Not a real loss for Texas at all really, because Padilla has pitched like a minor leaguer at best all season long.

Padilla, Swisher suspended 7 games for throwing at Swisher

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
September 18, 2007

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Texas Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla was suspended Tuesday for seven games and Athletics outfielder Nick Swisher was given three games for an incident that occurred in the first inning of Sunday's game in Oakland.

Padilla was suspended for intentionally throwing at Swisher, who charged the mound. Both players also received undisclosed fines, a decision made by baseball disciplinarian Bob Watson.


Swisher began his suspension Tuesday, when the A's hosted the Seattle Mariners in the middle game of their three-game series. Padilla appealed his suspension. The Rangers played at Minnesota on Tuesday.

Swisher was on crutches Tuesday after fouling a ball off his right foot Monday night, though he stayed in the game. A's manager Bob Geren said it made little sense for Swisher to appeal his penalty, because that process takes time and that could have meant him missing time at the start of the 2008 season.

"It sounds pretty fair to me, pretty normal," Geren said. "Obviously I wish the whole thing never happened."

Jeff DaVanon replaced Swisher in center field Tuesday and Geren said Dee Brown also could earn a start in the next few days.

Swisher, who is batting .264 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs, had homered in each of the first three games of the series with the Rangers before getting hit for the third straight day. He rushed to the mound and tackled Padilla. Oakland second baseman Jack Hannahan dived into the pile and A's manager Bob Geren got into a heated argument with the umpires.

Second base umpire Tim Timmons was bumped to the ground during the fray, and plate umpire Chuck Meriwether wasted little time in tossing Padilla and Swisher, who had to be restrained by catcher Kurt Suzuki and several teammates. Nobody else was ejected.

Swisher was hit by Bill White in the seventh inning on Saturday and glared out at the mound as the umpires issued a warning to both teams.