Major League Baseball has decided to uphold the three-game suspension of Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura and reduce Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp's penalty from seven to five games, according to The Tampa Tribune. Both players will begin serving their suspensions on Saturday, with Iwamura returning Tuesday and Crisp Thursday. Tampa Bay is perplexed by the league's decision to reduce Crisp's suspension and not Iwamura's. "Honestly, none of that makes any sense to me whatsoever," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Shawn Chacon was put on waivers Thursday by the Astros, a day after he got into a altercation with GM Ed Wade, according to an Associated Press report. If another team doesn?t claim Chacon by Monday, the Astros say they will release the pitcher and terminate his contract for cause, which would set off a confrontation with the players? association over the nearly $1M that would remain on Chacon?s deal.

Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon was suspended indefinitely by the team Wednesday for insubordination after reportedly grabbing GM Ed Wade by the neck and throwing him to the ground, according to an Associated Press report.

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester is confused as to why Major League Baseball suspended him following the team's scuffle with the Rays last Thursday, according to The Boston Herald. ?It doesn?t add up to me,? Lester said Sunday. ?They didn?t give a justified reason. I didn?t get thrown out, and I didn?t hit anybody on purpose.? Major League Baseball vice president of rules and on-field operations Bob Watson singled out Lester for hitting Tampa Bay?s Carl Crawford with a pitch in the fifth inning. The Sox argued that Lester was allowed to stay in the game, and the pitch in question was a breaking pitch. ?(Watson) said, ?You hit Crawford with a curveball, and guys are hitting guys with curveballs now.? It?s stupid,? Lester said. ?They have no idea. (Watson) didn?t watch the video. He doesn?t have a feel for the game. He doesn?t understand baseball.? Despite his confusion, Lester didn't appeal the suspension because with the team's off-day on Monday he won't miss a start. ?That?s why I took it and didn?t appeal it,? Lester said. ?Still, it makes me look bad because it makes it look like I?m saying I did something wrong.?

A total of eight members of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox have been suspended for their roles in the incidents that occurred on Wednesday and Thursday at Fenway Park in Boston. The eight suspensions total 38 games. Bob Watson, Vice President of On-Field Operations for Major League Baseball, made the announcement. Coco Crisp of the Red Sox has been suspended for seven games and fined an undisclosed amount for his inappropriate actions on Wednesday and for charging the mound, fighting, and inciting the bench-clearing incident last night. Pitcher James Shields of the Rays has been suspended for six games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting and for actions that escalated the bench-clearing incident. Jonny Gomes of the Rays has been suspended for five games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting and for actions that escalated the bench-clearing incident. Edwin Jackson of the Rays has been suspended for five games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting. Carl Crawford of the Rays has been suspended for four games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting. Sean Casey of the Red Sox has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting. Akinori Iwamura of the Rays has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for fighting. Jon Lester of the Red Sox has been suspended for five games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at a Tampa Bay batter after a warning had been issued following the bench-clearing incident.

Dodgers' outfielder Matt Kemp and Rockies' catcher Yorvit Torrealba have been suspended for their involvement in Tuesday?s fight, Major League baseball announced Thursday, as reported on Yahoo.com. Kemp was suspended four games and fined for his involvement in the altercation which took place after he struck out to end the eighth inning. Swinging at a ball in the dirt, Kemp was left leaning toward first base when Torrealba went to tag him out after failing to catch the pitch cleanly. Frustrated by the strikeout and what he thought was a hard tag, Kemp pushed Torrealba, who immediately pushed back before both players ended up tackling each other to the ground. Torrealba was suspended three games and fined for his actions.