Dodgers’ Zack Greinke on A.J. Ellis: ‘I should have warned him’

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke, in his first comments since undergoing surgery to repair a broken collarbone, said he regretted not alerting catcher A.J. Ellis to a history of ill will between Greinke and San Diego Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin.

The history dates back to 2009, when Greinke played for the Kansas City Royals and Quentin played for the Chicago White Sox.

When Greinke hit Quentin with a pitch last week, Quentin hesitated, then charged the mound. Ellis, believing there would be no incident after the hesitation, could not restrain Quentin before the Padres slugger threw Greinke to the ground and injured him.

Greinke said he apologized to Ellis for not advising him of the potential for trouble.

“Anyone with the White Sox has always labeled me as someone who does stuff,” Greinke said. “I didn’t think it would happen. Looking back, I should have warned him.”

Greinke is expected to miss two months, and Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly had suggested Quentin be suspended until Greinke returns.

Quentin was suspended eight games, a penalty Greinke said he believed was the maximum ever levied by Major League Baseball against a batter charging the mound.

“Right there, that says a lot,” Greinke said. “To expect the league to do more than that would be pretty crazy.”

Greinke would not say whether he had heard from Quentin since the incident. Greinke also would not comment on Quentin’s contention that the pitcher yelled an expletive at him before he charged the mound.

“It just isn’t anyone else’s business,” Greinke said.

Greinke did say he regretted lowering his left shoulder as Quentin charged, dropped a shoulder and made like a linebacker.

“You’re just reacting,” Greinke said. “I never would have planned on doing it that way. I definitely wish I didn’t. ... My natural reaction was to avoid my right arm. At least I did that.”

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