SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres slugger Carlos Quentin on Sunday dropped his appeal and began serving an eight-game suspension for rushing the mound and inciting a brawl in which Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke broke his left collarbone.
With the suspension starting with Sunday’s game against Colorado, Quentin will miss the Padres’ three-game series at Dodger Stadium beginning Monday night.
“There’s been many different ideas and thoughts and concerns out there,” Quentin said Sunday. “Let me say this as far as the Dodgers series: Obviously I will miss the upcoming one but I will be a part of the rest. We play them many times.”
Quentin charged the mound after he was hit in the upper left arm by a pitch from Greinke. The two players lowered their shoulders and Quentin slammed into Greinke, who broke his left collarbone in the wild fight that ensued.
Quentin has said he felt justified rushing the mound because Greinke hit him with pitches during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, when they played in the AL. Going into Thursday night’s game, Quentin had hit three home runs in 24 at-bats against Greinke, who signed a $147 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason.
“Its’ very difficult,” Quentin said of the suspension. “It’s unfortunate that someone got hurt in this instance. But I do believe that I had to protect myself. And I will stand by that statement and at the same time I will begin my suspension.”
Quentin, Greinke, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Matt Kemp were ejected. Hairston was given a one-game suspension. No discipline has been announced for Greinke and Kemp.
Greinke underwent surgery Saturday to repair his broken collarbone. The Dodgers said Greinke is expected to return to play in eight weeks.
Manager Bud Black said he doesn’t think there will be any carryover when the Padres play at Dodger Stadium this week.
“I think the underlying thing was let’s get this behind us,” Black said. “Let’s start playing baseball. Let’s get this distraction away from our club as quickly as possible. That’s something that’s been talked about for the last four days.”
Quentin also was fined $3,000.
Also, the Padres recalled infielder-outfielder Kyle Blanks and optioned right-hander Thad Weber to Triple-A Tucson.
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