New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia was suspended fi

BOSTON (AP) — ve games Saturday for hitting a Tampa Bay batter Willie Mays Jersey , a penalty that won’t take effect until next year.Sabathia appealed the ban that was issued by Major League Baseball. Any games he misses will come at the start of the 2019 season.The Yankees will host Oakland in the AL wild-card game on Wednesday.Sabathia was penalized for hitting Rays catcher Jesus Sucre in the leg leading off the bottom of the sixth inning at Tropicana Field on Thursday. The 38-year-old lefty was ejected, and the benches cleared.“It is what it is,” Sabathia said after the Yankees’ 8-5 win at Boston. “Everybody saw what happened.”Sabathia was cruising with a big lead when he got tossed. He needed two more innings to trigger a $500,000 bonus for pitching 155 innings this season.In the fifth, Sabathia hit Jake Bauers in the wrist with a pitch. In the top of the sixth, Rays pitcher Andrew Kittredge threw up-and-in to Yankees catcher Austin Romine.Kittredge was suspended three games and fined. Sabathia also was fined an undisclosed amount.Asked if it bothered him that Kittredge’s penalty was shorter, Sabathia said http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , “Yeah, kind of.”“Whatever, it is what it is. It’s behind us. It’s over. We’ll just move on,” he said.Kittredge said it was likely he would appeal after talking it over with his agent. The regular season ends Sunday.“Figured this would be a possibility. I’m a little disappointed, obviously. I guess I’m not overly surprised,” he said. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bryce Harper and the Giants met in the free agent slugger’s hometown of Las Vegas this week, and new San Francisco baseball operations chief Farhan Zaidi said the sides had mutual interest.Zaidi Barry Bonds Jersey , the club’s new president of baseball operations, would not say whether an offer was extended to the star outfielder. The Giants still hope to add two outfielders.A fan posted that he had spotted Giants CEO Larry Baer in the Bellagio on Monday night.“It’s kind of hard to deny when your CEO gets made in the casino,” Zaidi said with a chuckle Friday. “There’s obviously mutual interest on both sides, so we thought it made sense to get together. We had a good conversation over a few hours and he’s obviously got a lot of suitors and a lot of interest. He’s going to have some decisions to make, but again I think it’s fair to say that was an expression of our interest level to make the trip out there and meet with him.”Zaidi said background discussions led to the meeting: “We didn’t just show up at his doorstep.”“Having kind of a face-to-face meeting gives you kind of a different level of being able to engage,” Zaidi said. “Can’t exactly deny that the meeting happened. But beyond that, not really going to have comment on the substance of the meeting beyond that obviously we have interest. You don’t make a trip out there to meet with a player just for show.”While cautioning that he is not familiar with negotiations Madison Bumgarner Jersey , Commissioner Rob Manfred is eager to see some of the game’s big names with teams for spring training.“We want players signed, particularly star players,” Manfred said. “I wish they were signed and ready to go. We got another week before they have to report. I’m really hopeful that it’s going to get resolved during that period of time. But obviously we want our star players signed and ready to go when we start playing.”Also Friday, Zaidi confirmed the Giants agreed to a minor league contract with 35-year-old catcher Rene Rivera. San Francisco wants to add depth behind Buster Posey, who is healthy following season-ending right hip surgery in late August. Rivera batted .233 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 33 games between the Angels and Braves last season. If added to the 40-man roster, Rivera would get a one-year contract paying $1.3 million in the majors and would have the chance to earn additional performance bonuses.Posey, for one Juan Marichal Jersey , is ready to play with Harper if the Giants can somehow pull off acquiring him.“Yeah, sign him up!” Posey said. “What team out there wouldn’t want a Bryce Harper, a Manny Machado or a lot of free agents out there? I think as players that’s what we, from the time you’re 5 years old, you aspire to play against the best competition, whether it’s in your Little League game or your high school, college http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , the big league level. As a fan myself and fans that come to the game or watch it on TV, when the Giants are playing X, Y and Z, fans to say ‘We’re going to get the best competition, we know that we’re going to get to see a great game tonight.'”Notes: The Giants said Derek Law and John Andreoli cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento. Both are scheduled to attend big league camp as non-roster invitees.