Pujols, Towles collision sparks confrontation (UPDATE)
HOUSTON — While neither side apparently had much to say publicly after the game about Albert Pujols’ slide into home plate that upended catcher J. R. Towles in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game, one person felt the need to address is privately.
Pujols called the Astros’ clubhouse after the game to talk with Towles about the play, the young catcher told a few other reporters and me this evening. Pujols at first declined to discuss the play, but moments after batting practice confirmed that he apologized.
As far as Towles and he are concerned, the collision happened and was over. Move on.
“I already apologized,” Pujols said.
Others must disagree.
As the Cardinals began batting practice, Houston pitcher Brandon Backe yelled at Pujols from the Astros’ side of the diamond. Manager Cecil Cooper had to get between the two players, and teammates ushered Backe from the field. The Astros clubhouse closed immediately after Backe left the field.
“It’s apparent we don’t like each other,” Backe said later, “and that’s OK.”
He also called Pujols’ apology to Towles enough.
“Everything is said and done,” Backe said.
Shortly after things simmered on the Astros side of the field, manager Tony La Russa and Houston catcher Brad Ausmus spoke for awhile. Then Ausmus went up and carried on a lengthy conversation with Pujols at first base. The topic was clear: how much of the plate Towles allowed Pujols to slide to and whether or not Pujols had another route to the plate other than through Towles.
“There was no problem with the slide, and I am surprised that they have this kind of reaction,” La Russa said. ”That’s what I’m saying.”
It’s the same questions asked of La Russa before the game.
In the eighth inning, Pujols scored from first base on Troy Glaus’ double. Pujols’ slide went through Towles’ legs and knocked the catcher down before the ball arrived. That collision came a day after Towles had to go up the line to catch a ball and crashed into Glaus.
“I thought Albert did him a favor by just sliding to his legs out,” La Russa told the media earlier this afternoon. “The kid is not giving anything to slide at, so that’s what we teach to slide and take the legs not (not the body). He’s going to get blasted one of these days.”
In their conversation after the game, Towles said Pujols expressed that he didn’t see any of the plate to slide to. Towles saw it differently. Though he understood why Pujols called.
“I accepted his apology,” Towles said. “I gave him enough of the plate. … I give runners the plate to keep everybody from getting hurt.”
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
From Houston - the radio guys jumped all over this and played a quick tape from an interview with Backe that had to have taken place right after the incident. the radio dude did not mention that Backe had called out to Pujols and Backe implied that Pujols confronted him completely unprovoked. radio guys agreed that Pujols - despite the phone call apology - has no class. Supposedly there was a clubhouse meeting to ‘decide what to do about’ Pujols. Obviously, cooler heads prevailed cuz nothing has happened in his at bats so far tonight. On the local telly down here the anouncers commented that they watched the play several tiems last night and didn’t see anything wrong with it. Callers to the radio station - the usual get a life guys - were happy that Backe stood up for the team and hoped that Pujols would get drilled tonight.
I just love Pujols. First he makes a heads up play, an on the field choice to make sure he gets the run scored. After thinking about it, and maybe seeing some discussion, Pujols decided to discuss the play privately. He showed class on tackling the situation head on. He made a choice in the heat of the moment and some people questioned it. He handled it great.
Backe is a punk.
The most interesting thing is the difference in the stories between Goolds account and MLB.com. MLB portrayed Pujols as completely surly when interviewed, failing to mention that he eventually talked about the phone call. Whats worse is that they approached the story as if Pujols went after Backe with no provocation. They lied by not saying that Backe initially yelled at Pujols, sparking the confrontation. From MLB.com Pujols sparked it. Talke about unbalanced reporting.
We’re lucky to have a such a competitor and a complete class act to boot. Pujols is fantastic!
That WAS a dirty play! As soon as it happened I knew it was dirty. Towles gave him plenty of room to slide in without even touching him, but I rewound and saw over and over Pujols was sliding to the opposite side of the free area of the plate and was aiming for the catcher. Pujols is an idiot if he expects people to believe he didn’t mean to. Especially when he got up and bowed his chest out walking into J.R.. LaRussa has to support Pujols. He might be the only thing in the lineup worth going to the park for.
Pujols is a moron
The MLB.com writer who posted that story is a Houston writer. The mentioned the story on the local broadcast and then showed her sitting at her laptop in the press box. The story was her interview with Backe. She didn’t talk to - or didn’t get an answer - from Pujols. There was nothing about talking to LaRussa or anyone else involved either.
Todd -
“Pujols is a moron”?! Really?
Did you come to this conclusion through your intensive research completed by rewinding and watching your betamax over and over of one, considering the big scheme of things, insignificant play? Or was this non-issue play the topper of a long string of Albert refusing to sign your Topps cards?
You stupid people are so judgmental. Pujols does not deserve to get suspended for a play that was questionable at best. Whether or not the play was dirty is not the problem. Albert thought it looked bad and took the initiative to call and apologize (something that doesn’t happen much in MLB). There clearly is a difference in what the media has reported regarding the incident earlier today. The truth is, many of the reporters probably didn’t pay attention to what was going on until Albert and Backe were in each other’s faces. Suppose Albert did approach Backe. That’s because he already called, apologized, and was forgiven, but Backe felt the need to dwell on the issue simply because he doesn’t like Albert. Backe has nothing to do with the situation and needs to mind his own business. You people give him credit for standing up for his team, but this wasn’t his fight. It was an issue that was handled privately between Pujols and Towles. Albert wouldn’t confront someone for no reason. And shame on you for saying that Pujols deserves to get drilled in the back!! You are a disgrace to baseball fans you dumbass!
Pujols scored without a play to the plate … Towles knew it wasn’t coming in. If Towles didn’t have the ball — and knew the ball wasn’t coming home — he shouldn’t have been over the plate. I played catcher from 3rd grade through Legion ball. Don’t hog the plate if you don’t have the ball. Basic stuff.
Who Cares! It is a non factor. I have seen harder hits in futbol or soccer. Get over it people. Be prepared Houston will do something and then you can complain about that.
Pujol’s HOMERS!!! Did Towles get out of the way for that!?!?!
Scott - what’s with the name calling. Please read carefully before you start your diatribe. You’re attacking the wrong dumbass.
Interesting that you start by saying “You stupid people are so judgmental”. this is a comically flawed statement. It would have been hilarious had it been intended as a joke. Alas, it was not.
Go to bed now. Get some rest. You’ll need it to push that broom tomorrow at work.