Verlander upset with 'overaggressive' baserunning, celebration from Anderson
The Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox, two teams on opposite ends of the competitive spectrum, had a few players get into a war of words on Friday.
Justin Verlander, who earned his third win of the season with a two-hit shutout, was displeased with Tim Anderson's antics after the young shortstop broke up Verlander's no-hit bid in the fifth inning.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
"He was a little overaggressive and I let him know it," Verlander said after the game, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. "I took offense to it."
With the White Sox trailing 5-0, Anderson - who can be seen clapping his hands after the hit - tried to steal on Verlander's 3-0 offering, which ended up being the fourth ball. The right-hander had some choice words for Anderson at second, and Verlander actually ended up picking the shortstop off in his attempt to steal third.
Anderson then yelled expletives toward the pitcher upon the conclusion of the inning.
"He steals on 3-0 in a 5-0 game, that's probably not great baseball," Verlander said. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, I don't know. But he celebrated that, though. And it's like, 'Hey, I'm not worried about you right now. It's 5-0, I'm giving a high leg kick, I know you can steal. If I don't want you to steal, I'll be a little bit more aware of you. But I'm trying to get this guy out at the plate.'"
"Stealing third in a 5-0 game with two guys on in an inning where I was clearly struggling - I walked a guy on four pitches and went 1-0 to the next guy - and I pick you off on an inside move after the way he had kind of been jubilant about some other things, I was just as jubilant about that," Verlander said.
For his part, Anderson said he's not concerned with Verlander's opinion.
"I could care less," Anderson said. "I'm out just playing and having fun. If he took it to heart, so what?"
The second contest of the three-game series will be played on Saturday. Verlander will have another opportunity to face Anderson and the White Sox when the teams play a four-game set starting July 5.