Zimmer Offers an Apology Amid Rainout

BOSTON â€”  Don Zimmer broke into tears as he apologized for charging Pedro Martinez, the most dramatic of developments on another wild day at the American League championship series in which Zimmer and three players were fined a total of $90,000 for improper conduct, executives of the competing teams publicly pointed fingers at each other after a directive to shut up, and Boston police continued an investigation that could result in criminal charges against two New York players.

The game was rained out, with the New York Yankees leading the best-of-seven series two games to one. The Yankees and Boston Red Sox will play Game 4 tonight, with Mike Mussina replacing David Wells for New York, enabling Mussina to work on the normal four days’ rest. The Red Sox will skip John Burkett and start Tim Wakefield today and Derek Lowe against Wells in Game 5 on Tuesday, previously an off day.

As newscasts and sports shows across America played and replayed footage of Zimmer rushing Martinez and the Boston pitcher flinging him to the ground during Saturday’s game, the 72-year-old Yankee coach shuffled into a news conference Sunday, sporting a bandage on the bridge of his nose. He took no questions and, indeed, could not complete a short statement without his voice cracking. Yankee Manager Joe Torre, seated next to Zimmer, put an arm around his shoulder.

“I’m embarrassed about what happened,� Zimmer said. “I’m embarrassed for the Yankees, the Red Sox, the fans, the umpires and my family. That’s all I have to say. I’m sorry.�

Zimmer charged Martinez during a bizarre fourth inning in which the Boston pitcher threw a high-and-tight fastball that Karim Garcia said grazed his helmet, a pitch Torre said was “no mistake.� Garcia retaliated by sliding hard, and late, into Boston second baseman Todd Walker.

In the bottom of the inning, New York pitcher Roger Clemens threw a high but not terribly inside pitch to Manny Ramirez, who stepped toward the mound, bat in hand, before he was restrained. As benches emptied, Zimmer ran across the field and rushed Martinez, who intercepted a punch and shoved him to the ground.

Martinez was fined $50,000, Ramirez $25,000, Garcia $10,000 and Zimmer $5,000. Commissioner Bud Selig issued a statement in which he said he was “very disappointed in the behavior� and warned “any further misconduct by either team will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely.�

But no one was ejected Saturday and no one was suspended Sunday. Sandy Alderson, baseball’s executive vice president, called the fines “fairly significant� and acknowledged a priority on keeping players eligible during postseason play.

“I think there’s a limit to that, but that’s the initial desire, to keep people in the game,� he said. “Hopefully, we won’t see that line crossed again.�

Major league officials deferred possible disciplinary action regarding Saturday’s bullpen brawl, currently under investigation by Boston police. In the ninth inning, a member of the Red Sox grounds crew, stationed in the Yankee bullpen, was injured in a skirmish with Yankee reliever Jeff Nelson and Garcia.

Nelson and Garcia each said he had yet to be contacted by police investigators, although Nelson said he had spoken with major league officials and representatives from the players’ union.

Garcia, who said he jumped over the outfield fence and into the bullpen because he feared a fan might have leaped into the bullpen and started hitting Nelson, sustained a gash on his left hand. The hand was swollen and bandaged Sunday. The Yankees scratched Garcia from their lineup, and Torre said he might need another day or two to recover.

For the second consecutive day, Boston officials used the term “attack� to describe the scuffle that they said sent the grounds crew member, Paul Williams, to a local hospital with cleat marks on his body. Williams was treated and released.

Nelson reiterated that Williams instigated the fight after Nelson asked him to either leave the New York bullpen or stop cheering for the Red Sox while working there.

“I’ve played this game for 12 years, and you’d think I’d know better than to attack a guy,� he said. “That’s totally ridiculous.

The fracas prompted Yankee President Randy Levine to charge the Red Sox with failing to provide adequate security for players and demand an apology, although Alderson noted no fan had breached security during the incident. Yankee players Mussina and Derek Jeter each said Sunday he had never taken issue with security at Fenway Park.

“I’ve always felt comfortable here,� Jeter said. “I don’t think security is a problem.�

Red Sox owner John Henry, citing zero arrests inside the park Saturday, called the fan behavior “exemplary.� Henry said he had spoken with Levine on Sunday and disparaged him when asked whether an apology was offered.

“I didn’t feel it was necessary for him to apologize for his remarks or for the attack,� Henry said.

Red Sox President Larry Lucchino, who dubbed the Yankees “The Evil Empire� last winter, laughed off a question about whether he had spoken with Yankee owner George Steinbrenner on Sunday. “You can bet I haven’t,� Lucchino said.

Henry, Lucchino and Red Sox chairman Tom Werner spoke at a lengthy news conference that enraged the Yankees. According to Levine -- and Torre -- Selig had ordered officials from both teams to refrain from commenting on Saturday’s events.

“After we learned the Red Sox had violated the commissioner’s order, we called the commissioner’s office and received permission to issue the following statement: Both I and the Yankees stand by our statements of yesterday,� Levine said in a statement.

Zimmer was a little worse for wear Sunday, with a sore hip that accompanied his cut nose.

“When he woke up, he thought somebody came in the middle of the night to beat him up,� Torre said.

But in pointing the finger only at himself, he stood out on this rainy day.

“I very much appreciate the apology Don Zimmer made,� Henry said. “The organization appreciates that someone on that side, someone on either side said, what I did probably wasn’t appropriate.�