Hamilton not backing down from Reds comment

5/28/2013

CINCINNATI — Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton isn’t backing down from his on-air criticism of Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman for throwing high and inside to Cleveland’s Nick Swisher. And Hamilton predicts there will be retaliation during the intrastate series.

Hamilton said today before the final game of their series in Cincinnati that he didn’t want to rehash his comments. After Chapman threw a fastball near Swisher’s head Monday during Cincinnati’s 4-2 win, Hamilton said on the air that he’d “love to see” Swisher hit a line drive off the pitcher’s “temple.”

Hamilton said it “wasn’t the intent to mean it that way,” but didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

It’s the second time in two years that the Indians and Reds have been embroiled in a controversy over inside pitches.