Javy Baez Has a Response for Clint Hurdle on Criticism That Baez Wasn’t Showing “Respect for the Game”

April 12, 2018, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

Earlier today, before his Pirates beat the Cubs in their series finale, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle had some thoughts on Javy Baez and Willson Contreras. You can read them here at The Athletic (and I would encourage you to do so in order that you have the full context):

“When a player does something out of line, there are one or two guys who go to him right away and say, ‘Hey, we don’t do that here. What are you thinking when you do that? Do you know what that looks like?’ ” https://t.co/HEdWLAGNnM

— Rob Biertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) April 12, 2018

In short, Hurdle didn’t like Baez tossing his bat after popping out (something Baez didn’t like, himself), and didn’t like that Contreras took issue with the strike zone in one of his at bats last night. Color me fairly suspicious about Hurdle’s choice to call out those two particular players – both of whom he questioned their respect for the game – for things that *NEARLY ALL PLAYERS* do at one time or another. I am bothered.

Baez, asked about Hurdle’s comments after the game today, had a response that may as well have amounted to “respect this.”

From Patrick Mooney, whom you should be following:

Javier Baez fires back at Clint Hurdle and the #Pirates: "They can save it."

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) April 12, 2018

Javier Baez: "I bust my ass every day to play hard. No one plays this game harder than me. I respect 90. But you don't go out there and talk trash about someone."

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) April 12, 2018

Javier Baez, clearly bothered by Clint Hurdle telling reporters he didn't respect the game: "To be honest, I got a lot of things I can say right now. But I don’t control what’s out there, what people talk about me. I’m just going to keep playing my game."

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) April 12, 2018

Baez on Hurdle: "We won (last night) and it got to him. We lost the series, but we’re still the same. I’m happy. There’s music in the clubhouse. There’s nothing to take personal. People that talk about me, they can save it. I don’t control it. I don’t really care about it.”

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) April 12, 2018

Good for you, Javy.

I don’t have any particular disdain for the Pirates above and beyond any other organization, but I do think it’s worth pointing out that they are among the most beanball-happy clubs in baseball, and have been for years. Is that how you “respect the game”? Is that something we can now expect Baez or Contreras or some other Cub to face when the teams play each other again next?

Hurdle made a dumb point in a dumb way, and Baez responded aptly and appropriately. Leave it there.