Leyland got tossed out of a game last night. He’s a no nonsense old school manager who is probably as beloved by Tiger fans as Sparky was.
A few years back an ump gave Magglio Ordonez a shove which is a major no no. Leyland was mad that the ump didn’t get the same suspension any player would get for the same.
A Five-Game Suspension on a starting pitcher is nothing. They pitch every fifth day anyways. He should miss 5 starts which is about 30 games.
A solution in search of a problem?
I don’t recall hearing of anyone being seriously injured from an intentional beanball. A little headhunting in baseball never hurt anyone. Keeps the hitters honest.
SnakeDoc
I wonder if there’s any bounty money involved here.
Hammel, rhymes with, needs to get that arm under control!
It would have been one thing if Harper had come into the league acting like his reputation would imply. But he has been a model first year player: respectful, hard working, not a prima donna, and, by all accounts, a great teammate. The kind of player the league should want. Intentionally hitting him was completely uncalled for, and, as you said, classless.
Hamel sent a message alright. He sent a message that Hamel is stupid (by admitting what he did), a chicken*** (as Rizzo called him), and has no understanding of what old school baseball was about. Harper’s response was classic — stealing home plate on a pickoff attempt at first. Later getting a double to shortstop(!!) was just icing on the cake.
Hamels didn’t throw a beanball.
Hamels got suspended for telling the truth about what goes on in baseball.
Hamels didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, except tell the truth.
Take away the DH and make the damn pitchers bat.......
Have some research think-tank connect the dots between a beaning and a concussion and long-term issues with dementia, and it will quickly become a 75 game suspension.
Nonsense. Veteran pitchers have been hazing rookies and trying to intimidate them since professional baseball began.
It would only have crossed the line if he has tried to hurt Harper.
Harper is the one who handled it well. 19 years old, stealing home on a pitcher who meant to hit your for you first stolen base after going first to third on a single is pretty impressive.
I don’t know why he did it in the first place, it would be one thing if Harper was hot-dogging like he supposedly did at times in the minors. But he hasn’t at all, and I’ve watched every game so far. In fact, his hustle has been just outstanding. I do like that Hammels admitted it kinda, but there should have been a reason to throw at him in the first place and yes, he should miss at least one start. Hamels was also hit in that game, the issue would have been over. I wouldn’t want to get in a snowball fight with the Nats staff this year. Rizzo has been fined for his comments, I believe.
Freegards
Overreact much? The ball hit him in the back, not the head. This kind of crap has been going on for close to the 50 years that I’ve been following the game. Gotta admit, Hamels is the first one that I recall admitting to it though. Not sure how smart that is.
The best responses came from the players themselves. Harper came around and stole home as a result. When Hamels came to bat, the pitcher hit him. Tit for tat. Hamels didn’t whine about it. The players police their own game and move on. That’s the way it should happen.
BTW, for what it’s worth, Hamels obviously was not trying to cripple the guy. Why he did it or whether it was smart is another question. IMHO, the other guy that looks like an idiot is Rizzo. It’s not he first the guy has grandstanded and acted like a clown.
YYYYYYaaaaaaawwwwwwwnnnnnnn!
Hamels hit the kid on the waist. NO WHERE NEAR HIS HEAD.
Harper had no complaints about what happened. Hamels DID BAT later in the game and was HIT BY A PITCH!. He never complained. The big deal is he told the truth where every other pitcher gives the “pitch got away from me” lie.
What a non-story!
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?
“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’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.
I agree with Leyland simply because it is unequal punishment compared to a 5-game suspension to a position player.
Hamels just misses out on the post-game beers with his buddies in the clubhouse for a few days.
Agree, plus, there’s this aspect to the particular offense:
This wasn’t just a little chin-music “message pitch” such as by blooping the ball *behind* the batter. This was a NINETY-M.P.H. FASTBALL aimed right at an opponent.
Cheap pu**y tactics. At least Hamels didn’t lie about it, but he needs to lose five STARTS, not just five “games.”