Everyone was denying everything in the Cubs’ clubhouse after Wednesday’s 6-5 victory over the Giants.
Richard Nixon and his Watergate henchmen would have been proud of the way Cubs players, coaches and manager Jim Riggleman pooh-poohed any suggestion Jeremi Gonzalez had purposely thrown at Giants second baseman Jeff Kent.
But there was no denying the Cubs thoroughly enjoyed the brawl that took place in the fourth inning after Gonzalez drilled Kent. There were too many postgame smiles to conceal that fact.
It all started last Thursday, after Gonzalez beat San Francisco 6-3 at Wrigley Field. Kent made some disparaging comments afterward about the rookie’s pitching talent, dismissing his stuff as “mediocre.”
On Kent’s second at-bat in Wednesday’s rematch at 3Com Park, Gonzalez threw a high-and-tight fastball that nicked Kent in the letters. Kent dropped his bat and walked toward Gonzalez while catcher Tyler Houston began pushing Kent toward first base. Kent grabbed Houston’s mask and ripped it off, precipitating a brawl that eventually got Kent and Houston ejected.
The Cubs led 2-1 at the time, and Kent was leading off the inning.
“I was just trying to throw inside,” Gonzalez insisted. “I was trying to win the ballgame.”
Gonzalez had a perfect alibi when asked if he’d read Kent’s comments.
“I can’t read English,” he said.
But Gonzalez acknowledged that his agent and teammates had told him what Kent had said about him, so he did have a motive. But Riggleman and coach Mako Oliveras said they warned Gonzalez beforehand not to do anything crazy like throw at Kent.
“I like my pitchers throwing inside, though,” Riggleman said.
Mission accomplished.
