‘He’s an idiot,’ Bochy says of Phillies’ closer
One day after Giants catcher Buster Posey went out of character with comments about Philadelphia closer Hector Neris, manager Bruce Bochy did the same.
“I’ll say it,” Bochy said Monday. “He’s an idiot.”
Neris drilled Posey in the back with a first-pitch fastball in Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Phillies, and Posey afterward accused Neris of drilling him on purpose and suggested, “I guess he didn’t feel like he could get me out.”
Neris plunked Posey with two outs and runners on first and second in the eighth inning, loading the bases, then struck out Pablo Sandoval.
“Well, it wasn’t just a little bit inside. (He’s) the same guy,” said Bochy, whose criticism of Neris stems from a June 4 game in Philadelphia in which Neris had a beef with then-Giants infielder Ed- uardo Nuñez during a ninthinning at-bat.
Thinking Neris was taking too much time between pitches, Nuñez called time. After Nuñez struck out swinging, Neris took several steps his way and made a kissing gesture.
“He showed it in Philadelphia when he was having words with Nuñez,” Bochy said. “I think that caused the radar to be up a little bit on what happened (Sunday), and it wasn’t a glancing blow. It was at his ribs, the back side of his ribs. No, I’m not surprised (with Posey’s reaction). I would be upset, too.”
Neris said Sunday there was “no chance” he purposely hit Posey. Bochy said the incident is “behind us now.”
Posey was out of the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Brewers, which had been arranged for a couple of days. Bochy said Posey was feeling “general soreness.” Briefly: Bochy said second baseman Joe Panik, on the concussion disabled list, could join Triple-A Sacramento as soon as Tuesday . ... Right-hander Johnny Cueto was scratched from his rehab game Monday with an illness, and his assignment was pushed back a day . ... The Giants released outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from Sacramento and promoted Steven Duggar, a possible center fielder of the future, from Class A San Jose to Sacramento.