Lowe told Cleveland writers that after the close pitch he looked at Dusty Baker.
"He shook his finger to tell me that he had nothing to do with it," Lowe said. Yet he hit Phillips anyway. "It is the first time I've come to the plate with no one on in two years so he waited for the first time I did."
That wasn't true. Lowe singled in his first at bat after Mat Latos retired the first eight Indian batters.
When asked about it today, Dusty was visibly angry. His eyes glared. His teeth were clenched and he said that he knew what was coming. He had either read Lowe's comments or was told about them.
"Well, I mean, he had some words for me," Baker said. "That's not something that I really wanted to make a public thing or public spectacle. I mean, he's the one who brought it up. He had some rather choice words for me, but I really don't care if he respects me or not, I dont care really what he says. It doesn't matter. The situation that, number one, you've got to ask him why he hit Joey Votto in the back two years ago. And then yesterday he took exception to a ball inside that didn't hit him and it's down, then he hit Brandon Phillips later after that. I'm not denying nothing. I didn't order anybody to hit him, but I told him (Mat Latos) to buzz him and make him uncomfortable. That's what happened, understand what I'm saying? Nobody hit him, but then he hit our guy. and what he was talking about was something that he said and did a few years ago. You've got to ask him what that was. Understand? And he got a lot of people involved in the situation that didn't need to be involved in the situation, it didnt come from them. You go ask him since he made it public. Go ask him what he did or what he said. ... so i'll let it rest at that. Since he's such a big man, wants to run his mouth, tell him to run his mouth about himself."
Man i dont care if people don't respect me," Baker continued. A lot of people don't respect me. He don't respect himself because the word was that whatever he did and said, there was probably a good chance he was drinking at the ballpark at that time three or four years ago. So he don't remember what he said or what he did, OK? He said I shook my finger at him to tell him I didn't have nothing to do with it."
Baker shook his finger from side to side ... "That means don't mess with me or my team. That's what that means. So he better learn the sign language. That's the end of it from me."
Derek Lowe had a meeting in Manny Acta's office when he arrived at the ballpark. He took the back hallway away from reporters to get to his locker.
As reporters from Cincinnati and Cleveland approached Lowe told them, "I'm not saying anything about it. I'm aware of what he said. You can stand there and watch golf if you want. I don't care what he said, I'm not saying anything about it."
Lowe came to the Indians with the Atlanta Braves after the World Series last season. Indians manager Manny Acta claimed he knew nothing about the rift between Baker and Lowe until last night..I assume you are aware of what Dusty said to Derek Lowe.
"No, I'm not. (aware)," Acta. " My thoughts are that I'm not into gossiping. This is my first time managing Derek and I'm not aware of anything going on. All I can do is stand by my team and my players. I'm not gossiping so anything you want to get you go to Dusty or to Derek because I'm not aware of what's going on."
"I said I'm not into gossiping and if you don't have any baseball questions, you are going to walk out of my office or I am."
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| Professionally edited by ML Schirmer for proofreading services Call 513-240-3120 |
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