A's minor league coach Steverson suspended a year

MODESTO, Calif. (AP) Oakland Athletics minor league coach Todd Steverson has been banned from the dugout for a year by the California League for instructing his pitchers to intentionally balk players to help end an extra-inning game last month.

Steverson, filling in as manager for Class A Stockton at Modesto, had run out of pitchers in a June 23 game that Modesto won 7-6 in 18 innings - a 5-hour, five-minute contest.

League president Charlie Blaney announced Monday both a fine of an undisclosed amount and Steverson's ban from the Ports' dugout for a year. Blaney called Steverson's intent ``to protect his players from injury'' but also an ``error in judgment by instructing his pitcher to advance three base runners via intentional balk for the purpose of expediting the end of the game.''