Indians manager Manny Acta thought that Rick Porcello was throwing at his star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the Indians’ 8-7 loss to the Tigers. In fact he thought warning Porcello was pointless and believed the Tigers starter should have been tossed from the game.
Rick Porcello insist he wasn’t trying to throw at Cabrera after a pitch went behind Cabrera on the heels of a long foul ball that had a chance of being knocked out.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland spoke up as well defending his young starter…
“I understand the perception,” the Tigers manager said as he and his team got ready for the first game of a four-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. “I know it looked bad. But in my honest opinion, if Rick Porcello had an issue with Cabrera, which he did not, he would have just drilled him.
“But Rick wasn’t mad at Cabrera and neither was anybody on our team.”
Leyland also didn’t have a problem with Cabrera sitting in the batters box watching to see whether or not the ball was heading fair or foul.
“I do believe Rick when he said he was trying to pitch him high and tight, and that he just pulled the ball behind him,” Leyland said. “There was no reason to hit him.
“Did it look bad? Yes. Was he trying to hit him? No.”
Leyland also insisted there is no bad blood between the two organizations and that he wasn’t sure what would happen the next time the two clubs meet.
“There is no bad blood between the Cleveland Indians and the Tigers,” Leyland said. “None. It’s always been very respectful competition.”
Check out the video of the pitch by clicking here.
Source: Detroit News, MLB