SAN FRANCISCO -- Bostons Ryan Dempster accepted his punishment without admitting any misdeed. The Canadian pitcher was suspended for five games and fined by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for intentionally hitting New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez with a pitch last weekend. While Dempster still maintains he was only trying to establish the inside part of the plate and wasnt trying to hit Rodriguez on purpose, he will not contest the punishment and began serving it Tuesday. "I thought about appealing," the Gibsons, B.C., native said before Boston played the Giants. "At the end of the day, I think Major League Baseball does a really good job of thinking through punishments before they hand them out. I thought it was in the best interest of us as a team to go ahead and serve my suspension." MLB senior vice-president Joe Garagiola Jr. announced the penalty two days after Dempster hit A-Rod in the second inning at Fenway Park. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was fined for arguing with plate umpire Brian ONora. Dempsters fine was $2,500 and Girardis was $5,000, people familiar with the discipline told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the amounts were not announced. Dempster was scheduled to pitch Saturday at the Los Angeles Dodgers but now could be pushed back to next Tuesdays homestand opener against Baltimore. He will throw a simulated game on Friday. Boston is off Thursday, and Jon Lester will be able to pitch on regular rest Saturday in Dempsters place. Jake Peavy is set to go Sunday on normal four days rest. "That has nothing to do with it," Dempster said. "I think it has to do with taking my suspension and put it past. Theres no point in carrying out an appeals process. We have other things to worry about and thats going out and winning a ballgame tonight against the San Francisco Giants. Ill take my punishment." Earlier Tuesday, Girardi insisted it would be "open season" on Rodriguez if MLB failed to suspend Dempster. Girardi had hoped for a suspension long enough to make Dempster miss a turn. "I think I made my feelings pretty clear then," Girardi said after the suspension was announced. Dempster threw one pitch behind A-Rods knees and two more inside during the second inning. Then his 3-0 pitch struck Rodriguezs left elbow pad and ricocheted off his back. "You dont throw at a guy four times," Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said. "He violated every code in every way." Dempster said he will never stop pitching inside. "Thats a real important part of pitching to any hitter, especially a big power hitter," he said. Girardi sprinted onto the field, screaming at ONora for not ejecting the pitcher. Girardi was tossed as the benches and bullpens emptied, and Rodriguez homered off Dempster to spark a sixth-inning rally that lifted New York to a 9-6 win. "That baseball is a weapon. Its not a tennis ball. Or its not an Incrediball thats soft. Its a weapon, and it can do a lot of damage to someones life," Girardi said before a doubleheader against Toronto. "And thats why I was so upset about it. You can express your opinion and be upset with someone, but you just cant start throwing baseballs at people. I mean, its scary." Girardi said his profane rant at ONora probably was the angriest hes been on a ball field. Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games on Aug. 5 for violating baseballs drug and labour agreements but is playing while he appeals. Red Sox pitcher John Lackey criticized the rules last week for allowing A-Rod to play. Girardi said prior to the announcement that if Dempster wasnt punished, it would make Rodriguez "open season for people, and that cant happen. Its not fair. If a player is suspended for throwing at someone, theyre going to get their appeal. Are we just going to throw that out, too?" Asked later if the level of penalty would make it open season, he responded: "Thats my concern. Well find out. I sure hope not." "If you suspend a position player three games, he misses three games," Girardi added. "You can suspend a pitcher five games, even six games and he may not miss a start. The off days come into play." The Red Sox did not criticize the decision, saying their focus was on winning games and making it to the playoffs. "We fully respect what MLB has decided to do and hand down the suspension," manager John Farrell said. "Never has it been uttered that its been unjust. To Ryans credit, hes serving the suspension starting tonight." New York didnt retaliate Sunday. Girardi wouldnt say whether there is a need to respond when the teams next meet, at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 5. Girardi said "protecting your own" in baseball has gone on for "for a long time. And unfortunately youre part of those situations sometimes, but thats part of the game." The manager also discussed the matter with his 6-year-old son, Dante. "Part of pitching is pitching inside, thats all part of it," he recalled telling the boy. "But I dont ever want you to hit anyone on purpose." After Sundays game, Rodriguez declined to say whether Dempster should be suspended. "Im the wrong guy to be asking about suspensions. Holy mackerel," A-Rod said with a laugh. "Ive got an attorney I can recommend." Mousa Dembele Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Dedryck Boyata Jersey . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. http://www.soccerbelgiumteamonline.com/Yannick-Carrasco-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Youri Tielemans Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Koen Casteels Belgium Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. USA Gymnastics, the organization that develops the Olympic team, repeatedly failed to report allegations of sexual abuse of underage gymnasts by coaches to authorities, according to an investigative report by the Indianapolis Star?that was posted on Thursday.The organization, which boasts over 120,000 gymnasts at 3,000 gyms, had a policy of dismissing allegations as hearsay and filing them away unless they came directly from a victim or a victims parents, the report said. Two former USA Gymnastics executives testified under oath to this policy as part of a 2013 lawsuit filed by a coachs victim.Legally, however, suspected child abuse must be reported to authorities.The 2013 lawsuit, filed in Georgia by the daughter of Lisa Ganser, involves a coach named William McCabe. According to the Star, USA Gymnastics was alerted to the possibility that McCabe was abusing children as far back as 1998. An owner of a gym from which he was fired sent a letter to USA Gymnastics saying that McCabe should be locked in a cage before someone is raped.In court filings obtained the Star, USA Gymnastics said allegations made against McCabe by two gym owners were third-hand hearsay and said the organization had not received a complaint from a member athlete or parent of a member athlete.USA Gymnastics also argued, according to the Star, that mandatory reporting laws did not apply to it because it was an organization, not an individual.According to the Star, Ganser enrolled her daughter in a McCabe-run gym in 2002 and, more than a year later, received an anonymous packet with allegations against McCabe, including complaints that had been sent to USA Gymnastics. She contacted USA Gymnastics and was told there were no complaints against McCabe, according to the newspaper.In 2006, Ganser found disturbing emails on her then-11-year-old daughters computer. She called the FBI. Investigators learned that the emails had been sent by McCabe, who was pretending to be an Olympic star, the newspaper reported.McCabe was eventually accused of molesting girls as young as fifth-graders. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to sexual exploitation of children and is serving a 30-year sentence.Although USA Gymnastics would not reveal just how many complaints it receives, the Star reported that the organization had compiled dossiers on more than 50 coaches. The contents of those files remain sealed as part of the Ganser case, but the Star has filed a motion asking to make them public. The newspaper did uncover details of four coaches, including McCabe, who were charged with child molestation or sexual exploitation.One coach, Marvin Sharp, was reported to authorities by USA Gymnastics four years aftter it received a detailed complaint against him, according to the Star.dddddddddddd The former coach of the year, who had mentored multiple Olympians, was charged in federal court and then committed suicide in jail.USA Gymnastics issued a statement on Thursday responding to the Stars report.Addressing issues of sexual misconduct has been important to USA Gymnastics for many years, and the organization is committed to promoting a safe environment for its athletes, it said, in part. We find it appalling that anyone would exploit a young athlete or child in this manner, and recognize the effect this behavior can have on a persons life. USA Gymnastics has been proactive in helping to educate the gymnastics community over the years, and will continue to take every punitive action available within our jurisdiction, and cooperate fully with law enforcement.The statement concluded:?With the judge considering whether to dismiss the pending lawsuit in Georgia, there are limits on what the organization can say publicly during litigation. Nonetheless, USA Gymnastics provided the Indianapolis Star with substantial information on its policies and procedures to demonstrate the organizations commitment to the safety of its athletes within the scope of its jurisdiction and governance structure. We feel the Star left out significant facts that would have painted a more accurate picture of our efforts.Martha Karolyi, the USA national team coordinator since 2000 and a coach in the United States since she and her husband, Bela, defected from Romania in 1981, said Thursday in Rio that she hadnt read the entire news report yet.I just overheard something and I do not think the accusations are right. I dont think they are right, Karolyi told ESPNs Johnette Howard after the womens teams training session. I think USA Gymnastics is one of the most caring organizations about the children. ... But just working with USA Gymnastics for so many years, I just know how much effort is done that everything be done properly.Asked if the news would affect the Olympic team, Karolyi replied, Absolutely not.Were here at the Olympic Games. And then, if there are any other issues, we will address it afterward, she said.Mihai Brestyan, the coach of American gold medalist Aly Raisman, said Team USAs staff will try to protect the gymnasts from any distractions the report might cause.We have concerns, but we try to keep the kids away from that right now, Brestyan told ESPN. [The allegations] are a problem, but we cannot resolve that right now, here this week. ' ' '