Kicking and Screaming: That White Sox-Rays series gets intense

After striking out Juan Uribe with one out and the bases loaded, Rays reliever Grant Balfour appeared to yell on the mound in excitement and make a get-out-of-there gesture toward Uribe. The next batter, Orlando Cabrera, took exception to that, and during his at-bat, he kicked dirt in Balfour’s direction — to challenge him. Balfour fanned Cabrera, then clearly yelled in his direction and made gestures pointing Cabrera back to the dugout. Meanwhile, there was a shouting match going on at first base, where Pierzynski had been stranded. It looked like first baseman Willy Aybar and Pierzynski were trading words, but it was interim first-base coach Omer Munoz, who allegedly told Rays catcher Dioner Navarro to take your pitcher back into the dugout.

They said he always gets pumped up like that. He said the F-word to the hitter every time he swings at his pitch. I didn’t know that. I was just pumped up.’