Off Topic » great memories

NEW YORK -- Milwaukees Carlos Gomez admitted he went too far with a hyped-up home run trot that ended in a benches-clearing scuffle against the Atlanta Braves. Gomez was suspended Thursday along with Atlantas Reed Johnson for one game by Major League Baseball for their actions during the Brewers-Braves game a day earlier. Both players were fined an undisclosed amount. Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Brian McCann also were fined for their involvement. Gomez accepted the penalty and sat out the series opener against the New York Mets on Thursday. Johnson was contemplating an appeal, according Braves general manager Frank Wren. "I was expecting it after what happened last night," Gomez said. "Its not good for baseball. Just take it like a man and be responsible for the stuff I did." Batting second for the Brewers on Wednesday night in Atlanta, Gomez connected on Paul Maholms 0-1 pitch in the first inning for a long homer to left-centre field. Gomez, slammed his bat down and admired the drive in the batters box before starting a slow trot while shouting at Maholm. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman had words for Gomez as he rounded the bag. Gomez continued shouting toward Maholm, and he pointed at his leg just before he rounded third base -- Maholm hit Gomez in his leg with an 88 mph fastball on June 23. An irate McCann, catchers mask resting atop his head, greeted Gomez about 20 feet in front of home plate. Benches and bullpens then emptied, and Johnson, a reserve outfielder, raced out of the dugout and shoved Gomez. Gomez, Johnson, Freeman and reserve catcher Gerald Laird were ejected. "It was such an unusual situation. Every time you get in a situation like this, in hindsight, theres probably things you wish you would have done differently, and I would say our players probably feel that way as well," Wren said before the Braves hosted the Phillies. "But I think the reaction was probably appropriate for the situation. It was one of the most unique things Ive ever seen." Gomez never finished his trot but was awarded his 23rd homer because of obstruction by McCann. McCann was furious at Gomez for yelling on his way around the bases, and the catcher stood by his actions on Thursday. "I thought he showed up our whole team," McCann said. "I did what any catcher would do in that situation -- sticking up for his team." After the game, Gomez was contrite and he apologized again Thursday. "I apologize to people from MLB, to my teammates, my team, the organization and the Braves," he said. "Its not really fun when everything happened like that." Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was satisfied with Gomezs apology and was hopeful that the incident wouldnt hinder the NL East champion Braves final push for best record in the league. "I dont want our actions to hurt what the Braves are doing." Roenicke said. Milwaukee third baseman Aramis Ramirez aggravated a left knee injury during the scrum and was not in the lineup Thursday. Adidas Eqt Schweiz .5 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, a deal that covers his final two arbitration seasons. Adidas Nmd Günstig Ebay . Phoenix originally signed Barbosa to a 10-day contract on Jan. 8 after Eric Bledsoe injured his knee and then signed him to another 10-day deal. http://www.nmdschweizkaufen.ch/tubular-outlet.html. -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder. Lite Racer Schweiz . Catch all the action on TSN starting at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. Toronto won at Denver and Utah, but lost in Portland and Sacramento. The Kings loss was the most recent game for the Raptors. Nmd Günstig Fake .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them.Hard to believe it has been 10 years since the Montreal Expos were getting set to begin their final spring training at Space Coast Stadium at Viera, Florida before relocating in Washington as the Nationals in 2005. There are actually eight - possibly nine - players still active who played on that final Montreal team in 2004. Five of those had ties to the Blue Jays, including lefty reliever Scott Downs, righty reliever Jon Rauch, Tomo Ohka whos trying a comeback this year with the Blue Jays as a knuckleballer, shortstop Alex Gonzalez (the first one) who was a contemporary of Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green and current Jays utility infielder Maicer Izturis. The others include reliever Luis Ayala, infielder Jamey Carroll and outfielder Endy Chavez, and Canadian-born pitcher Shawn Hill who pitched last season and may still be active. The Expos knew they were in trouble going into that final season. Major League Baseball was running the team, and rumours were running rampant they were either going to be relocated or contracted, folded if you will. The Expos played 22 of their games in Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, either to try and make more money for MLB, or expose the game on a more international level, or kill off the Expos even faster. Take your pick. In any event their attendance in 2004 was the worst in the Majors at 748,550. The Expos dropped their final five home games at Stad Olympique and went 2-7 on their final homestand ever. The Expos final home game ever was on September 29 against the Florida Marlins. Before the game they were presented with a banner by MLB, that proclaimed them as the best team in baseball in 1994. That of course was the year of the players strike that stretched into early 2005. The Expos had the best record in the Majors when play was halted in August of 1994 and most pundits felt they would have won the World Series that year. That banner was raised in centre field during that final game in Montreal. But mere hours later, word leaked out that the Expos would be relocating to Washington for the next season as the Nationals. To complete that washout of a day, Florida won the final game played in Montreal, 9-1. Korean-born pitcher Sun-Woo Kim, who finished with an appropriate career record of 13-13 took the loss giving up five runs on five hits in just two innings. Veteran catcher Todd Zeile hit the final home run at Olympic Stadium, a three-run shot off Claudio Vargas in the 6th inning. But it wasnt quite over from the Expos as they had to go to Shea Stadium in New York to play out the season in the very park where they played their first-ever game in 1969.dddddddddddd After dropping the first game, Montreal won its final game under the Expos banner on Saturday, October 2. It had plenty of drama too. Brad Wilkerson, who spent some time with the Blue Jays in 2008, slammed a three-run tie-breaking homer in the top of the 9th off Braden Looper to propel Montreal to a 6-3 victory. On the Sunday, they didnt fare as well. The Mets crushed them 8-1. Jamey Carroll scored the final run in Expos history and Endy Chavez made the final out. Five players who had ties to the Blue Jays were involved in that game: Jose Reyes, Wilkerson, Tony Bautista, Jon Rauch and Maicer Izturis. Not only that, Randy St. Claire, Montreals pitching coach on that day, is now the Blue Jays Triple-A pitching coach at Buffalo. Also of note, the winning pitcher that day for the Mets was Tom Glavine, winding down his Hall of Fame career, who climbed to 11-14 with the victory. Montreal finished that final season at 67-95. A couple of more notes on that final Expos season. They were involved in one of the biggest trades of the year at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. It was a nine-player, four-team swap that involved Montreal, Boston, the Cubs and Minnesota. The Expos sent shortstop Orlando Cabrera to Boston. The Red Sox sent one of their all-time greats, Nomar Garciaparra, to the Cubs as part of the package and Alex Gonzalez was one of the three players that went from the Cubs to Montreal. Strangely enough, Gonzalez, the ex-Jay, was the final Expos player ever dealt. He was sent to San Diego as part of a conditional deal on September 16. The Expos left us with some great memories, and there are many who believe a team will return to Montreal, including a group fronted by former Expos left fielder Warren Cromartie. For that to happen though, a new downtown stadium has to be built, and that is nowhere near happening yet. For now Montreal fans will have to be content with two pre-season games at the Olympic Stadium in late March between the Blue Jays and the New York Mets. Midsummer Plans This years All-Star game is slated for Target Field in Minnesota. In 2015, the Midsummer Classic will be in Cincinnati. Commissioner Bud Selig says Washington is a front-runner for 2017. However 2016 is open and if the rotation is followed would go to an American League team. That would be the perfect fit for the Blue Jays, on the 25th anniversary of the first All-Star Classic they hosted in 1991. Heres hoping. ' ' '