Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon took some heat for a tweet he sent about Jon Lester during the NL Wild Card Game on Tuesday night.
Taillon noted that Lester got a favorable call on his cutter early in the Chicago Cubs’ game against the Colorado Rockies, saying it’s a call Lester always gets.
Death, Taxes, and Lester getting calls on the back door cut piece
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon19) October 3, 2018
Some fans thought that was an example of Taillon showing some saltiness over Lester getting calls others don’t. He tried to clarify himself and say it wasn’t a diss.
Yeeeesh I get it.. I’m watching it on TV not meant to be a diss. He has hit his spots for years with that pitch. One of the best pitches in baseball. Relax
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon19) October 3, 2018
Taillon may have backed off the notion that he was throwing shade at Lester, but it’s not like he was wrong about Lester getting a favorable call. The Cubs southpaw struck out Trevor Story on three pitches in the first inning. MLB’s technology showed that all three pitches were outside, including the first and third, which were backdoor pitches called for strikes.
Credit Chris Guccione with an assist on that Trevor Story strikeout and with ending the 1st inning. Jon Lester was angling for calls early and the home plate umpire gave in (1, 2). #NLWildCard pic.twitter.com/RxCAlJfQNx
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) October 3, 2018
In the fourth, Lester benefited from another generous call from home plate umpire Chris Guccione. Guccione punched out Ian Desmond on a 3-2 backdoor curve that appeared to be outside.
Was this strike 3 from Jon Lester on Ian Desmond? #NLWildCard pic.twitter.com/lNZRFlwSpk
— JamesClarke (@JamesClarkeeeee) October 3, 2018
Shade intended or not, Taillon wasn’t wrong about Lester benefiting from generous calls against the Rockies.
