LOS ANGELES -- Reds right-hander Ross Ohlendorf won an appeal of his three-day suspension and will not have to miss any time for his May 11 hit-by-pitch of Pittsburgh's David Freese.
Ohlendorf and the Reds' leadership were able to successfully argue that the right-hander's fastball got away from him and hit Freese at the wrong time, when both benches were under warning in a game that saw six combined hit batsmen.
"I just explained what happened. I was trying to throw a fastball in and it just hit him. It happens," Ohlendorf said. "I was optimistic that we'd get the ruling that we did, just because I didn't mean to hit him and I felt like I was able to state that during the meeting."
Manager Bryan Price argued that the team didn't share the philosophy of "an eye for an eye" and the supposed retaliation didn't fit with the game situation. Both Price and Ohlendorf expressed shock when the punishment was handed down two days after the incident.
"Knowing what I know, it would have been an injustice for him to be suspended," Price said. "I think he came across as a very credible witness, even if it's a witness for himself. I thought he did a wonderful job, and his attorney and his agent did a great job."
The only person who wound up being penalized for that incident is Price himself, who received a one-game suspension, which has already been served, and an undisclosed fine. Managers and coaches are not allowed to appeal suspensions.
"Apparently there's zero recourse. I don't know how we're going to make that one right," Price said.
Price went on to say that he fully expects his fine to be returned and suggested a system in which a manager or coach could have an appeal tied to his player's case in order to avoid another awkward situation in the future.