'Topes look to move on from Olivo incident

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The Albuquerque Isotopes are doing their best to move on after an incident that left one teammate in the hospital and another without a job.

During a dugout brawl on Tuesday in Salt Lake City, catcher Miguel Olivo allegedly bit off part of infielder Alex Guerrero's left ear. Guerrero has been hospitalized ever since, while Olivo was suspended, then released by the Dodgers on Thursday.

"As a team, we're just trying to move forward," outfielder Trayvon Robinson said Friday before the Isotopes played Reno in their first home game since the incident. "We're all men here. We know this is a long season. We're all just going to move forward. Things happen, we're all human. We all do stuff we regret."

For the most part, the Isotopes, just like the Dodgers' players and coaches, have been ordered by the front office to refrain from discussing the scuffle. Still, Albuquerque manager Damon Berryhill addressed the media.

"It's an unfortunate situation," he said. "It's two players, their tempers got heated. A situation came up that really is unacceptable by really anybody's standards. Miguel, unfortunately, took something too far and the Dodgers have now released him."

It was the type of incident for which no one was prepared, no matter how many years they've spent in baseball.

"It's just a situation I really haven't seen (before)," Berryhill said. "But I know that tempers get flared. Like I said before, it's just an unfortunate situation and the Dodgers have dealt with it."

The good news, Berryhill said, is that Guerrero is doing better physically and emotionally.

"A little bit about Alex, he's through recovery, he's in good spirits," the manager said. "He's anxious to get healthy and get back on the field and get back to playing baseball."

Despite an earlier report that Guerrero might miss five weeks, the Isotopes said there is no timetable for his recovery. According to Berryhill, the 27-year-old infielder is flying to Los Angeles.

"We're glad for his health and we're making sure he gets healthy," Berryhill said. "You know, hopefully, it's not too long a time. But like I said, the surgery went well, the Dodgers think it will be good for him, or the results for his ear. I saw him in the hospital, he's in good spirits, he's anxious to get back."

Alex Guerrero (7) appears to have his ear bitten by now-former teammate Miguel Olivo. (StingEmBees.com)

This certainly was not the way the Isotopes wanted to find themselves in the national spotlight, even if it occurred away from Albuquerque and outside the direct control of the organization.

"It's a difficult situation, it's certainly an unfortunate situation because of how it potentially would reflect upon us," Isotopes general manager John Traub said. "We want our players certainly representing us and our community in a positive light. We're not happy that it happened, period. We're not happy when we get that kind of national [attention] for that reason."

Traub also said the Isotopes were grateful that the Dodgers moved quickly to deal with the fallout.

"I think they acted very appropriately with this situation," he added. "There's not a person in this clubhouse or this organization that is happy that this happened."

Now, as Robinson said, it's time for the Isotopes to get back to the business of winning baseball games.

"It's a strange situation, but these guys, like me and like everybody else, they just want to put this behind them and get back to playing baseball," Berryhill said.