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Sunday, July 13, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

HOUSTON -- A contrite Randall Simon broadened his apology to his teammates and the fans in Pittsburgh.

"I'm sorry again," Simon said yesterday before the Pirates faced the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, the final game he missed because of Major League Baseball's three-game suspension for his conduct in the Milwaukee sausage race Wednesday. "I want to apologize to all my teammates. I'm not there for them. It's an important series for us. It hurts not to be in there. I want to apologize to my team and to all the people in Pittsburgh. It was an incident that I didn't want to happen like that. I just want to get this thing over with, and I hope it will be over soon."

Simon swung his bat gently at a woman dressed in an Italian sausage costume, causing her to tumble. In addition to his suspension and $2,000 fine from baseball, he was fined $432 for disorderly conduct by Milwaukee police.

The Pirates would have imposed their own penalty against Simon, but the basic operating agreement between Major League Baseball and its players' union prohibits them from doing so.

"We support baseball's decision regarding this on-field issue," Pirates General Manager Dave Littlefield said yesterday.

Simon could have appealed the suspension, but he said he accepted it in the hope that he could put the issue to rest.

"I'll take it," he said. "I made a mistake. Sometimes, you have to pay for it. I just want it to be over with, not only for me but also my teammates and everybody else who has been hurt during this situation."

He said the reaction to the incident has been difficult to take.

"It's been a tough week for me and my family and all the people back home," he said. "It was amazing how you get up in the morning and your answering machine is full."

Simon said he still has not been able to reach the two women who had scraped knees as the result of the swing of his bat. Mandy Block, 19, wearing the Italian sausage costume, tumbled over when Simon struck the chef's hat portion of the outfit. Her fall took down Veronica Piech, 21, dressed in a hot dog outfit.

He said he called several times Friday, leaving his phone number to accept a return call.