Paniagua finally begins two-game suspension

KIRBY ARNOLD, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published August 23

SEATTLE -- Mariners relief pitcher Jose Paniagua began serving a two-game suspension Wednesday, his punishment from major league baseball for a pitch that sailed near the head of Boston batter Manny Ramirez on May 9.

Paniagua initially was handed a three-game suspension, plus an undisclosed fine, even though the pitch didn't hit Ramirez and he wasn't ejected. It came, however, late in a game that features several hit batters.

Paniagua, a right-handed setup man who is 4-3 with a 4.13 earned run average, decided not to appeal the suspension and, in return, it was reduced by a game.

Mariners manager Lou Piniella was glad to have the issue resolved, and it turned out to be a good time to lose Paniagua for two games. The bullpen was fresh enough Wednesday to cope without him, and he will be eligible to play on Friday when the Mariners start a three-game home series against Cleveland.

"We'll get this out of the way and he'll be available this weekend," Piniella said. "Ever since we've gone to 12 pitchers we've been in real good shape in the bullpen. That, plus our starting pitchers have been going deeper into games."

- LITTLE LEAGUE FLASHBACK: Every year at this time, memories from the summer of 1981 flood back to Mariners catcher Dan Wilson. He played on the team from Barrington, Ill., that finished third in the Little League World Series at Williamsport, Pa.

"That was such a great summer," said the 32-year-old Wilson, who was 12 at the time. "It was my first airplane trip, we played in what seemed like a huge stadium in front of a lot of people and I remember signing autographs for the first time."

Wilson's team lost the championship game of the United States bracket to a team from Tampa that included Gary Sheffield.

- READY TO CLINCH: As the Mariners closed on a division title that they may clinch within the next three weeks, the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers could be celebrating with champagne as soon as tonight.

The Rainiers' magic number to clinch the Pacific Coast League's Northern Division title is two over the second-place Calgary Cannons. Any combination of Tacoma victories and Calgary losses totaling two will give the Rainiers the title. They are 11 1/2 games ahead of Calgary entering tonight's game against Tucson.

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