Merrill Kelly Calls 'Bulls--t' on Cubs 3B Coach for Potentially Stealing Signs in D-Backs Loss

After suffering a 7-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly feels they had an unfair advantage.

Kelly, who gave up three earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched, had a confrontation on the field with Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry, whom he accused of stealing signs and relaying them to Chicago's hitters.

"Stealing signs is as old as baseball. I think it's a little bulls--t when it comes from a coach," Kelly told reporters after the game. "I think if it's a guy on second base and they see the grip in your glove, or if the hitters can see something that you're doing with your glove, I think that's fair game. I think guys have been doing that since the beginning of baseball. I think it's a little bush league when it comes from outside that. I think inside the lines is one thing, I think the guys standing outside the lines, I think it's a little bush league."

While Kelly acknowledged that coaches sometimes get in on the sign-stealing strategy, he said Berry's actions on Monday were "the most egregious I've seen from coaches."

Kelly is now 8-12 with a career-worst 5.35 ERA, giving up a combined 15 runs over his last three starts. The 37-year-old veteran admitted that he needs to adjust going forward so the Diamondbacks can avoid being at a disadvantage again.

"That being said, I gotta take a look at what I'm doing, because clearly he had something. And obviously, if he has it, then other people will probably pick up on it as well," Kelly said. "So I gotta do better on my part to not give it away. But yeah, I think it should stay between the players."