Photo from Google Images
Well, there comes a time in every man’s life where he has his first fight. For Bryce Harper and Hunter Strickland I’m pretty sure that day came on Monday for the both of them.
Strickland beamed Harper with a fastball in the hip and Harper charged the mound. My first reaction was trying to figure out if Harper was throwing his helmet at Strickland or if Harper was throwing the helmet on the ground? Like most of the attempted punches between Harper and Strickland, he missed his target. However, his facial expression said he meant business when charging at the mound.
My next reaction was man, Harper really dose have great hair. He should have his own shampoo commercial or something for all of that shine and volume. Maybe Strickland was jealous of Harper’s straight mane because he missed his curly locks.
My third reaction was watching San Francisco catcher, Buster Posey, just watch it all happen. He let Harper charge his pitcher. He could have pulled the come from behind grab and restrained Harper, but he just stood behind home plate until the benches cleared. Maybe Posey knew this was going to be a clown fight with a lot of swinging and pushing until someone falls. His own teammates were running into each other. I do feel a little bad for former Nationals and now current Giants infielder Michael Morse. Poor guy was trying to come in between Harper and Strickland and collided into his own teammate, Jeff Samardzija. Morse was placed on the seven-day concussion list on Tuesday.
Pitchers intentionally hit batters for a number of unwritten rules in baseball. It is just part of the game. Nationals manager, Dusty Baker said “I know he (Harper) took him deep in the playoffs a couple of times. (Strickland) probably took exception to that. Baseball is a game where you don’t forget and you can hold grudges for a long, long time.’’
Those grudges are part of the fabric that makes baseball so rich in tradition. Personally, I love a good bench clearing! It shows passion and it shows that the game doesn’t allow you to get away with being an asshole. It’s a reminder that karma exists. Most of these bench clearings end with minor injuries. But they always end with bruised egos and game suspensions. Unless you are Jose Bautista, then you end up getting one punch and it knocks you out for the rest of the fight.
Bryce Harper will be suspended three games and fined an undisclosed amount and Hunter Strickland will be suspended six games and fined an undisclosed amount. The real question is, has the beef between Harper and Strickland been settled? We will find out with one more game in the series left to play and then the Giants come to Washington in August.