Photo: AP Images - Richard Lipski
- Troy Ballard
Cole, Cole, Cole -- what are you thinking, buddy?
Almost every baseball fan on the face of the planet has heard the news that Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels intentionally hit Washington Nationals rookie sensation Bryce Harper with a pitch.
It was up in the air as to whether or not it was an intentional move after it happened (you can watch it here), but Hamels cleared up any doubt following the game, dropping this gem to reporters, "I was trying to hit him. I'm not going to deny it. In other words it's just, 'Welcome to the big leagues.'"
Harper, who easily could have bashed Hamels, decided to take the high road, and when asked about it after the game plainly said, "Hamels threw a great game tonight."
Philadelphia would go onto win the game 9-3 to avoid a sweep by the Nats', but that was hardly even noticeable with the large cloud hanging over the Hamels and Harper situation.
Deliberate. Intentional. With malice (perhaps). And no question, the most unintelligent thing Hamels has ever done and said in his career. What's the realistic fallout from his intentional shot at Harper?
The first and most obvious thing is that Hamels will be handed a nice and neat suspension from Bud Selig. There are few times in baseball, unlike football and basketball, where suspensions are handed out for disciplinary reasons -- but this is going to be one of them.
If Hamels would have just deflected comments and said that it was a mistake after the game, he likely would have been scott-free, other than the Washington fanbase being sour about it. But his comments clarified that that hitting Harper was indeed his goal, and that puts him almost directly in line to be suspended.
Along with the suspension, the Nationals and Phillies are going to be playing each other tough for the rest of this year. It already started after Hamels hit Harper, as later on in the game Ryan Zimmerman beamed Hamels in the shin when he was up to bat.
Over the past few years this rivalry really hasn't been much of a rivalry at all with the Phillies dominating almost every series, but expect that to change. Hamels has set the tone, and Washington is playing for more than just pride now. There may be a few more cheap-shots here and there, and expect Washington and Philadelphia to be really rough around the edges.
Hamels has put the Phillies in a bad spot when the team is already struggling immensely this season. These sort of outbursts make for serious friction in the locker room, and with Philadelphia already in last place in the NL East, this couldn't have come at a worse time.
Hitting Harper was an incredibly cheap and low-blow by Hamels, and his maturity is very much in question now. Philadelphia has been a relatively up-and-up team over the past few seasons, and this is really surprising coming from a player who is on a Charlie Manuel ball club.
Even though Hamels technically won this battle, it's a good bet to say that Harper may be getting the best of the deal in round two.
