CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- While acknowledging that he pushed umpire Tim Timmons in a benches-clearing dustup against the Tigers on Monday that drew a three-game suspension from MLB, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson explained Friday that the incident occurred after Timmons initiated the contact amid the scrum.
Anderson didn't realize he was pushing an umpire instead of a fellow player when it occurred, he said. Anderson added he was ejected by Timmons, which wasn't clear in the moment.
"I don't know if I am surprised or not," Anderson said while turning a question around by asking a reporter if he saw the video. "Yeah, he (Timmons ) was pushing me. I didn't realize who he was because there was so many people.
So when you get pushed, you push the person off of me. Then I realized it was him and by that time it was too late. Yeah, I pushed him, but he started it. I pushed back because he was in my space and too close."
Anderson is appealing his three-game suspension. Regardless of the verdict, he won't be suspended for any playoff games, as the punishment applies to the regular season. The White Sox will face the Astros in the American League Division Series beginning Thursday.
"I don't know how long the appeal process will take," Anderson said. "I really have no answers to give you except the fact that I pushed him. Yeah, if I can put this off until next year, that's cool. We will just see what happens."
The benches-clearing scrum Monday came after White Sox star Jose Abreu slid hard – and late, in the Tigers' opinion – into second base in the top of the ninth inning as shortstop Niko Goodrum took a throw. Abreu had reached base after getting drilled in the arm by a fastball from Tigers right-hander Alex Lange, which irked the White Sox.
During the pushing and shoving, Timmons was trying to get the White Sox to clear off the field by reminding them they're playoff-bound, Anderson said. Anderson had a stern response for Timmons in the chaos.
"He was pushing me and kept saying, 'You guys are in the playoffs, you guys are in the playoffs,'" Anderson said. "At that point, I told him I don't give a f*** and I think he was mad about that. That was it, but I didn't realize it was the umpire. If I had seen him and knew who it was, obviously I wouldn't be pushing the umpire. It's OK. I am going to deal with it and move on. Yeah, he definitely initiated it, so of course I will push him back."
After the game Monday, White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel suggested his team needed to stand up for Abreu when the teams met again Friday.
While those were aggressive words that suggested retaliation would be on the horizon, White Sox manager Tony La Russa doesn't expect any carryover or purposeful pitches coming, believing the matter is behind both teams.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
