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Cubs' Maddon wants criticism of Contreras to end: 'It's over the top'

Jon Durr / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After grandstanding what wound up being a double over the weekend, Willson Contreras admitted he was "embarrassed." However, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon thinks the criticism has gone too far.

"Willson always plays hard," Maddon said prior to Monday evening's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "For anyone to say otherwise, please, come talk to me. It's inappropriate. It's incorrect. That's wrong. He had a bad moment, but he said he was sorry and did the right thing."

"There's way too much made of it," the skipper continued. "Way too much. It's over the top. It's not necessary. Whoever is perpetuating it is wrong. He made a mistake and said he was wrong. I'm totally against this dialogue. It's insane. It needs to go away."

During Sunday afternoon's game against the Cincinnati Reds, Contreras dropped his bat and admired his shot while sauntering out of the batter's box. Half way up the first-base line, Contreras realized the ball wasn't going to leave the yard, and began sprinting.

"Horrible. I didn't like that (at) all," Maddon originally said, further admitting that "the whole team didn't like (it)."

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