The Nats Thread (old thread link inside, too many load issues)

[KDawg]

I see what you mean. But I think its different when you intentionally throw at someone and then intentionally throw at someone to hurt them. There didn't seem to be any intent to injure Harper on that pitch. It was just a "hello, welcome to the big leagues" pitch. Harper got the last laugh by stealing home on Hamels. Then when Hamels go up, Zimmerman hit him in the knee. Intentional? I'd say so. But that was the end of it. Hamels saying he did it on purpose was stupid, but like I said, he wasn't trying to hurt Harper.

But again, you're explaining the whole thing to me like I'm against the idea of throwing at someone without intent to injure (which, for the record, could still cause injury). I don't necessarily care much about that. I care more about the fact that he was dumb enough to admit it. Was it intentional? Yes. And anyone with a brain knows that. Was Zimmermann's intentional? Most likely, although the situation at the time supports it could have been accidental, although not likely. Anyone with a brain knows that. Was it necessary to come out and admit to it? Sure, if he felt the need to be truthful. But, that should be handled by the league in some shape or form.

If I were the league I wouldn't want an outbreak of, "Hell yeah I hit him. But I did it in a spot where it wouldn't injure him. But man did I plunk him good!"

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Two things:

1) Throwing at Harper and geating beaned as a result, not a HUGE deal.

2) Admitting you did it on purpose though is kind of an FU to the league. "Yeah, I did it on purpose. Whatever." League won't like that.

[MattFancy]

He's going to be suspended. Admitting you threw at someone intentionally is a dumb thing to do. He'll get suspended for one start.

I honestly don't think he will. I'm not defending Hamels, if he gets suspended, he gets suspended. But I just don't think he does.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

But again, you're explaining the whole thing to me like I'm against the idea of throwing at someone without intent to injure (which, for the record, could still cause injury). I don't necessarily care much about that. I care more about the fact that he was dumb enough to admit it. Was it intentional? Yes. And anyone with a brain knows that. Was Zimmermann's intentional? Most likely, although the situation at the time supports it could have been accidental, although not likely. Anyone with a brain knows that. Was it necessary to come out and admit to it? Sure, if he felt the need to be truthful. But, that should be handled by the league in some shape or form.

If I were the league I wouldn't want an outbreak of, "Hell yeah I hit him. But I did it in a spot where it wouldn't injure him. But man did I plunk him good!"

Exactly. By the rules of the game, he should have been chucked right there for throwing at a player intentionally. Now, baseball will turn its head and let guys police themselves on this issue, so long as the players don't rub it in the league's face and say he got away with something.

---------- Post added May-7th-2012 at 10:10 AM ----------

I honestly don't think he will. I'm not defending Hamels, if he gets suspended, he gets suspended. But I just don't think he does.

Well, time will tell us soon. I will be surprised if he's not suspended for one game.

---------- Post added May-7th-2012 at 10:11 AM ----------

I honestly don't think he will. I'm not defending Hamels, if he gets suspended, he gets suspended. But I just don't think he does.

Well, I'll be surprised if he's not.

One caveat: I think a big fine may do it, but I will be surprised if he doesn't get a game.

[MattFancy]

But again, you're explaining the whole thing to me like I'm against the idea of throwing at someone without intent to injure (which, for the record, could still cause injury). I don't necessarily care much about that. I care more about the fact that he was dumb enough to admit it. Was it intentional? Yes. And anyone with a brain knows that. Was Zimmermann's intentional? Most likely, although the situation at the time supports it could have been accidental, although not likely. Anyone with a brain knows that. Was it necessary to come out and admit to it? Sure, if he felt the need to be truthful. But, that should be handled by the league in some shape or form.

If I were the league I wouldn't want an outbreak of, "Hell yeah I hit him. But I did it in a spot where it wouldn't injure him. But man did I plunk him good!"

I think if a brawl happened because of it, then it would be an easy decision to suspend him. But saying it did it intentionally is whatever to me, unless he would have hit him in the head. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[KDawg]

I think if a brawl happened because of it, then it would be an easy decision to suspend him. But saying it did it intentionally is whatever to me, unless he would have hit him in the head. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Why does a brawl happening matter? A brawl COULD have happened because of either of the hits. One of which was admitted to.

You're being reactive instead of proactive.

[MattFancy]

Why does a brawl happening matter? A brawl COULD have happened because of either of the hits. One of which was admitted to.

You're being reactive instead of proactive.

I just think it that the situation last night was policed by the players. Once Hamels got hit by Zimmermann, the teams were warned and nothing else happened. Sure Hamels admitting to hitting Harper wasn't the smartest thing. But it honestly wasn't that big of a deal. Bryce showed him up by stealing home and making Hamels pay for putting him on base. I don't think she should get suspended. If he does fine, but I just don't think it will happen.

[KDawg]

I just think it that the situation last night was policed by the players. Once Hamels got hit by Zimmermann, the teams were warned and nothing else happened. Sure Hamels admitting to hitting Harper wasn't the smartest thing. But it honestly wasn't that big of a deal. Bryce showed him up by stealing home and making Hamels pay for putting him on base. I don't think she should get suspended. If he does fine, but I just don't think it will happen.

Yup. We're going to have to agree to disagree for sure.

[No Excuses]

Zimmerman and possibly LaRouche return tomorrow so that should help a lot. I hope they keep Lombardozzi in the lineup. Move him to 2B.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Anyway, more important thing is that Werth is out after what was a great series.

One more thing, I think we need to start a "Take THEIR Park" Series in Philly. We go up there May 21-23. **** them. Let's takeover.

---------- Post added May-7th-2012 at 10:27 AM ----------

Zimmerman and possibly LaRouche return tomorrow so that should help a lot. I hope they keep Lombardozzi in the lineup. Move him to 2B.

Totally agree with this. Espinosa is not getting it done. I don't know if maybe he needs to go to AAA and figure some things out.

[hunterx]

Anyway, more important thing is that Werth is out after what was a great series.

One more thing, I think we need to start a "Take THEIR Park" Series in Philly. We go up there May 21-23. **** them. Let's takeover.A bit harder to go up there on a weekday series, I imagine most of the Nats fans are from Northern Virginia or east/southern MD? Would the folks north/west of the beltway tend to remain Orioles fans? I imagine the August 24-26 series to be full of Nats fans in Philly though.

Totally agree with this. Espinosa is not getting it done. I don't know if maybe he needs to go to AAA and figure some things out.

I'd like to see Lombardozzi at 2B. I think we'll find that out tomorrow with Zimmerman returning. I do not want to be in Davey's shoes right now. He has SOOO much to figure out between today and tomorrow night. Lombardozzi at 2B? Espinosa to the bench or AAA--and then who is our backup IF? Who's going to be in RF to cover for Werth? Do we platoon Bernadina-Nady-Tracy? Can Moore play RF?

[stevemcqueen1]

As primarily a basketball and football fan for whom baseball is very much the third sport, I get tired of all the "unwritten rule" bull**** in baseball. Respect for the game, players policing themselves by hitting each other with pitches, don't steal home except in certain situations, say such and such after you get hit, don't bunt and **** up someone's no hitter, (don't always play to win), take it like a man when someone beans you, yadda yadda. Incidents like this kind of lay bear how passive aggressive and archaic the damn game is. It's alienating. The players come off as the second most ignorant jocks in major pro sports behind only European footballers.

And I think a lot of times the baseball world uses romaticism/nostalgia/tradition to try and cover up flaws in the competitive structure of the sport. It's got an air of keeping tradition alive for tradition's sake--the most stagnant and unproductive line of reasoning in sports. If players policing themselves is so necessary to keep order, then the game is flawed.

There's a reason baseball is a distant third in popularity of the major American sports and interest is declining every year.

[skinsfan_1215]

Oh ****, Rizzo going off on Hamels.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...O07T_blog.html

“Players take care of themselves,” Rizzo said after I called him this morning. “I’ve been I’ve never seen a more classes, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball.

“Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going it intimidate us after hitting our 19-year rookie eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

Rizzo said player safety should take precedence and Hamels should miss at least one start.

“With all the bounty [stuff] going on in professional football, the commissioner better act with a purpose on this thing,” Rizzo said. “Players have a way of monitoring themselves. We’re not here to hit people and hurt people.

“He thinks he’s sending a message to us of being a tough guy. He’s sending the polar opposite message. He says he’s being honest, well, I’m being honest. It was a gutless chicken [bleep] [bleeping] act. That was a fake-tough act. No one has ever accused Cole Hamels of being old school.”

The Nationals’ and Phillies’rivalry reached a new, boiling intensity this weekend, but Rizzo said the intentional plunking is a different matter.

“This goes beyond rivalry and all that stuff,” Rizzo said. “This points to, you take the youngest guiy in baseball. He’s never done a thing. And then Hamels patted himself on the back. Harper’s old school. Hitting him on the back, that ain’t old school. That’s [bleeoping] chicken [bleep].”

[StillUnknown]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...O07T_blog.html

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo responded to Cole Hamels’ admission he drilled Bryce Harper on purpose last night in harsh terms, saying MLB should suspend Hamels and calling out Hamels as “fake tough.”

“Players take care of themselves,” Rizzo said after I called him this morning. “I’ve never seen a more classes, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball.

“Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

:

[stevemcqueen1]

Essentially, the history major in me enjoys watching baseball. The sport's fan in me doesn't.