Mets Stroman calls out Nogowski for being a ‘clown’
Nogowski #Nogowski
PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mets starter Marcus Stroman called out Pirates 1B John Nogowski for his role as the benches cleared in a 4-1 Pirates win over the Mets on Friday.
Stroman got Nogowski to line out to first with Bryan Reynolds on third with the score 2-1 in the fifth inning. Stroman jumped in the air in excitement, yelling something. Nogowski, still carrying his bat, took exception to Stroman’s reaction. Yelling a few things at him, catcher James McCann quickly pushed Nogowski back. Benches emptied with Adam Frazier, Bryan Reynolds, Ben Gamel among the front line for the Pirates to get involved.
No punches were thrown, just shoving between the teams as the bullpens emptied, but nothing more came of it.
“Put my head down, literally looking at our dugout,” Stroman explained. “You can look at the video. And he starts running his mouth saying I was talking —-. I’m never one to let any man talk down to me especially when it’s not warranted at all. He’s a clown.”
“Drew Smith told me he’s a clown, he’s a clown. He knows I wasn’t talking any —- to him. I looked right at my dugout, literally put my head down and walked to my dugout. He proceeded to run his mouth.”
“Derek Shelton knows me over there. I’m sure all of his teammates do too. That was completely out of character and unwarranted for him. I will never let anyone talk down on me. I’m not scared of anybody.”
“I’m not too concerned about it,” Nogowski said. “We got the win. It’s been a little while for him, maybe a bit frustrated. I’m not really worried about what he has to say.”
Nogowski went on to say it was two competitive guys out there and it gets a little heated at times.
“Hitters get on first base and do the Macarena when they get a broken-bat single at times and I don’t say anything,” Stroman said. “It’s ridiculous you see plenty of guys showing emotions these days, especially pitchers. I’ve been extremely reserved out there and quiet. If I have any emotion it’s towards our dugout. It’s never at the other team. It’s never at any other players. For him to come and be like that in that situation, I think it’s completely uncalled for. If he has a problem with it, I’m right there. I’m 60’6” away. I fear nobody. You can come out there whenever you want.”
Stroman said the conversation with Nogowski that carried into the next inning with him on the bench was Stroman asking Nogowski why he ran away talking all that —- when he was right there.
“Stroman is just showing his emotions out there like he pitches,” said Mets manager Luis Rojas. “He’s a guy that pitches with emotion. He has fun out there. Somebody doesn’t like it, I don’t understand why. Let him have fun. A lot of people are having fun in this game.”
“Sometimes emotions run high,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “They were having a little bit of a conversation back and forth and it got a little bit heated. Sometimes those things happen.”
It’s the fifth straight meeting between the teams, Pirates winning three of them, with a sixth matchup Saturday night at 7:05p on 93.7 The Fan.
“There has been a ton of emotions,” Shelton said. “We were at their place and their crowd was into it. Tonight, our crowd got into it. A lot of fun because there has been a ton of energy this entire series.”