BOSTON -- Red Sox pitcher David Wells lashed out at Bud Selig
after losing his appeal of a six-game suspension on Monday, drawing
denials and apologies for the blustery lefty's charge that the
commissioner dragged his feet on steroids.
"I've been tested three times this year, but it's obvious that
there's guys getting away with doing it," Wells said during a
pregame news conference. "And he's not doing a thing."
Wells' comments drew a quick response from the players' union,
the commissioner's office and an apology issued by the Red Sox.
"The comments made by David today regarding the commissioner of
baseball do not in any way reflect the views of the club," the Red
Sox said in a statement. "The club believes the commissioner has
demonstrated visionary leadership and integrity, and we recognize
that his contributions to the game have been enormous. Thus, we
apologize to the commissioner."
Angry over the denial of his appeal, Wells accused Selig of
retaliating for past criticism and discipline czar Bob Watson of
"turning against the players." He expanded his complaints to
include Selig's role in declaring the 2002 All-Star game a tie and
for the commissioner's role in the sport's steroid scandal.
Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor
relations, reminded Wells that the processes were negotiated with
the players' union.
"David Wells has once again created a distraction with a series
of ill-informed and ill-conceived comments," Manfred said. "The
appeal process for on-field discipline
has served the industry
well for decades. Mr. Wells' dissatisfaction with his appeal says
more about his poor behavior than it does about the quality of the
appeal process."
Wells was ejected in the seventh inning of Boston's July 2 win
over the Toronto Blue Jays after an argument in which he was
accused of making contact with two umpires.
Wells acknowledged swearing but said he did so quietly and to
himself. He denied spitting on or "beaking" any umpires and said
there would have been no problem if second base umpire Chris
Guccione wasn't reading his lips or third base umpire Angel
Hernandez hadn't intervened to restrain the fuming pitcher.
"I guess that gives umpires a reason to do whatever the hell
they want to do," Wells said, adding that he thought he was
pushing teammate Kevin Millar, who was trying to restrain him.
"It's a sad day for me.
I don't get it. I'm very bitter about
the situation."
Wells, who was scheduled to start Friday, will instead pitch
Sunday.
"I don't know what the point was even having a hearing," Wells
said. "They said I clearly bumped him and sprayed him with spit.
That's coming from a guy that works for the commissioner, so what
can you do?"
A spot starter will take Wells' turn and the rest of the
rotation will be pushed back a day, manager Terry Francona said.
"Not having a day off, I have no problem with that anyway,"
Francona said, declining to elaborate on the suspension, secure in
the knowledge that Wells would let his opinions be known. "David
is going to have a whole lot to say, I'm sure."
He sure did.
Of Watson, a respected former Astros All-Star, Wells said: "I
don't even know why he played, because it's like he's against the
players." But Wells' choicest comments were reserved for Selig and
baseball's handling of Rafael Palmeiro's suspension following a
positive test for steroids.
"In the Palmeiro case
from what I understand from a few
sources, [Selig] said, 'Let's just wait until the Hall of Fame
[induction] is over and then we'll suspend [him].' That's what I
heard," Wells said. "He probably did it because he didn't want
the Hall of Famers or electees to have to answer questions about
steroids because it's a distraction."
Palmeiro was suspended for 10 days on Aug. 1, a day after
induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, N.Y., following a grievance to
overturn the suspension that was denied by arbitrator Shyam Das.
Michael Weiner, general counsel of the players' association,
denied Wells' accusation.
"The Palmeiro grievance was processed completely consistent
with the basic agreement," Weiner said. "There were no delays.
The arbitration panel issued a ruling as soon as it was prepared to
do so."
Manfred also said Wells didn't know what he was talking about.
"Mr. Wells' statement that the discipline was delayed is pure
fiction," Manfred said. "With respect to the larger issue of
steroids, Mr. Wells is obviously unaware that commissioner Selig
has proposed a tougher steroid policy for the industry and that
such a policy can be imposed only through collective bargaining."
Despite the apparent anger, sometimes salty language and
occasional trouble with the facts -- he said Watson had left
baseball's employ -- Wells said he was holding back his true
feelings.
"I'm really holding back because I've got a lot of negative
things to say," he said. "I can't wait to win the World Series
and have Bud Selig come up there [with the trophy]. I really can't.
Who knows what will come out then."
The 42-year-old lefty has an incentive in his contract that pays
him $300,000 for start Nos. 21-30; he has already made 24. Wells said he
could miss out on one payday because of the two-day delay, but the
shifting also puts him on schedule to face the rival Yankees twice
in September instead of possibly missing them altogether.
"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise," he said. "I can't miss a
game or I'm out a big chunk of money. I wouldn't mind losing that
money if I was in the wrong. But I look back at the video and I
wasn't wrong."