Yesterday was an annoying baseball day. The Cubs lost to the Cardinals after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning. They were one run short of tying the game in the ninth, because the BABIP gods were apparently a little annoyed at Nico Hoerner and Phil Maton keeps throwing in relatively close games for #reasons. Shōta Imanaga decided to keep pace with Jameson Taillon on the home run front, surrendering two of his own today. Including a long fly ball to former Cub Nelson Velázquez in his first MLB
at bat since 2024 and you know what? Good for Nelson [VIDEO]:
But the loss was maybe the least annoying Cubs adjacent thing Friday because we also learned that Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe would be suspended a game after a… shall we say, colorful, celebration in the direction of the Cardinals dugout:
I really went back and forth on whether I should show that celebration. Ultimately, I decided I should not. It’s easily searchable, most of you have probably already seen it. I don’t have a huge problem with it, but I know enough people do that I am not going to thrust that onto people without warning. In fact, it’s very similar to an editorial decision I made on this very site last week when I opted not to share video of the incident between Pete Crow-Armstrong and a White Sox fan in the outfield at the recent Crosstown Classic. As I said at the time:
The video of the exchange is uncomfortable viewing and it seemed like an ill-advised engagement with a fan from my vantage point. The full picture matters here: a female White Sox fan began booing Crow-Armstrong and yelling “you suck” when he was just feet away after he missed a potential highlight-reel catch, and PCA responded with a profane and frankly crude verbal comeback that he acknowledged immediately was indefensible in terms of word choice. Crow-Armstrong apologized Monday for his language, saying he didn’t think “any of the women in my life would think I would say those kinds of words regularly” and adding that he was bothered by the idea of young kids seeing the exchange on social media. That’s a start, but honestly, it’s pretty clear he does use those words to at least some women who aren’t in his life, and that’s a double standard that is more than a little troubling.
In that piece, I noted that the line between what PCA did towards the fan wasn’t that far away from other fan interactions that have resulted in suspensions. I also shared, cautiously, that I thought MLB had probably gotten it right. What PCA did was distasteful and indefensible, but a fine rather than a suspension seemed appropriate, although reasonable people clearly may disagree. In the poll attached to that earlier article, the vote was split about 50/50 between suspension and not for PCA.
I’m just not sure how whatever governing body that made the decision to fine PCA looked at what Uribe did towards another team (not the fans) and finds that to be worthy of a suspension rather than a fine. If anything, Uribe’s gesture, while crude, seems squarely within behavior that is also actively being celebrated in the game when the Giants outfield does it.
I’m sure there is some explanation forthcoming, but honestly, even the potential explanations feel a big cringy as I consider them. For example, it was widely reported that Brewers manager Pat Murphy was visibly annoyed with Uribe and called the situation unacceptable. That’s a different public-facing reaction than what Cubs manager Craig Counsell said regarding PCA.
I’m sure some fans will read this and groan internally. I’ll be honest, I wish we weren’t talking about this even anymore too. But I also think it’s important to call out decisions that seem unfair on their face, even when my favorite team got the better end of the deal.
Regardless of any explanation that might be forthcoming, the discrepancy in punishment here is honestly not a great look for a league that presumably would like the punishments they mete out to players appear to be equitable, measured and fair.
