SAN DIEGO (AP) -Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa returned Sunday after serving a three-game suspension for violating one of baseball’s new safety rules.
Bowa was ejected Tuesday night after he ignored warnings from umpire crew chief Ed Montague not to leave the third base coaching box during a game against San Francisco. When Bowa continued leaving the box, he was ejected by Montague.
Bowa vehemently argued with Montague and had to be restrained by manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer. Bowa repeatedly bumped Torre into Montague during the argument.
“I have nothing to say,” the normally talkative Bowa said. “I’ve already said enough.”
Major league disciplinary chief Bob Watson suspended Bowa for three games on Wednesday and he was fined an undisclosed amount of money for “inappropriate and aggressive conduct.”
There were no instances during Sunday’s game when Bowa was warned for straying too far from the coaching box toward the field.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said he had spoken with Bowa about the incident but said he did not tell him to curtail his actions.
“That’s part of who Larry is, his personality,” Torre said. “He’ll be fine. I think we’ll all move on from this. I just don’t see this as being an issue anymore.”
Bowa has been an outspoken critic of the new rule that limits coaches movements toward the field or home plate. He has also been critical of the new rule that base coaches must wear a batting helmet in the coaching box. Both rules are part of major league baseball’s new emphasis on safety stemming from the death of minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was hit by a line drive last season.
During spring training Bowa had threatened to violate the batting helmet rule. He eventually backed off when he was warned he would be ejected from a game for refusing to wear a helmet.
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