Jarred Cosart cooperating with MLB

JUPITER, Fla. -- Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart said Thursday that he was "caught off guard" by the firestorm surrounding his alleged sports gambling activities and is cooperating fully with a Major League Baseball investigation.

Cosart spoke to reporters for about a minute at the Marlins' complex before heading to a back field at Roger Dean Stadium. Cosart and Michael Hill, the Marlins' president of baseball operations, both said they have been given no timetable for a conclusion to MLB's investigation.

"Obviously, I was caught off guard by the whole situation," Cosart said. "I'm following the MLB protocol and talking with MLB security, and they're taking care of it. I'm putting everything in their hands, and when we know something else, we'll let everybody know."

Cosart, 24, allegedly exchanged multiple direct messages with a gambling authority on his Twitter account at an undetermined time, and the interaction became public when it was shared on the social media site by a third party. Cosart deleted his official Twitter account after screen shots of the exchange began appearing on the Internet on Tuesday night.

Cosart told reporters Thursday that any Twitter accounts that have appeared subsequent to his deleted original account are fraudulent, and that MLB security has "confiscated" all real or bogus Twitter accounts in his name.

It's unclear whether Cosart's alleged gambling ties revolve around baseball betting or sports betting in general. MLB Rule 21 clearly prohibits gambling on baseball.

"Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has no duty to perform, shall be declared ineligible for one year," the rule states. "Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible."

League spokesman Pat Courtney confirmed Wednesday that it is not against MLB rules for players to legally gamble on sports other than baseball.

Hill and Marlins manager Mike Redmond, like Cosart, declined to address specifics about MLB's investigation while the team awaits a resolution.

"We're not going to speculate on anything," Hill said. "No hypotheticals. We'll let it all play out, and when it comes to a conclusion, we'll know what we need to do, if anything."

Redmond said he has spoken to Cosart, but declined to comment further on the situation and its potential impact on Cosart or the team.

"It's better to let this thing play out and find out more information," Redmond said. "When we do that, we'll have a comment. But right now we need to let this thing play out."

The Marlins acquired Cosart from Houston in a seven-player trade in July and have plugged him into their starting rotation this spring. He is 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in four Grapefruit League outings.

Cosart had been scheduled to start against Houston on Friday night in Kissimmee, but the team announced that he has been scratched from the outing because of a blister on his right middle finger.Brad Handwill start in hisplace against the Astros.