MLB: Jose Offerman Receives Life Ban From Dominican League

Former Major League Baseball player Jose Offerman was given a lifetime ban from the Dominican League after striking an umpire.

Interim manager of the Licey Tigers Jose Offerman has received a lifetime ban from the Dominican Winter Baseball League. The league banned Offerman after a Saturday incident involving Jose striking American umpire Daniel Reyburn in the face. Jose Offerman and Daniel Rayburn were arguing a batter's strike count during a playoff game against the Cibao Giants at Quisqueya Stadium in the Dominican Republic. After this incident Daniel and three other American umpires working the Dominican league resigned and left the country. The American umpires said they feared for their personal safety after receiving threats from fans. The league's president Leonardo Matos-Berrido said the decision could be appealed due to the magnitude of the offense. The Dominican police are investigating the alleged threats towards the American umpires. Offerman took over the manager position a year ago after the previous manager was suspended two year for bumping an umpire. Offerman has a history of violence in baseball as in 2007 Jose hit Bridgeport Bluefish catcher John Nathans in the head with a bat during an independent minor league game. Jose faces a $4.8 million civil suit brought by Nathans that claims he still suffers problems due to that incident.