Tampa Ba y Rays manager Joe Maddon smiles in the dugout against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field. The Rays defeated the Tigers 3-1.(Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

  • Joe Maddon had no problem expressing displeasure with Cabrera
  • "I just wish he wouldn't cry so much," Maddon said
  • The whole incident started Saturday night in the 10th inning

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - When it came to the much-discussed pair of up-and-in pitches, the managers staked out opposite positions on each of them, and Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon expressed displeasure with reigning American League Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.

"This guy is outstanding, he's wonderful," Maddon said Sunday, after the Rays took a key series from the Tigers with a 3-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

"I just wish he wouldn't cry so much."

TEMPERS FLARE: Feud escalates as Rays beat Tigers

The back story that led to Maddon's beef unfolded Saturday night. After Tampa Bay's Fernando Rodney threw a 10th-inning pitch near the head of Cabrera, Tigers manager Jim Leyland didn't accuse Rodney of throwing at Cabrera.

But he did say, "To throw up there in that area is not acceptable. Somebody pays a price for that throughout baseball. That's the way baseball is. There's no free lunch."

Maddon, the Rays' skipper, said "there was no ill intent going on out there," but Rodney's pitch prompted Cabrera to gesture toward the Rays dugout and direct a few choice comments there.

On Sunday, Tigers starter Rick Porcello hit Rays' No. 3 hitter Ben Zobrist on the wrist in the first inning as Zobrist threw up his arm to block the pitch from hitting him in the upper body.

Maddon told reporte rs that Porcello undoubtedly hit Zobrist on purpose. "I thought it was absolutely uncalled for, and hopefully the league will take a look at that," Maddon said.

Leyland said of the Porcello-Zobrist moment: "It's part of baseball - guys get hit in baseball games. That's all part of the game. Nobody is trying to hit anybody." Porcello said the ball "got away from me."

Home-plate umpire Vic Carapazza issued a formal warning to both teams as soon as Zobrist was hit. No other batters were hit in the game.

Lowe writes for the Detroit Free Press, a Gannett property