Posted on 05/09/2012 9:53:05 AM PDT by TBP
Headhunting is not a "beanball" and is very dangerous. Beaning someone in the thigh is extremely different then going at their head.
I don’t understand. He got suspended for hitting him in the lower back?
Guys do this every day. Is baseball now going to suspend the pitcher every time they plonk a guy?
So deliberately hitting a player for no reason is A-OK as long as he doesn’t get hit in the head? You can injure guys by hitting them.
BTW, after the benches were warned, considering teh Nats weren’t hitting Hamels, I would have loved to have seen one or two of them really crowd the plate and dare him to throw inside.
“Unprovoked” is probably not true.
Bryce is notorious for instigating and tash talking... He probably got some payback for things he’s said and done in the past. No agreeing with it, but I really doubt this was “unprovoked” just the press and general public doesn’t know what was done to provoke it and when.
OK...now I understand...he got suspended for telling the truth.
I don’t know why he was fined or not, but yeah it seems stupid when Hamels isn’t even going to miss one start. I sort of wish Rizzo wouldn’t have said anything, but I can see why he did. He wanted to send a message that hey, we are good for the first time since the first half-season in DC, we aren’t backing down. But I would hate for one of the key young guys to get a broken hand, or duck down into something if it continues in the other series for the season.
If I was Hunter Pence I would would be having a long talk with Hamels, I think. I think his next few at bats against the Nats with no one on will be pretty toe-curling for him.
I would much rather have a rivalry based on record and proximity, not this type of thing.
Freegards
Hamels threw what appeared to be an off-speed pitch that hit him in the middle of the back. If he had truly been head hunting he’d have thrown high & tight — then claimed that the pitch “got away”.
IMO, Hamels was sending a message without intent to injure. I think a stiff fine; no suspension.
This isn’t in a league with Roger Clemmens chucking a bat back at the hitter. THAT was intent.
No, that’s the Phillies’ party line, but that is not the reason he was suspended.
The Nats should start HRod next time they play the Phillies. A 101 mph fastball. Plus, he can really get away with the lie that it got away from him. Of course, if he tried to hit someone, he would probably throw a strike, instead.
But I am sure you are right, and a lot of his teammates are not happy with what he did.
It was clocked at 94mph. If that was off-speed, I would hate to see his heater.
Rizzo’s tirade on the Hamels subject may, in the league’s view, have been threatening an escalation. Imagine Strassberg, Cliff Lee & Halladay suddenly going after eachother’s hitters?
Besides, Rizzo’s comments that he hadn’t seen anything so bad in “his 30 years in baseball” shows he doesn’t pay much attention. Just plain stupid. I understand he was upset to see his young star plunked. I get that.
I’ve been a rabid Phillies fan since the days of Gene Mauch and Richie Allen smacking em over the Coca Cola sign up at 22nd and Lehigh. I have mixed feelings about this. Cole Hamels is a top lefthander whose control is good enough to not hit someone in the head. Still, hitting someone in the body can cause injury, and even a good pitcher can be wild. Also, when the Nationals pitcher drilled Hamels, was there not a possibility of injury? Now, this has been a part of the game since day one. Gibson, Drysdale and Marichal were known to throw at hitters, but it was accepted then. Players from the 60s also didn’t bat wearing body armor. Still, I don’t like the idea of intentionally trying to hit someone with a pitch. Also, when Ray Chapman was killed by Carl Mays and Zimmer got beaned, players wore their caps when batting.
He’ll throw his curve in the dirt so far from the plate it will bounce up and get the batter right in the chin. I think he gets nerves away from nats park.
Freegards
Really? I stand corrected then. Any 94 mph pitch can injure.
Seemed like the pitch had a bit of movement on it. Like he took something off it. I'll look at the tape again.
If he tried to hit someone with a curveball, standing in the batter’s box would probably be the safest place in the park.
You can hear it crack when it hits Harper’s back, when I saw it I thought it must have hit his tail bone, especially when he stretches right after.
Freegards
I might half-way agree you have a point if we’re only talking about the National League, where Pitchers are Hitters. But this is about Detroit, an AL team.
When he is on with that thing it is something to watch, though. From 100 to 80 makes people look silly, as long as it isn’t boucing ten feet from home.
Freegards
You’re being too literal.
“Headhunting” doesn’t mean hitting people in the head any more than “beanball” does (”bean” refers to the head). Both refer to hitting a batter with a pitch. Only difference is “headhunting” is intentional, and a “beanball” can be intentional or accidental.
Both terms have changed from their literal meaning. Corporate “headhunters” don’t actually bring the heads of recruits, either.
SnakeDoc
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.