Cole Hamels Deserves Ovation for Taking Down Bryce Harper

I'm not quite sure when we all turned into a quivering bunch of wusses, but the world is overreacting to Cole Hamels' plunking of Bryce Harper.

Curt Schilling and others got on their high horses as the headlines questioned a southpaw ace that would dare take umbrage at a brash rookie who plays like Pete Rose and rocks a mullet.

Cole Hamels stared down rookie Bryce Harper in Sunday night's Phillies vs. Nationals game. That is when he drilled Harper in the middle of the back, awakening the nation to an age-old practice of pitchers kindly asking batters to take a seat.

He stated in plain words that we can all understand that he meant to hit Harper, via ESPN:

"

I was trying to hit him. I'm not going to deny it. ... 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. ... It's just, "Welcome to the big leagues."

"

His nonchalant way of delivering news of his intentions is fitting considering how little there is to care about this action.

Don Drysdale would have a good laugh at how this story is being covered, because nearly every pitcher not named Chad Billingsley has found a reason to take down a batter. It could be as egregious as stealing signs or as benign as not liking the way he showed him up the at-bat prior.

There is no book of baseball laws that signals what is right or wrong, merely that the practice is accepted. And it really should be going forward.

There is a code that we all fail to recognize as we sit back and crush beers while watching games unfold. There is a game within that game, and it will never end.

Take the classic case of Robin Ventura charging the mound against Nolan Ryan—something that was mandated due to the rivalry that had been taking place between the two teams at the time. Ventura had nothing against Ryan, and you can tell as much as he pauses before rushing out to take on the legend. Yet he did as he promised and charged the mound after being hit. Tit met tat in a scene that is as old as chewing tobacco and pine tar.

The two men have no ill will towards one another, because they understand baseball and what is sometimes mandated of its players.

Former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling was on with Colin Cowherd on Monday, and he demonized Hamels. Funny, because Schilling threw at many guys through his career.

"You throw at guys for specific things," Schilling said.

So, according to Schilling, the throwing was without merit. I don't see it that way, because Harper didn't see it that way.

While we are all ready to rush to Harper's side and check on his boo-boo, the Nationals star proved that he is more than capable of handling the situation in his own way: by taking his bag and then later stealing home.

Swagger.

Harper did comment on the action after the game. Say what you will about the confident young slugger, but he gets this game. He models his talents after Pete Rose, a player who might have stated the same words when asked about being plunked.

"Hamels threw a great game tonight," Harper said.

There is nothing else to say, because Harper evened the score in his own way: by stealing home in the same inning he was drilled. Baseball isn't about being fair, and there is no reason to clean up a sport that is a perfect mess.

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