Ubaldo Jimenez Expected To Drop Appeal After Saturday's Start

After making his first start of the season on Saturday, Ubaldo Jimenez is expected to drop his appeal for the five-game suspension he earned for throwing at Troy Tulowitzki in a spring training game April 1. Because the Cleveland Indians don't play this coming Thursday, Jimenez will be able to serve his suspension without the team needing to recall a spot starter from Triple-A.

"That's probably the plan," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We're probably going to have to take advantage of the day off coming up and then, that way, we'll just push him up a day and he won't have to miss time."

Derek Lowe, who's scheduled to start Sunday's game, will likely make his next start on regular rest on Friday, April 13. Jimenez will then start the following day with six days between starts instead of four. In addition to the suspension, Jimenez was also fined an undisclosed amount of money.

For more on Ubaldo and the Indians, please visit Let's Go Tribe and SB Nation Cleveland.

Ubaldo Jimenez Appeals His 5-Game Suspension

It’s something we’ve come to expect. A player is suspended for an action on the field, but he doesn’t begin serving that suspension immediately because he files an appeal of the suspension, hoping to get it reduced or overturned.

Thus it is with Ubaldo Jimenez, suspended for throwing at Troy Tulowitzki in a game on Sunday. He’ll file an appeal:

The players’ union said in a statement Tuesday that Jimenez has requested an appeal of his ban for intentionally throwing at Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki during a spring training game Sunday. Major League Baseball suspended and fined Jimenez on Monday.

Jimenez is scheduled to start Cleveland’s second game of the season Saturday against Toronto.

Eventually, this appeal will be heard. Generally, the parties wait until the player’s team comes to New York for an in-person discussion at MLB headquarters, though you’d think someone might introduce MLB to the concept of “teleconferencing.” The Indians don’t come to New York until the end of June. So maybe we’ll have to wait until then. Or not, depending on how they decide to adjudicate this.

For more on Ubaldo and the Indians, please visit Let’s Go Tribe and SB Nation Cleveland.

Ubaldo Jimenez Suspended For 5 Games After Throwing At Troy Tulowitzki

In November of 2010, the Rockies signed Troy Tulowitzki through the 2020 season. In exchange for his services, the Rockies agreed to give money to Tulowitzki. A lot of it.

In January of 2011, the Rockies signed Carlos Gonzalez through the 2017 season. In exchange for his services, the Rockies agreed to give money to Gonzalez. A lot of it.

In January of 2009, the Rockies signed Ubaldo Jimenez through the 2014 season at team-friendly rates. It was still a lot of money. But not as much as he could have received on the open market.

The above is why Ubaldo Jimenez is a) on the Indians in the first place, and b) why he plunked his former teammate Troy Tulowitzki in an exhibition game. I don't understand it either.

But the incident on Sunday stems from contract stuff and is-he-a-team-player? whispers. And it also happened right in front of Bud Selig, who was attending the Indians/Rockies game in question. And he wasted no time meting out some punishment. From Troy Renck of the Denver Post:

Ubaldo Jimenez has been suspended five games and fined....

— Troy Renck, Rockies (@TroyRenck) April 2, 2012

That's one start, or about three percent of his season. But it's a punishment, and the Indians are probably a little cheesed at Ubaldo for taking his beef into a spring-training game. Can't you just sign him up for 100 different magazines like a normal person?

Jim Tracy: Ubaldo Jimenez 'Gutless' For Throwing At Troy Tulowitzki