Notebook: Indians lose protest
Even though their protest was thrown out, the Cleveland Indians figure it was worth all the effort to complain.
Major League Baseball disagreed with the club’s argument that umpires should not have added a run three innings after it was initially waved off in Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
The run, which scored on a sacrifice fly in the third inning before the Indians could turn a double play, was later added in the sixth inning – a ruling that left players, coaches, managers and everyone at Jacobs Field scratching their heads.
MLB chief operating officer Bob DuPuy decided Wednesday that because the umpires’ mistake did not involve a judgment call, and because there is nothing in the Official Baseball Rules to address when umpires can make a correction, the umps can act at their own discretion.
The core of the Indians’ dispute was that the run should not have been added retroactively.
“We sympathize with their challenge, however, obviously we’re very disappointed with the result,” Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.
Cepeda arrested for drugs
Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, 69, was arrested after a California Highway Patrol officer pulled him over for speeding and discovered drugs in the car.
The former San Francisco Giants star was stopped about 3 p.m. Tuesday after his 2001 Lexus was clocked going 83 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 80 in Cordelia, about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, the CHP said.
While approaching the vehicle, “the officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car,” CHP Sgt. Wulf Corrington said.
The CHP officer arrested Cepeda after finding a “usable” amount of a white-powder substance that likely was methamphetamine or cocaine, Corrington said. The officer also found marijuana and a syringe, he added.
Cepeda works for the Giants as a community liaison and speaks to at-risk children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Tulowitzki can have ball back
Radio host Steffan Tubbs said he has the ball used in a rare unassisted triple play and has no intention of holding it for ransom or auctioning it off on eBay.
Tubbs, co-host of KOA-AM’s morning show in Denver, said he just wants to give it back to its rightful owner – Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
Tubbs said he was sitting in the radio station’s seats behind the Rockies’ dugout with his two kids on Sunday when Tulowitzki turned the 13th unassisted triple play in major league history.
Tubbs said he nabbed the ball when Colorado first baseman Todd Helton threw it into the stands moments after the play.
It’s now stored in a Ziplock bag at his home.