Hitting coach Perry suspended eight games for BP melee

Hitting coach Gerald Perry was slapped with an eight-game suspension Thursday for his role in a batting practice scuffle between the Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 24 at PNC Park.

Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon received a one-game suspension, and Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan was handed a four-game punishment. All three were fined an undisclosed amount.

Perry received the stiffest penalty because he struck Duncan in the face when an argument between Duncan and McClendon escalated behind the batting cage.

The suspensions will begin Friday. Unlike major-league players, coaches and managers can not appeal their suspensions.

"We will follow the direction we're given," Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said last night. "We'll proceed accordingly. We have to abide by Major League Baseball's ruling."

The suspensions were handed down by Bob Watson, MLB's vice president of on-field conduct. Watson could not be reached for comment last night.

McClendon said the day after the incident that he believed Perry should not be suspended. He argued that Duncan provoked Perry. A television camera caught Perry striking Duncan and knocking off his cap, but McClendon said that occurred after Duncan shoved the Pirates coach.

According to an MLB press release, Perry received his eight-game suspension for "inappropriate and violent actions." Duncan's four-game suspension stemmed from "inappropriate and aggressive actions," and McClendon received one game for "inappropriate actions."

The scuffle occurred before the third game of a four-game series between the teams. In the first game, the Pirates lost second baseman Jose Castillo for the season with a knee injury that occurred after a hard slide by Cardinals' infielder Hector Luna. The next night, Pirates reliever Rick White brushed back Luna with a high-and-inside pitch.

Before the third game, Duncan approached White, a former Cardinals pitcher, during batting practice to see whether he threw at Luna intentionally. White told McClendon what Duncan had done, and McClendon told the Cardinals pitching coach to stay away from his players.

McClendon and Duncan engaged in a heated discussion that got uglier when Perry intervened.