Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is upset with Javier Baez, Willson Contreras

The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing well to open up the season despite making offseason moves that suggest they are rebuilding. They have opened the season at 8-3 and sit atop the NL Central.

Everything appears to be going great, right?

Well, not everything. Manager Clint Hurdle is apparently mad at a pair of Chicago Cubs players as the two teams wrap up a three-game series at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon.

Hurdle spoke to the media following Wednesday’s Cubs 13-5 victory over the Pirates and he wasn’t happy with Javier Baez’s bat flip after popping out in the seventh inning of the game. He expressed his frustration via Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“You watch their kid flip that bat last night? Where’s the respect for the game?” Hurdle said. “The guy hits four homers in two days, so that means you can take your bat and throw it 15, 20 feet in the air when you pop up like you should have hit your fifth home run? I would bet that men over there talked to him, because I do believe they have a group over there that speaks truth to power.”

Baez would go on to hit his fourth home run in the past two games as he’s opened up the homestand on fire for the Cubs. The flashy infielder can get on opposing team’s nerves from time-to-time but he’s one of the most electric players in all of baseball.

He wasn’t the only target of Hurdle, however.

Hurdle also commented on Willson Contreras arguing balls and strikes:

“The catcher, a talented young man, there’s a day he would have been thrown out as soon as he went like this, the ball’s high, at the plate.”

The Spanish Cubs are just getting everyone all riled up. The two teams will finish their early three-game series on Thursday afternoon with Kyle Hendricks taking the mound for the Cubs.

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