A's Minor League Coach Suspended For Telling Pitchers To Balk

MODESTO (AP) - Oakland Athletics minor league coach Todd Steverson has been banned from the dugout for a year by the California League for instructing his pitchers to intentionally balk players to help end an extra-inning game last month.

Steverson, filling in as manager for Class A Stockton at Modesto, had run out of pitchers in a June 23 game that Modesto won 7-6 in 18 innings - a 5-hour, five-minute contest.

League president Charlie Blaney announced Monday both a fine of an undisclosed amount and Steverson's ban from the Ports' dugout for a year.

Blaney called Steverson's intent "to protect his players from injury" but also an "error in judgment by instructing his pitcher to advance three base runners via intentional balk for the purpose of expediting the end of the game."