White Sox outfielder Dye appeals against ban
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye appealed to Major League Baseball after being handed a two-game suspension Friday for inappropriate behavior in Wednesday's 4-0 defeat by the Cleveland Indians.
Dye was also fined an undisclosed amount for his reaction after being called out on strikes to end the top of the sixth inning.
Disagreeing with home-plate umpire Mike DiMuro's call on a 2-2 pitch from Cliff Lee, Dye slammed down his helmet before being ejected for the third time in his career.
As he walked back to the team dugout, his helmet bounced up off the ground and made contact with DiMuro's midsection.
Having appealed against the suspension, the first of his career, Dye will continue to play for Chicago until the league reaches a decision.
"I didn't turn around so I didn't even know it hit him," Dye, 35, told reporters before Friday's game at the Toronto Blue Jays. "I still haven't seen the replay so I don't even know what it looks like.
"I didn't know what to expect, because I've never been suspended before. I figured, if anything, I'd be fined.
"It wasn't intentional," the 14-year league veteran added. "I can't control the helmet if it goes backwards. I slammed it straight down just being mad at myself. That was it, it wasn't intentional."
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles, editing by Tony Jimenez and Ian Ransom)
