During the fifth inning of Sunday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, Steve Berthiaume found it hilarious that Willson Contreras was doing his job well. At the end the Cubs got the last laugh and made Berthiaume look like an idiot.
It started with a Paul Goldschmidt single off Shae Simmons. Arizona put in Rey Fuentes to pinch run and after a pitch to Jake Lamb, Contreras fired a strike to second base. Fuentes had taken a step forward, leading off from first base, but retreated back to the bag after the pitch. Contreras didn’t see that and followed through with the throw, as Lamb, a left-handed hitter, blocked his view down the line.
Berthiaume immediately got on Contreras, saying he was just trying to show off his arm. Mark Grace laughed, while Bob Brenly, a former catcher himself, explained how Contreras threw the ball because he saw Fuentes break for second and didn’t see him stop because of Lamb.
A pretty simple play, as Contreras was just doing his job and part of being a catcher is working with the pitcher to keep runners close, so they don’t get a big lead. On the very next pitch, Simmons picked off Fuentes.
Steve Berthiaume though it was funny Willson Contreras was trying to throw out a runner. “Willson showing off his arm.”
Next pitch, Contreras picked off the runner at first. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/KHA9JnsqPP
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) March 4, 2018
Keep laughing Steve.
At first I thought Brenly was jumping on Contreras too, but he had a real breakdown of what happened. However, earlier in the game, the former Cubs announcer couldn’t help but to also poke fun at Contreras for the new mound visit rule.
lol Bob Brenly poking fun at Willson Contreras.
"He spent more time on the mound than some of the relievers out of the Cubs bullpen."— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) March 4, 2018
Brenly’s never shy to criticize players. A few years ago he ranted about Starlin Castro out of no where.
Still some bitterness in Bob’s voice after leaving the Cubs.
