Backe, Pujols engage in heated exchange at BP

[KFDM COOP]

Backe, Pujols engage in heated exchange at BP

Bad blood stems from Cardinals slugger's slide into home plate Tuesday

Astros pitcher Brandon Backe and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols exchanged words on the field prior to tonight's game at Minute Maid Park and had to be separated by Astros manager Cecil Cooper.

The incident stemmed from a play in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game when Pujols slid into Astros catcher J.R. Towles at home plate, knocking him down. Pujols called the clubhouse 30 minutes following the Cardinals' 5-3 win and apologized for taking out the catcher.

As the Astros were leaving the field following batting pratice today, Pujols and Backe got into a confrontation.

"All there was to it was I just thought last night wasn't a very good play, and that's all there is to it," Backe said. "It's over with. Everything is said and done. He has apologized to Towles and everything's fine. He just talked to me today acting like I was pressing on about it. I don't understand where he's coming from."

Pujols said the incident is a non-issue.

"I already apologized and it's over with," he said. "He had a problem with me calling over there (to the clubhouse)."

Backe said Pujols approached him as Backe was coming off the field.

"It's apparent we don't like each other, and that's OK," he said. "There's plenty of other people I don't like in this game. It doesn't matter. That's just baseball, that's the way it goes. The competition between he and I just escalated, and it's no big deal. That's what makes if fun."

Towles didn't have a problem with Pujols' slide.

"He apologized to me and I accepted his apology," Towles said.

Cooper didn't want to discuss the incident, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa issued a warning to Towles prior to the incident between Pujols and Backe.

"I thought Albert did a fantastic job sliding to take his legs out," La Russa said. "The kid is not giving anybody room to slide, so that's what we teach. Slide in and take the legs out. He's going to get blasted one of these days."

[Guest astrosfan75956]

im glad Backe is standing up for his teammates! its about time someone on the Astros grew a pair!!!

[bullets13]

I'm with you, but i also agree with La Russa... Towles is setting himself up to get smashed.

[Ruckdad]

I can't stand LaRussa - what he said about Towles is just flat wrong.  Towles was standing out in front of the plate and Pujols slid in front of the plate and got him.  Ridiculous. If any of the other pitchers on the Astros had any balls, besides Backe and Oswalt, Pujols would have had a ball in his ear hole yesterday.

[Ty Cobb]

"The basepaths belonged to me, the runner.  The rules gave me the right.  I always went into a bag full speed, feet first.  I had sharp spikes on my shoes.  If the baseman stood where he had no business to be and got hurt, that was his own fault."--TY COBB

Plain and simple, the slide was legal.  Get out of the way or get spiked!!!

[2throwrundown]

I don't have any problem with the slide, it was a good hard play.  He could have come in shoulder down and flattened him .  It was good to see a catcher not afraid to try and cover the dish to prevent the score, rather than side step and just allow the run to score.  Good play on both sides.  No apology needed

[Ruckdad]

But Towles wasn't blocking the plate, he was standing out in front and it was obvious that he was not making a play.  The take out was unwarranted and unnecessary.  If not, Pujols would not have called Towles after the game and apologized.

[venom33]

I can't stand LaRussa - what he said about Towles is just flat wrong.  Towles was standing out in front of the plate and Pujols slid in front of the plate and got him.  Ridiculous. If any of the other pitchers on the Astros had any balls, besides Backe and Oswalt, Pujols would have had a ball in his ear hole yesterday.

Sooooo let me understand this--- the slide was illegal and never should have been done, inturn though its good,fine and well to throw at someones head and possibly end their career or their life. Your logic is waaaaaaaay off!!!!

After the LEGAL slide happened the Astros commentators said that the catcher should have came to the front of the plate. The baseline always has and always will belong to the runner, period...

[Ruckdad]

If you look at the replay again, Towles wasn't in the baseline, he was in front of the plate.  If the slide was legit, then why did Pujols feel the need to apologize afterward. 

And I wouldn't actually throw at anyone's head, but definitely hit him and let him know that pitchers take care of their position players.

[Guest astrosfan75956]

whoever pitched last night should have plunked Pujols, that would have gotten them some respect among the players.

[bh 2288]

What if Towles would have got hurt then there definately would have been a hit by pitch!!!

[Ruckdad]

What if Towles would have got hurt then there definately would have been a hit by pitch!!!

I doubt it.  That's just not the Astros MO.  Even after Bagwell was hurt two years in a row the exact same way by the same exact same pitcher on the exact same team, there was no retaliation. 

[Interested Observer]

Say what you will about Clemens but he would have hit Pujols.....plain and simple

Probably twice for good measure...

[bullets13]

Say what you will about Clemens but he would have hit Pujols.....plain and simple

Probably twice for good measure...

Roid rage will do that for you.

[Bucof2010]

Say what you will about Clemens but he would have hit Pujols.....plain and simple

Probably twice for good measure...

Roid rage will do that for you.

good 1