In the largest mass suspension and harshest penalties stemming from one brawl in baseball history, 19 Dodgers were suspended for a total of 84 games and fined $72,000 Wednesday for their roles in a melee with fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago last week.
Continuing its crackdown on inappropriate in-game behavior, the office of the commissioner of baseball suspended and fined 16 Dodger players and three coaches over the melee that erupted in the bottom of the ninth inning of the team's 6-5 victory.
A fan seated behind the uncovered visitors' bullpen allegedly struck backup catcher Chad Kreuter on the head and took his cap. Kreuter entered the stands along the right-field line and his teammates and coaches followed, triggering fights that delayed play for nine minutes.
The Dodgers expressed outrage and said they plan to appeal the ruling, which calls for the commissioner's office to stagger the suspensions. Players are allowed to continue playing while the appeals process unfolds.
"We think this is wrong and unfair," Dodger Chairman Bob Daly said. "We didn't get a hearing and believe we deserve a hearing. I don't like the idea of telling us who we can play and when. It could have a major effect on the whole season.
"As we said in our statement, we believe fans should stay in the stands and players should stay on the field. At the same time, circumstances come up that affect how people react. We feel the penalties were extremely severe, considering some of our players were trying to serve as peacemakers."
Kreuter received an eight-game suspension and a $5,000 fine. Coaches Glenn Hoffman, Rick Dempsey and John Shelby also were suspended for eight games and fined $5,000 each.
Pitcher Carlos Perez, infielder-outfielder F.P. Santangelo and outfielder Gary Sheffield were suspended for five games and fined $5,000 each. Pitcher Mike Fetters was suspended for four games and fined $4,000.
Pitchers Terry Adams, Darren Dreifort, Eric Gagne, Onan Masaoka, Alan Mills, Antonio Osuna and Chan Ho Park; outfielders Geronimo Berroa and Shawn Green; catcher Todd Hundley; and first baseman Eric Karros were suspended for three games and fined $3,000 each.
Bullpen catcher Travis Barbary, who is not on the team's roster, also was suspended for five games and fined $5,000.
Dreifort, Kreuter, Osuna and Sheffield were to begin serving their suspensions Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium, but did not because of their appeals.
