Arizona Diamondbacks pitching ace Curt Schilling was fined about US$15,000 by major league baseball Monday for destroying a camera used to evaluate umpires.
Schilling smashed part of the Questec Umpire Evaluation System on May 24 during a home loss to the San Diego Padres, and said umpires have told him they are changing their strike zones to match the machine.
"He was fined the cost of the camera, and then there was a fine imposed on the disciplinary side," said Bob Watson, vice president of on-field operations in the commissioner's office.
The total penalty was about US$15,000, according to three baseball officials who spoke on the condition they not be identified.
Schilling plans to appeal.
"The amount is not as relevant as the whole process behind coming to the amount," he said before Monday night's game against San Diego. "That's what I want to find out."
Schilling said what he did was "immature," but he hasn't changed his mind about the Questec system.
"The process doesn't work," Schilling said. "Questec itself, the actual machines, I'm sure they work. But machines don't call the balls and strikes. The umpires do. The process by which this was integrated into major league baseball is horribly flawed."
Questec is being used at 13 of the 30 major league ballparks this year. The World Umpires Association has filed a grievance, claiming the computer is inaccurate.
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