Cubs officials reportedly 'infuriated' by pitching coach's comments on Eric Thames

Cubs officials were not happy with pitching coach Chris Bosio after his comments on Eric Thames

By Mike Axisa

Apr 30, 2017 at 2:09 pm ET • 1 min read

Two weeks ago Brewers first baseman Eric Thames went on a rampage at Wrigley Field, going 6 for 11 with three doubles and a home run in the three-game series against the Cubs. Thames has been a monster early on.

Thames homered for the fifth straight game in the series opener against the Cubs, and soon after the game Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio came very close to accusing Thames of using performance-enhancing drugs. Here's what Bosio told a local radio show (transcript via Big League Stew):

"Well, the bottom line is [Thames] has hit the ball and we gotta figure out a way to get around [it]. All that other stuff, I'll let other people worry about. But he's doing stuff that I haven't seen done for a long time.
"You start thinking about Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez when he went to the Dodgers, Barry Bonds … You're talking about some of the greatest players to ever play this game. So, yeah, it's probably a 'head-scratcher' because nobody knows who this guy is. And when he was here before, his body has changed. But, like I said, I'll leave that to everyone else and we're just gonna try to worry about how to pitch him better and get him out."

Comparing Thames to Manny and Bonds, two former players with well-known PED connections, and saying "his body has changed" is not the best way to praise one of the hottest players in the league after a month of play. It's almost as if he accused him of doing some shady stuff it without actually saying it.

Cubs officials, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, were "infuriated" with Bosio after those comments. "It's just the wrong thing to do," said one person with the team. Keep in mind the Cubs were in Thames' shoes last year, when Stephen A. Smith accused Jake Arrieta of using PEDs. Bosio should know better.

Thames did not shoot back at Bosio or the Cubs. He took the high road and said he has "plenty of blood and urine" for random drug tests. Thames, by the way, has been tested plenty already this season, including three times in the last 11 days according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel.