D-backs' Torey Lovullo says he called Cubs' Craig Counsell to apologize, admit 'we were wrong' in sign-stealing tiff

· Yahoo Sports

Things got heated Monday night between the Diamondbacks and Cubs when Chicago third-base coach Quintin Berry was accused of relaying Arizona starter Merrill Kelly’s pitches to his batters.

It turns out that Berry wasn’t doing anything illegal. And on Monday, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that he called Cubs manager Craig Counsell to apologize and admit that he and his team were wrong for causing a ruckus over the situation.

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Lovullo told reporters about the apology on Tuesday prior to Game 2 of the series in Phoenix. He said that he spoke with MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill, who informed him that Berry was, indeed, acting within the rules by picking up on and relaying Kelly’s pitches to Cubs batters from the confines of the third-base coach’s box.

“I talked to the league,” Lovullo said. … “I thought it was supposed to be kept between the white lines. I spoke to Mike Hill today, it was a fantastic conversation.

“He gave me the fastest version that the third-base coach and first-base coach can do whatever they want as along as they are inside the dimensions of the base-coaching box. So, I stand corrected and had a chance to call [Counsell] and apologize to him and told him that we were wrong, and they were doing everything right.”

So here’s what happened. Kelly stepped off the mound in the third inning, apparently having realized that Berry was relaying his pitches. A shouting match between the two dugouts ensued, featuring Arizona bench coach Jeff Banister and Chicago bench coach Ryan Flaherty exchanging choice words.

Lovullo got involved and appeared to accuse the Cubs of “bending the rules,” indicating that he may or may not have been aware that what Berry was doing was actually legal.

Jomboy Media provided the courtesy of some NSFW lip-reading and captioning of the exchange below. You’ve been warned.

Kelly’s night was done after 99 pitches in 5 2/3 innings that resulted in 3 earned runs off of 5 hits and 3 walks. He spent much of the rest of his night perched against the dugout railing in shouting distance of Berry.

More words were exchanged. The Cubs piled on, and a bad night for the Diamondbacks ended in a 7-0 loss.

After the game, Kelly told reporters that he believed that Kelly “had something” on his changeup. He also said he understands that sign-stealing is a part of baseball, but thinks the practice should be limited to players on the field.

“Stealing signs is as old as baseball,” Kelly told reporters after the game, per the New York Post. “I think it’s a little bulls*** when it comes from a coach.

“I think If it’s a guy on second base and they see the grip in your glove or if the hitters can see something you’re doing with your glove, I think that’s fair game. I think guys have been doing that since the beginning of baseball. I think it’s a little bush league when it comes from outside that.”

So Kelly also appears to have been aware that coaches are allowed to pick up on and relay pitches from their boxes. He just considered Kelly doing so on his watch “bush league.”

To his credit, Kelly also acknowledged that he was culpable in the situation.

“That being said, I’ve got to take a look at what I’m doing because clearly he had something, and obviously if he has it then other people will probably pick up on it as well,” Kelly said, per the New York Post. “I gotta figure out and do better on my part to not give it away.

“Yeah, I think it should stay between the players.”

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