ESPN, Sunday Night Baseball, prime time for the 19-year-old Bryce Harper. The nation tuned in yesterday to see the defending National League East Champion Philadelphia Phillies face off against the first place Washington Nationals with their new "Natitude". The stage was set for a classic matchup in the first inning when Harper stepped to the plate to face the veteran left hander Cole Hamels. With Harper crowding the plate, the first offering was a 93 mph fastball that was, admitted later by Hamels himself, aimed for the ribcage of the Nationals phenom. Harper brushed it off then proceeded to be a "pain" for the Phillies on the basepaths. First, he advanced all the way to third on a Jayson Werth single to left, then he followed that by recording his first stolen base of his young career by swiping home when Cole Hamels threw over to first keeping Werth close. A couple of innings later the Washington pitcher returned the favor, and hit Cole Hamels in the ankle with the first pitch forcing the home plate umpire to warn both dugouts. The Phillies went on to win the ballgame 9-3, but the rivalry was bumped up a notch as a result of what took place early in the game.
After the game Hamels admitted to hitting Harper on purpose stating, "oh yeah, that's baseball". Hamels hit their guy, then two innings later he gets hit. That's the way that the game is meant to be played at the highest level. There were no bench-clearing brawls, and no glaring looks back at the pitcher, both players just took their base and went on playing the game. Bryce Harper went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a run scored, and Hamels pitched 8 brilliant innings to record his fourth win of the season. The game was a classic example of two throwback players competing at the highest level with the same intensity displayed by the players of baseball's past. Harper responded to Hamels by stating: "He's a great pitcher and a great guy."
Hamels admitting that he hit Harper on purpose prompted the Nationals General Manager, Mike Rizzo, to call him "fake tough", and wants a suspension for the "classless and gutless" act. Maybe Mr. Rizzo was asleep or getting another hot dog in the bottom of the first because that would explain his comments. Didn't he witness Harper getting hit in the back and not in the head? Didn't he witness Harper racing from first to third on a single to left then scoring the first run of the game by stealing home? Hamels pointed out in his postgame interview that it was just a 'Welcome to the big leagues' message. Bryce Harper understands that it is part of the game, so why does a GM watching the game from his luxury box have such a problem with it?
Cole Hamels will probably receive an unfair suspension for his postgame comments, but it has definitely sparked a rivalry that the Commissioners Office will never admit to being a good thing for the game. Yesterday's incident might have even lit the fire that the Phillies have been searching for since the 2012 season started. A pitcher throwing inside, and brushing back a hitter is as much a part of the game as a hard slide to break up a double play. Pitchers such as Early Wynn, Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, and Sal Maglie had great careers pitching inside to hitters, and it is unfair to the pitchers today not to be able to do the same. Sal Maglie, nicknamed "The Barber", and not because he cut hair in the off-season once said: "When I'm pitching, I figure that plate is mine, and I don't like anybody getting too close to it."
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