MLB fines, suspends Guillen for gay slur

CHICAGO, June 22 (UPI) -- Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig Thursday fined and suspended Chicago White Sox Ozzie Guillen" class="tpstyle">Manager Ozzie Guillen "completely unacceptable" language.

Guillen was fined an undisclosed amount, ordered to attend sensitivity training and ordered to sit out Thursday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Guillen had already apologized for offending homosexuals Tuesday, when he used a derogatory term in an attack on Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti. Guillen said he had only directed the slur at one person.

The pair have a long history of public animosity, and Guillen told the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald he thought his remarks were off the record.

"I will apologize to the people I offended because I should have used another word," Guillen said, adding he has friends in the gay community.

"Ozzie Guillen used language that is offensive and completely unacceptable," Selig said. "Baseball is a social institution with responsibility to set appropriate tone and example. Conduct or language that reflects otherwise will not be tolerated. The use of slurs embarrasses the individual, the club and the game."

For an unrelated incident, White Sox pitcher David Riske was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at St. Louis outfielder Chris Duncan in the top of the seventh inning of the contest.

Warnings had been issued before Riske hit Duncan.