Reds fall victim to ridiculous suspension rules after Brewers exploit MLB loophole

Major League Baseball's suspension system is imperfect to say the least, and the Milwaukee Brewers are making a mockery of it ahead of their series finale against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.

Brewers' reliever Abner Uribe, who directed an inexcusable and vial gesture toward the St. Louis Cardinals dugout during a game on May 26, will serve his one-game suspension on Wednesday night against the Reds.

Brewers reliever Abner Uribe will sit out vs. Reds

Conveniently, Uribe has pitched four of the last five days, including the last two games against the Reds, and Milwaukee is about to embark on a 17-day stretch in which they're actually scheduled to play 18 games.

This amounts to little more than an unpaid rest day for Uribe, who was likely unable to pitch on Wednesday night anyway. Uribe logged an inning of work on both Monday and Tuesday — both of which came in high-leverage situations. He allowed just one hit and struck out two Reds' batters, but now, because of MLB's loose suspension rules, will be unavailable for Wednesday's contest.

This is flat-out embarrassing for Major League Baseball. The league issued the suspension almost a month ago. Uribe, feeling as though the suspension was unwarranted, decided to appeal the decision. That's his right under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the Player's Association.

But does it really take a month to hear his case? I mean, what's his defense going to be anyway? He made an obscene gesture toward another team's dugout on live television. Everyone saw it. There's no excuse for it. Frankly, he's fortunate the entire Cardinals' dugout didn't empty to try to tackle him to the ground.

The Reds will have a one-man advantage on Wednesday night. Maybe that's something to celebrate. There's been little else to cheer for during the previous two games of the series. Cincinnati has scored all of one run the past two games, and that came via the ghost runner in extra innings on Monday night. Hopefully, the Reds can salvage the series with a victory on Wednesday night at GABP.

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