Four fined for fights in Game Three

Boston's Ramirez, Martinez penalized along with Yanks' Garcia, Zimmer

? Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox were fined Sunday along with Don Zimmer and Karim Garcia of the New York Yankees for their actions in Game 3 of the AL championship series.

As far as Game 4, it was postponed because of rain and will be played tonight at 7:18. Game 5 was rescheduled to begin at 3:18 p.m. Tuesday, which would have been an off day for the teams.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, did not announce specifically why the four were fined, other than to say it was for their behavior in the fourth inning of New York’s 4-3 victory Saturday.

Martinez was fined $50,000, Ramirez $25,000, Garcia $10,000 and Zimmer $5,000, according to a baseball executive who spoke on the condition he not be identified.

“I am very disappointed in the behavior of some of the participants in last night’s game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees,” baseball commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.

“I have instructed the umpires and told the clubs that any further misconduct by either team will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely.”

Zimmer apologized for his role, fighting off tears as he made a brief and emotional statement Sunday.

“I’m embarrassed for what happened last night,” he said, his voice quivering and body shaking. “I’m embarrassed for the Yankees, the Red Sox, the fans, the umpires and my family.”

Boston owner John Henry was pleased with the apology.

Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer discusses Saturday's altercation with Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez at a news conference. Zimmer, seated with skipper Joe Torre, right, apologized Sunday in Boston for his role in the fight involving Martinez and Manny Ramirez and the Yanks' Karim Garcia.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the same thing coming from our side,” he said.

During a regular-season game, umpires might have issued ejections.

“Some of the things that happened out there I was a little surprised that no one was thrown out,” Boston manager Grady Little said.

Garcia, who injured a knuckle during a fight in the bullpen Saturday, was in New York’s original lineup Sunday, but was replaced by Juan Rivera about three hours before the game.

Watson, who was in Florida, reviewed tapes of the game that turned ugly after Martinez threw a pitch behind Garcia’s head in the fourth inning, and it nicked the batter’s shoulder.

Garcia slid hard into Boston second baseman Todd Walker later in the inning, bringing players out of the dugouts.

Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Ramirez took offense to a pitch by Roger Clemens that was slightly inside at most. Ramirez started yelling and walking toward the mound, bat in hand. The benches and bullpens emptied, and Zimmer charged at the 31-year-old Martinez, who threw the 72-year-old coach to the ground.

Watson said the ninth-inning bullpen fight involving Garcia, Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson and a member of Boston’s grounds crew, Paul Williams, was “under review.”

Boston police spokeswoman Mariellen Burns said Saturday that assault charges could be filed against the two players. Sunday, Watson said it was unclear if baseball would determine whether to impose discipline for the bullpen fight or leave it as a police matter.

“Because it’s the playoffs, I think the commissioner will end up having the final say so,” Watson said.

Reached at his home in Milwaukee, Selig would not comment beyond the statement other than to say he’s “monitoring the situation.”

Yankees manager Joe Torre refused to discuss the fines, saying Selig asked the managers and general managers not to comment. Yankees president Randy Levine accused Red Sox management of violating Selig’s gag order by holding a news conference.

“Both I and the Yankees stand by our statements of yesterday,” Levine said.

With tension high, it was possible umpires could warn both teams today that additional misconduct might lead to quick ejections.

“That’s something that’s at the discretion of the umpires,” said Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office.