Yankees' LaTroy Hawkins suspended 3 games

5/22/2008 4:09 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -New York Yankees pitcher LaTroy Hawkins was suspended for three games and fined $2,000 Thursday by Major League Baseball, which said he intentionally threw at Baltimore's Luke Scott.

Hawkins asked the players' association to appeal, and the suspension will be delayed until the appeal is resolved or dropped. The penalty had been set to begin Thursday, when the Yankees hosted the Orioles.

Earlier this month, Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth his the three-game suspension for throwing behind Boston's Manny Ramirez reduced to one game by baseball executive vice president John McHale Jr., who reviewed the decision by vice president Bob Watson. Hawkins hoped to get a similar result.

``I should, I don't know why not,'' Hawkins said.

In the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, Hawkins threw an inside pitch to Scott, then threw the next one over Scott's head and was ejected without warning by plate umpire Chuck Meriwether. Scott and Hawkins began gesturing at each other, and both benches and bullpens emptied as players spilled onto the field. No punches were thrown.

``Obviously, it's no fun if you're the guy who gets drilled, but I understand the rules of baseball and the idea of protecting your players,'' Scott said. ``That first pitch, I understand that. But any time you come up around a guy's head, that's wrong.''

Earlier in the game, with the Orioles leading 9-0 in the third inning, Baltimore pitcher Daniel Cabrera hit Derek Jeter on the left hand with a pitch.

Hawkins is 1-0 with a 5.57 ERA in 17 games in his first season with the Yankees. He has not hit a batter in 21 innings.

``I was a little bit surprised'' that Hawkins drew a three-game penalty, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. ``Guys have been throwing inside for a long time. I think you're trying to set a precedent where no one gets hurt badly.''