ST. LOUISIts all good between Shane Victorino and Cliff Lee.
Everything is fine, Victorino said with a laugh before Saturdays game.
Lee and Victorino exchanged heated words in the dugout during Friday nights game against the Cardinals. Lee would not talk about the incident after the game, saying, Its going to stay between us.
Victorino also would not talk about the incident after Friday nights game. On Saturday, his cooler head had prevailed.
Victorino confirmed that the incident stemmed from his losing a ball in the twilight in centerfield in the fourth inning. David Freese hit the ball and it ended up being a triple off the top of the centerfield wall. Later in the inning, rightfielder Hunter Pence lost a ball and it fell in for a single. Pence said the ball and the sky looked the same for abut 10 minutes during twilight.
Lee was clearly frustrated that the balls fell in. Brian Schneider had to step in between him and Victorino in the dugout.
Thats what we talked about, Victorino said. Its the competitive state of the game. You never want to see that. Looking at it from a positive side, it shows we both want to win. Beyond that, its nothing. You move on. I have no hard feelings. Emotions are flying high and sometimes you let it get to you.
MLB
To me, its nothing. Its part of the game. Ive seen it with multiple teams. At the end of the day, were going to go out there as teammates and competitors and go out there and protect each other and win ballgames together.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com