CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa was suspended for eight games by major league baseball Friday for using a corked bat.
The Cubs slugger will appeal the suspension, said Jim Hendry, the team's general manager. The appeal will make Sosa available for a four-game series against the New York Yankees.
"We support him in his appeal," Hendry said. "We have no reason to believe it was anything more than a one-time incident. We will support him and his right exercise and appeal."
The appeal had to be filed before Friday's game so he could play.
A piece of cork was found just above the handle in Sosa's bat Tuesday night when it shattered after he grounded out in the first inning of the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 victory. Sosa didn't deny the corked bat was his, but he said it was a batting practice bat he had grabbed by accident.
"Some punishment is in order. Hopefully, it can be reduced," Hendry said.
He noted that Sosa "has been shattering bats his whole career" and no other corked bats had been found.
Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, met with Cubs manager Dusty Baker and Hendry at Wrigley Field on Thursday, then returned to New York. Watson did not talk to Sosa.
Other players who have used corked bats have been suspended for up to 10 games. The Cubs had hoped that Sosa's cooperation, as well as the fact that no cork was found in any of his 81 bats that were checked, would work in his favor
The Cubs slugger will appeal the suspension, said Jim Hendry, the team's general manager. The appeal will make Sosa available for a four-game series against the New York Yankees.
"We support him in his appeal," Hendry said. "We have no reason to believe it was anything more than a one-time incident. We will support him and his right exercise and appeal."
The appeal had to be filed before Friday's game so he could play.
A piece of cork was found just above the handle in Sosa's bat Tuesday night when it shattered after he grounded out in the first inning of the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 victory. Sosa didn't deny the corked bat was his, but he said it was a batting practice bat he had grabbed by accident.
"Some punishment is in order. Hopefully, it can be reduced," Hendry said.
He noted that Sosa "has been shattering bats his whole career" and no other corked bats had been found.
Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, met with Cubs manager Dusty Baker and Hendry at Wrigley Field on Thursday, then returned to New York. Watson did not talk to Sosa.
Other players who have used corked bats have been suspended for up to 10 games. The Cubs had hoped that Sosa's cooperation, as well as the fact that no cork was found in any of his 81 bats that were checked, would work in his favor
