Cubs scuffle in dugout vs. Brewers

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MARYVALE, Ariz. -- Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade will hold a team meeting in the wake of a dugout confrontation Wednesday between pitcher Carlos Silva and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

“

I've never had that problem in my life, even during the regular season. Nowhere, I've never gotten involved with a teammate like that. That's in the past, then you move on.

” -- Aramis Ramirez

Quade, who will hold the meeting on Thursday, also said there would be no discipline handed down from him.

"You've got two pissed-off people," Quade said after the 12-5 loss to the Brewers. "It was a brutal first inning with plenty of blame to go around, and people get frustrated. Maybe that's what we freaking need. Maybe we need to get pissed off.

"I mean it's Day 4 of spring training. I got no business getting all fired up on four days of work. But it's getting to the point where that was really tough to watch.

"We need to have a conversation tomorrow," Quade said. "Not just about [the fight and the errors] but just getting ourselves back to playing baseball."

Silva did not want to talk to the media, according to a Cubs spokesperson.

"I've never had that problem in my life, even during the regular season," Ramirez said. "Nowhere, I've never gotten involved with a teammate like that.

"That's in the past, then you move on."

In the first inning, Ramirez made one of three Cubs errors and Silva gave up two home runs as the Brewers grabbed a 6-1 lead. It was after the inning when the scuffle ensued.

"It was in the heat of the moment," Ramirez said. "I guarantee you after you shower and sit down, you realize you made a mistake.

"And that shouldn't happen, because we're going to be together for a long time in here. We should work it out."

Silva is vying for a spot in the starting rotation. He has maintained that based on his performance early last season that he already has proved he should be a starter. Quade has not named a fourth or fifth starter at this point.

"He wants to do good," Ramirez said. "It matters to him. It might not matter to [starters Matt] Garza or [Ryan] Dempster, they have their spots secured.

"But [Silva] has to do good to make the rotation. And obviously he didn't do it today."

Quade said Silva, "just needs to go out and pitch, get his innings in and pitch well."

Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano said the Cubs have enough pressure without controversy.

"They have to talk," Soriano said. "If they talk, everything will be normal. We are all on the same team. We have to do what's best for everybody."

The Cubs made headlines last season when Carlos Zambrano confronted Derrek Lee in the dugout on June 25 during a loss in U.S. Cellular Field. Zambrano was suspended and had to undergo anger management classes.

"[Silva] and Aramis have a lot of years in the big leagues, so I hope when they talk they put this thing behind them," Soriano said. "We have a lot of pressure in Chicago with the fans and the media, so we don't need that on the team."

Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

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Bruce Levine | email

Chicago baseball beat reporter

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Bruce Levine has covered sports in Chicago for over 28 years and hosts "Talkin' Baseball," heard Saturday mornings on ESPN 1000.