Cole Hamels suspended 5 games for purposely drilling Bryce Harper

PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels earned a five-game suspension for the way he welcomed Bryce Harper to the big leagues.

The 2008 World Series MVP was suspended for intentionally throwing at the Washington rookie in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 9-3 win over the Nationals on Sunday night.

Major League Baseball announced the penalty Monday. Hamels also was fined.

Hamels wasn’t available to reporters before the Phillies opened a three-game series against the New York Mets. But he already admitted that he deliberately threw at Harper.

“I was trying to hit him,” the two-time All-Star lefty said Sunday night. “I’m not going to deny it. I’m not trying to injure the guy. They’re probably not going to like me for it, but I’m not going to say I wasn’t trying to do it. I think they understood the message, and they threw it right back. That’s the way, and I respect it.”

Hamels began serving his suspension Monday night. With Cliff Lee expected to come off the disabled list and start Wednesday, coupled with Thursday’s day off, Hamels really won’t miss a turn in the rotation.

Roy Halladay will likely pitch on regular rest Saturday and Hamels would then start Sunday against the San Diego Padres.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was disappointed the incident occurred.

“Obviously that’s not what we’re about,” Amaro said. “We’re not about trying to injure people. Things that happen in the game happen in the game. Those are parts of the game. But as far as how the Phillies want to conduct themselves, we try to take the high road on things. By no means are we condoning this. We fully support what the commissioner’s office has decided to do.”

Hamels plunked Harper in the small of the back with a fastball in the first inning. He said the purpose pitch was his old-school way of welcoming the 19-year-old Nationals phenom to the big leagues.

“That’s something I grew up watching, that’s kind of what happened. So I’m just trying to continue the old baseball because I think some people are kind of getting away from it,” Hamels said. “I remember when I was a rookie the strike zone was really, really small and you didn’t say anything because that’s the way baseball is.

“But I think unfortunately the league’s protecting certain players and making it not that old-school, prestigious way of baseball,” Hamels added.

Harper got the last word, though. When Hamels made a pickoff to first, Harper stole home for the first swipe of his eight-game big league career.

In the third inning, Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann hit Hamels in the left leg with one out and a runner on first when the Phillies pitcher squared to bunt. Home plate umpire Andy Fletcher warned both dugouts.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told The Washington Post that Hamels hitting Harper with a pitch was “classless” and “gutless.”

According to the newspaper’s website, Rizzo also said: “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-old rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he wished Hamels wouldn’t have been so forthcoming with his comments.

“He could have been a little more discreet or less honest,” Manuel said. “The way I look at it, baseball is going to take care of it between the two teams on the field. To me, that’s the issue. When they hit Cole, it set it even. At the same time, the best way to handle the Nationals is to beat them on the field.”

As for Rizzo’s reaction, Manuel brushed it off.

“I think that if we beat them on the field, that will take care of our business and that takes care of it,” Manuel said. “When they hit Hamels, that takes care of it and we’re back on even ground. There was no warning or nothing. They had a chance to get even. That even made it a wash. What Rizzo says is no concerns to me.”

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Cole Hamels Expedites Rivalry Between Phillies and Nationals: Fan's View

You can't say you didn't see this coming. With tensions boiling over for the Philadelphia Phillies on a Sunday night in Washington, D.C., the tensions appeared to turn into some real bad blood. Two days later, we are still trying to sort out what happened at Nationals Park on Sunday night, but one thing is clear: folks, we have ourselves a rivalry.

We probably had it already when the Nationals and Phillies traded barbs in spring training, but it is now a rivalry in full swing, with apparent real hatred between the two ball clubs. And even though things probably started back in February or March with the teams playing out a verbal war from Viera, Florida all the way to Clearwater, it took until an early May showdown for tempers to flare and a rivalry to kick into another gear.

In the first inning of Sunday's game, Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels deliberately drilled Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch. Harper jogged down to first, and eventually found his way to home plate by stealing home later in the first inning, giving Washington a 1-0 lead. Harper got the last laugh in the first inning, but now the question becomes: who will get the last laugh in 2012?

Hamels was in defense mode on Monday, but did admit to hitting Harper on purpose. Welcome to the Major Leagues, kid. What was the unexpected part of the aftermath of the Phillies' 9-3 victory Sunday night was the response from Washington GM Mike Rizzo, who called Hamels' hitting of Harper "gutless" and "classless", and said Hamels was trying to do too much by being "fake-tough."

Hamels indeed was suspended Monday by Major League Baseball. The five game suspension seemed to be something that Hamels, and likely all of baseball knew was coming, but for Phillies fans, it was a refreshing take on things after a long weekend in D.C. The Nationals won the first two games of the series, albeit with some help from a very poor (and very undermanned) umpiring crew in Friday night's contest. Hamels knew he had to stand up for his teammates and his city, and he did just that by going after Harper. It was old-school baseball, something that Rizzo does not seem to understand.

Hamels' admittance of hitting Harper was probably unexpected, but at the very least, he played by an old creed: honesty is the best policy.

"I was trying to hit him," the two-time All-Star lefty said Sunday night. "I'm not going to deny it. I'm not trying to injure the guy. They're probably not going to like me for it, but I'm not going to say I wasn't trying to do it. I think they understood the message, and they threw it right back. That's the way, and I respect it."

Hamels seems to understand the situation, but Rizzo does not. Even Harper had very little to say after the game, which speaks volumes about the 19-year-old's character. Instead, it was his general manager who seemed to come to his defense in a time when he didn't even need it. Hamels was hit later in the game by Jordan Zimmermann, but heaven forbid anybody mention that Zimmermann threw at Hamels on purpose. It sure seemed that Rizzo wouldn't have anything to say about it. The two teams handled the situation where it should be handled: on the field.

Hamels, a 2008 World Series MVP, does not seem to have the respect of Rizzo, who seems to also have no idea what baseball is about. Take the on-field policing out of the game and let things run amok, I suppose. Rizzo backed his 19-year-old, fresh to the game and to the world of Major League Baseball. It didn't really seem like he needed it.

Hamels had more teammates come to his aid Monday, with Jonathan Papelbon and Chad Qualls backing up the Phillies' left-hander. Qualls ended up getting in a spat with former teammate Morgan Ensberg over Twitter, but did call it a type of friendly fire situation later on in the day.

This, my friends, is baseball. Mike Rizzo did not treat it as such, and therefore made a story out of nothing. The Nationals ended up having a successful weekend at home whatever way you want to slice it. They won two out of three from the Phillies, and have established themselves as a presence in the National League East. Harper, in the early going, has made enough of an impression that Rizzo had to come out and defend him like a Little League dad even though he didn't seem to need that kind of support. When Hamels hit Harper, it wasn't really a shock, it was baseball. Zimmermann took care of his business later on by hitting Hamels, and the two teams moved on.

Where these two teams will be in October is anybody's guess. But we know where they stand in early May. The Nationals, at 18-10, are in first in National League East. After a disappointing 5-2 loss to the New York Mets on Monday night, the Phillies are now 14-16, in last place, and five games back. It's still early, but one thing is clear: there shall be bad blood between the Phillies and Nationals. Let the games begin.

Sources: ESPN.com, MLB.com

Victor Filoromo is a born and bred Philadelphia sports fan, and has been through the best and worst of Philadelphia sports. He is a regular contributor to the Yahoo! Contributor Network 's NHL, MLB, and NBA coverage.

Will Cole Hamels be suspended?

WASHINGTON — He had already said enough, but this, he would not admit. When, exactly, did Cole Hamels decide he would fire a fastball at Bryce Harper's back?
"I'm not going to tell you that one," Hamels said. He laughed. "Sorry."
The lanky lefthander said he was not responding to the Nationals having asserted themselves with two straight victories to begin this hyped weekend series. That, he said, would have required a lot more work.
"If I was getting back for our side I think I'd have to drill quite a few people because you're in their home ballpark," Hamels said. "It's just, 'Welcome to the big leagues.'"
He had alluded to hitting Harper on purpose, but not completely. But Hamels allowed only one run Sunday and it was Harper, who stole home after being plunked. He was pristine for the rest of the night, another clip on the ever-extending file as he prepares for a mega payday in free agency.
Then, finally, when asked what his intent specifically was with the 93-m.p.h. fastball so accurately placed,Hamels decided he would send another message. He could face punishment for it.
"I was trying to hit him," Hamels said. "I'm not going to deny it. That's just — you know what, it's something that I grew up watching, that's what happened, so I'm just trying to continue the old baseball. I think some people kind of get away from it. I remember when I was a rookie, the strike zone was really really small and you didn't say anything just because that's the way baseball is. Sometimes the league is protecting certain players and making it not that old-school, prestigious way of baseball."
Hamels made it clear he was not attempting to injure Harper. "I think they understood the message and they threw it right back," Hamels said. Nationals righthander Jordan Zimmermann later denied to Washington reporters he had struck Hamels intentionally with a pitch in the third. He, too, could be suspended.
"I mean, he was bunting and I'm going to take an out when I can get an out," Zimmermann said. "I was trying to go away and just cut a fastball really, really bad and unfortunately hit him in the knee."
That's when warnings were formally issued to each bench. There were no ejections. But Hamels stands to be suspended because he tacitly admitted to hitting another player. Major League Baseball tends to frown upon such actions — even when the player steadfastly denies his intentions.
There are few recent instances when a pitcher admits to throwing at a player. The lone example from the past five years is when Chicago's Bobby Jenks said he was throwing behind Texas' Ian Kinsler in 2009.
"I meant to," Jenks said then. "To send a message. Basically I was saying, 'I'm sick of seeing our guys get hit and hurt and almost get taken out of the game.' I threw it with intention."
The pitcher was fined $750 and not suspended, which surprised him at the time.
In 2008, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended two games for saying he had ordered pitchers to intentionally hit batters.
Charlie Manuel was not as brash as Hamels.
"It looked to me like he was trying to come up and in on him and he hit him," Manuel said. "That's what I saw."
His pitcher said much, much more. The Nationals certainly noticed. It's likely the commissioner's office will too.

---

Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.

POSTED BY MATT GELB @ 9:42 AM  PERMALINK | 31 COMMENTS