Carlos Quentin was issued an eight-game suspension for his role in a bench-clearing brawl Thursday night between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, that resulted in a broken collarbone for Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke.
That suspension could begin Monday, the starting date of a three-game set between the two clubs. Major League Baseball would likely be thrilled to have Quentin sit that series out, and perhaps allow the anger between the two teams to simmer down.
Following the brawl, Dodgers star outfielder Matt Kemp confronted Quentin in a Petco Park hallway and seemingly threatened retaliation when the two teams met again, saying "We'll see b---h."
Quentin was hit on the arm on a 3-2 pitch in a one-run game with nobody on base in the sixth inning, an odd time for a pitcher to purposely plunk a batter. Still, Quentin charged the mound believing Greinke's intent was to hurt him. Greinke had hit Quentin twice previously in 2009, when Greinke was a member of the Kansas City Royals and Quentin played for the Chicago White Sox.
This time, after Quentin was beaned he stepped toward the mound and claimed Greinke said something to him, which was the final straw in his decision to charge. Quentin has appealed his eight-game suspension, and that appeal is currently under review. "I've been truthful about my situation with Greinke," Quentin said. "I wish he would be."
Greinke maintains he didn't hit Quentin on purpose; also, Quentin has been hit 116 times in his eight-year career, an average of 26 times a season. His history of being hit, and the game situation when he charged the mound Thursday, prompted an irate Don Mattingly, manager of the Dodgers, to say Quentin should not be allowed to play until Greinke returns.
Chris Capuano is taking Greinke's place in the Los Angeles rotation.
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