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Cubs drop protest of Nationals game

Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Chicago Cubs won't protest their 5-2 loss on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Sunday, according to Jeff Seidel of MLB.com.

"We went through the whole process, and our guys in the office spoke to MLB, and I talked to (chief baseball officer Joe) Torre," Maddon explained. "The whole thing I wanted to get done was to protect (Cubs pitcher) Carl (Edwards Jr.). I really didn't anticipate a whole lot to be done with it, even though I still don't agree with the conclusion."

On Saturday, Maddon took issue with Nationals closer Sean Doolittle's delivery in the 9th inning, arguing with umpires that his apparent double toe-tap was illegal. However, Doolittle wasn't forced to alter his delivery.

"I said, 'If you guys don't clean it up, I'm (going to) protest the game,'" Maddon explained to reporters after the loss, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "It's their rule, it's not mine. I didn't ask for it in the first place."

Toe-taps that were similar to what Doolittle appeared to have used have been considered illegal in the past. Earlier this season, Edwards was told by the league he couldn't use his version of a double toe-tap and was forced to remove it from his delivery.

"They called (what Doolittle did) a graze as opposed to an actual foot being on the ground," Maddon added. "Again, I don't know how that differentiates, I really don't. They're just saying Carl put his whole foot on the ground, and that, somehow, is different."

Following Saturday's game, Doolittle wasn't buying any of what Maddon was complaining about and responded to the Cubs manager.

"In that moment, he's not doing anything other than rattle me," Doolittle said Saturday. "It was kinda tired. Sometimes he has to remind people how smart he is."

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