As Cubs reliever Pedro Strop exited Friday night's game against the Cardinals -- an eventual 3-2 loss for Chicago -- after allowing one run in 1/3 of an inning and spotting just six of 18 pitches for strikes, he pointed to the sky in what's a pretty familiar gesture among ballplayers. MLB Network broadcaster Bob Costas had this to say:

"Strop is on his way out, pointing toward the heavens. We can only ask, or wonder, that he is asking some departed relative for forgiveness for this atrocious performance." 

MediaiteNews has video of the relevant portion of the broadcast.  

It's a gesture that Strop makes pretty much every time he walks off the mound, and it's not celebratory or anything like that. Here's an image from last season against the Brewers:

 

(Image: USATSI)

On Saturday, Costas told the New York Daily News that he would apologize to Strop. From the Daily News piece: 

Costas said his producer, Chris Pfeiffer, notified him late Friday night that the comments had come across “a bit more harshly” than he had intended. Costas immediately retrieved the tape from the game and re-watched the segment in his hotel room.

“I winced,” Costas told the News.

Costas called Peter Chase, the Cubs’ assistant director of media relations, Saturday morning to request a meeting with Strop on Sunday to apologize. Chase agreed to set it up.

Strop has indeed had control problems this season, but he's also struck out 37 batters in 33 1/3 innings and pitched to an ERA of 2.97. 

Bob Costas says he owes Pedro Stop an apology for his remarks during a recent broadcast. (USATSI)
Bob Costas says he owes Pedro Stop an apology for his remarks during a recent broadcast. (USATSI)