Joe Maddon calls out Cardinals for HBP

The Chicago Cubs are trying to make the playoffs for the first time this decade, so excuse them if they are not taking much guff these days. Chicago is currently sitting in the second wild card spot in the National League, one game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates and six games back in the NL Central to the St. Louis Cardinals.

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On Friday, the Cardinals and Cubs began a three-game series at Wrigley Field and things got out of hand. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning before Chicago starter Dan Haren drilled Matt Holliday. Both benches were warned, only for the Cardinals to once again drill Rizzo.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon was irate with the plunking, calling out the St. Louis organization, per ESPN.

"“I’m really disappointed in what the Cardinals did right there,” Maddon said after the game. “We did not hit their guy on purpose. That was an absolute mistake.“To become this vigilante group that wants to get their own pound of flesh, that’s absolutely insane, ridiculous and wrong. We don’t start stuff, but we will stop stuff.”"

The pitch set off plenty of emotions, but it something reliever Matt Belisle claims was unintentional.

"“I can’t control that,” he said. “Obviously there was a warning [issued after Holliday was hit], but I had to try to pitch in, so what can you do?”"

However, Maddon was not buying that company line, and proceeded to liken the Cardinals to a fictional mob boss made famous on HBO.

"“I don’t know who put out the hit,” he said. “I don’t know if Tony Soprano is in the dugout. I didn’t see him in there. We’re not going to put up with that from them or anyone else.”"

These teams should have plenty of intensity throughout the weekend.