SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dusty Baker and Kirk Gibson had a testy exchange — before a pitch was even thrown. The two managers had differing opinions on the designated hitter rule for Monday’s game.
Baker had Shin-Soo Choo set as his DH in the Reds’ original lineup because the outfielder had been out with a tight quadricpes. Gibson wanted Diamondbacks starter Brandon McCarthy to get in some swings.
When the managers of NL ballclubs met at home plate, things got heated.
“He wanted his pitcher to hit and I wanted Choo to DH,” Baker said after the Diamondbacks won 7-2. “We didn’t have a very pleasant encounter at home plate. It’s over.”
Perhaps in protest, Baker had Johnny Cueto leave his bat on his shoulder for three straight strikes when the starting pitcher came to bat in the third inning.
“I wasn’t allowed to swing,” Cueto said.
During spring training, the home team has final say on whether to apply the DH rule, only used in American League parks in the regular season.
“They knew we were going to do it that way,” Gibson said. “I had it happen that way with a team. They tried to put the DH in there. That’s not the way it’s done. I wanted to play a National League game. I notified them several times. They just wanted to do it their way. They couldn’t do it. They didn’t like that. We play by the rules here. If we were over there, we’d play by their rules. It’s very simple. It was good locker room talk.”
McCarthy, who played for Oakland in the AL last year, grounded out in his only at-bat.
