Tony Cano
09-30-2003, 02:06 PM
Cubs brush off Lopez's comments
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com WorldSeries.com
Dusty Baker had little reaction to comments made by Braves catcher Javy Lopez about his team. (Kile Ericson/AP)
ATLANTA -- The Chicago Cubs have had their share of verbal battles this year, and faced a new war of words when they arrived at Turner Field on Monday.
The Cubs will play Atlanta in Game 1 of the NL Division Series Tuesday, and Braves catcher Javy Lopez got things rolling with some potentially incendiary comments.
"They have a pretty good team, but you got to think about the fact that they are a team that recruited players from different teams during the season," Lopez said of the Cubs, who benefited from late-season acquisitions like Kenny Lofton, Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon.
"It's not like this team (the Braves) that has been together since day one," Lopez said. "There's no way they can beat us as united as we are. Our chemistry is totally different than theirs. There's no doubt they have a great team. Their pitching speaks for itself. But it's all about teamwork."
When reporters asked Atlanta manager Bobby Cox about Lopez's assertion that "there's no way they can beat us," Cox answered: "I would bet a lot of money he didn't say that, number one."
Lopez didn't say there was no way the Cubs could beat the Braves, despite what some headline writers might have said. He was saying the Braves were united, had good chemistry and there was no way the Cubs, who have added three new starting position players since Opening Day, could have that unity.
The Cubs' reaction?
"I didn't read the article ... but we came here ready to play," Chicago right fielder Sammy Sosa said. "We feel that 100 percent we are competitors. Let's see what happens."
And Cubs' Game 1 starter Kerry Wood?
"I really don't want to comment," Wood said. "I'm through talking. It's time to play."
Cubs manager Dusty Baker, who exchanged his share of barbs with St. Louis skipper Tony La Russa this year and had to deal with some critical verbal banter by Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris, also felt Lopez's quotes might have been taken out of context.
"First, you don't know if Javy said that or if that's how he said it," Baker said. "No. 2, every man can say what they want to say. I'm sure they felt the same way last year when (Baker and the San Francisco Giants) came through here (in the NLDS).
"It doesn't matter," Baker said. "He can say what he wants to. It's up to both sides to determine who was right and who was wrong and who's the best in this five-game series."
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com WorldSeries.com
Dusty Baker had little reaction to comments made by Braves catcher Javy Lopez about his team. (Kile Ericson/AP)
ATLANTA -- The Chicago Cubs have had their share of verbal battles this year, and faced a new war of words when they arrived at Turner Field on Monday.
The Cubs will play Atlanta in Game 1 of the NL Division Series Tuesday, and Braves catcher Javy Lopez got things rolling with some potentially incendiary comments.
"They have a pretty good team, but you got to think about the fact that they are a team that recruited players from different teams during the season," Lopez said of the Cubs, who benefited from late-season acquisitions like Kenny Lofton, Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon.
"It's not like this team (the Braves) that has been together since day one," Lopez said. "There's no way they can beat us as united as we are. Our chemistry is totally different than theirs. There's no doubt they have a great team. Their pitching speaks for itself. But it's all about teamwork."
When reporters asked Atlanta manager Bobby Cox about Lopez's assertion that "there's no way they can beat us," Cox answered: "I would bet a lot of money he didn't say that, number one."
Lopez didn't say there was no way the Cubs could beat the Braves, despite what some headline writers might have said. He was saying the Braves were united, had good chemistry and there was no way the Cubs, who have added three new starting position players since Opening Day, could have that unity.
The Cubs' reaction?
"I didn't read the article ... but we came here ready to play," Chicago right fielder Sammy Sosa said. "We feel that 100 percent we are competitors. Let's see what happens."
And Cubs' Game 1 starter Kerry Wood?
"I really don't want to comment," Wood said. "I'm through talking. It's time to play."
Cubs manager Dusty Baker, who exchanged his share of barbs with St. Louis skipper Tony La Russa this year and had to deal with some critical verbal banter by Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris, also felt Lopez's quotes might have been taken out of context.
"First, you don't know if Javy said that or if that's how he said it," Baker said. "No. 2, every man can say what they want to say. I'm sure they felt the same way last year when (Baker and the San Francisco Giants) came through here (in the NLDS).
"It doesn't matter," Baker said. "He can say what he wants to. It's up to both sides to determine who was right and who was wrong and who's the best in this five-game series."