JUPITER, Fla. — With Willson Contreras moving from catcher to first base this season, he has been spending more time around teammate Alec Burleson, another slugger on the first base depth chart.
Before the Cardinals took on the Astros in Grapefruit League play on Sunday, Contreras and Burleson carried an apparent arrangement from the back fields of the Jupiter training complex onto the surface of Roger Dean Stadium.
Burleson owes pushups for a missed grounder.
So when Burleson took one off the leather pregame—even though it was a genuine fungo rocket placed perfectly just beyond his reach—Contreras reminded Burly of his debt. At one point, he even got Oliver Marmol involved, lobbying his case to anyone who would listen, earnestly attempting to hold Burleson responsible.
The bemused Cardinal manager played along.
After some spirited debate, Burleson flipped his mitt to the ground and reluctantly paid up in a lighthearted moment for the Redbird infielders.
The rules from the back fields still apply in the stadium. Burly owes Willson pushups for a missed grounder, even one that was admittedly scorched off the fungo several feet to Burly's right.
— Brenden Schaeffer🎳 (@bschaeffer12) February 23, 2025
After much spirited debate, the final ruling: It was off the leather, so it counts. pic.twitter.com/SUAR00tlgF