thursday's win, and is 3-for-10 on the road trip.
"He's got a sore throat. He's got the flu," Torre said. "It just blossomed today."
Asked if Rodriguez would miss just one game, Torre said: "I hope so."
Rodriguez has become the favorite enemy of Mariners fans since he left Seattle as a free agent after the 2000 season and signed a record $252 million contract with the Rangers. He was booed heavily and fake money was thrown from the upper decks of the stands when New York came to Seattle for a series in May.
BUSH, MARTINEZ TRADE SIGNATURES: President Bush and Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez exchanged signed baseballs Friday.
"We talked about all the years I beat on the Rangers," Martinez told reporters before the Mariners' played the New York Yankees at Safeco Field.
Bush is a former managing partner of the Texas Rangers.
Mariners president Chuck Armstrong, who told Martinez that the president wanted to see him during his Seattle visit, accompanied the player to Boeing Field, a general aviation airport in Seattle, to greet Bush.
Martinez announced this week he would retire at the end of the season end after an 18-year career with the Mariners. He said the president congratulated him on his retirement.
Martinez refused to discuss his presidential preference.
"No politics!" he said.