Maddon surprised by Locke's claim
Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon found it almost laughable.
Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Locke seemed to think Cubs ace Jake Arrieta hit the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang on purpose Saturday.
"I think anytime someone like Arrieta hits somebody, you have to assume automatically that one didn't just get away," Locke said. "He's been pretty sharp all year … so when he misses like that, maybe you raise an eyebrow or something like that, too.
"I don't know what happened on the pitch. It got him pretty flush, though. It just seems a guy like that, with pinpoint accuracy, doesn't just miss in."
Locke and the Pirates lost 8-2 to the Cubs on Saturday. The first thing Maddon did Sunday in response to Locke's comment was to point out Arrieta walked Locke on four pitches in Saturday's fifth inning.
"I really don't think Jake was pitching around Locke," Maddon said. "My point is it can happen at any time, that a really exceptional pitcher can lose command of his pitches. That's how I'd answer Mr. Locke.
"I really think Jake was not intentionally trying to throw four consecutive balls to him when he was hitting. I don't think he was intimidated by Mr. Locke being at the plate, and (he) was really trying to throw a strike.
"He (Locke) was suggesting that Jake always knows where the ball is going. I'm saying it's evidenced by the fact that he walked him on four pitches that he doesn't always know where the ball is going."
No batting practice again:
The Cubs have made a habit of not taking on-field batting practice before games. It's something Joe Maddon started regularly in the latter part of last season.
"We have such a wonderful (indoor batting) cage and a way to get prepared for the day," Maddon said. "By the time the game begins, they're frisky. I know that our guys believe in (limited BP) now.
"Part of it is just convincing hitting coaches because it's like you have to do this in order to justify the fact that you're working and doing the right things, and, 'I'm doing my job, and I'm supposed to do this stuff because I was taught to do this stuff.' Sometimes it's more difficult to convince hitting coaches.
"It's the most ridiculously overrated part of what we do every day."
Maddon added that hitting coach John Mallee indeed is on board with the practice.
He said it:
Joe Maddon on Jake Arrieta: "He's definitely got a cyborg look about him, there's no question. When you watch him out there, I can definitely see (Arnold) Schwarzenegger at his best out there just going through this pitching-delivery motion and throwing pitches exactly where he wants all the time.
"But I think even Arnold messed up a couple times in 'The Terminator.' Listen, he's not perfect by any means."