Hunter, Pudge fight, make nice

The Angels' Torii Hunter and the Yankees' Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez met before Monday's game was even finished and apologized to each other for letting their tempers get the best of them.

Said Hunter: "Pudge, we've known each other for a long time and he's my buddy. We meet each other for dinner or whatever. We just got frustrated. It's just like a pickup game in basketball. Your friend fouls you and you guys get into an argument but you're still friends."

Said Rodriguez: "We apologized to each other and that's being professional from myself and he's a very professional player. I've been in baseball 18 years and I have never fought. I am not a fighter. I compete and compete hard, and sometimes when you compete hard those things happen. I'm sure Torii Hunter is the same kind of player."

All that sounds great, but as early as today it's likely that both players will end up suspended for at least a couple of games. Hunter could appeal his suspension to delay it and when the Angels clinch the division (possibly as early as today) he could rescind the appeal and serve the suspension.