Cole Hamels And Mike Rizzo, Who's Wrong?

AP Photo

I can completely understand when Nationals GM
Mike Rizzo decided to call Philadelphia Phillies
pitcher Cole Hamels "Fake Tough", it's a term that
can be applied to many a pro athlete "tough guy",
and even though I have no opinion on Cole Hamels
regarding that matter, I do disagree with the rest
of Rizzo's opinion on Cole Hamels deciding to hit
Nationals young star phenom Bryce Harper.

Rizzo was outraged that Hamels decided to throw at
the Nationals prize, and then admitted to it when
asked about it. This was Rizzo's reaction: "I've
never seen a more classless, gutless chicken *$%@
act in my 30 years in baseball", "It was a gutless
chicken *$%@ *$%@*$%@ act. That was a fake-tough
act. No one has ever accused Cole Hamels of being
old school." Now some of this may be true, BUT
I do disagree that this wasn't old school, it
most certainly was. Not only was it old school,
I also agree with Hamels when he said that "some
people (pitchers) have moved away from it (the
brushback pitch)" He hit a player, a star player,
and he not only admitted it, but also admitted
the he was NOT trying to injure him. He is RIGHT,
pitchers have moved away from it, and not only
should he have done it, but it should be done more
often. DON'T head hunt, DON'T intend to injure,
and if your gonna do it, then make sure that you
can ensure the first two DON'T happen.

Rizzo is clearly over reacting, trying to defend
his player, and without a doubt is the owner of
a very short temper. If it had been one of his
pitchers doing it to a Phillies star player I'm
sure that he would have either waxed poetic about
how his team is trying to compete and establish
themselves or how traditional it is or he would
have kept silent, but either way, he wouldn't be
calling any of his own pitchers chicken $%$@*

Think I'm wrong, and defending the wrong guy?
Well consider this, if someone had brushed back
Josh Hamilton the other night in Baltimore when
he had 4 HR's & a double, do you think he still
would have had the same type of night? I don't
think so, and if Cole Hamels had done that to
Josh Hamilton, I can assure you that an old
school guy like Buck Showalter would have been
proud of his pitcher, but I'm sure that like
Charlie Manual, he wishes Cole woulda kept his
mouth shut about it, probably Hamels only error.
Sorry Mike Rizzo, you're WRONG.

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