Nats GM calls Hamels 'gutless'
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Nats GM calls Hamels 'gutless'
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — The blowback from Cole Hamels drilling Bryce Harper on the back has already begun. Count Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo as one who believes the lefthander should be suspended.
Mike Rizzo called out Hamels in comments to The Washington Post on Monday morning. He held nothing back.
"Cole Hamels says he's old school? He's the polar opposite of old school," Rizzo said. "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 he has "never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball."
"This goes beyond rivalry and all that stuff," Rizzo said. "This points to, you take the youngest guy 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 [bleeping] chicken [bleep]."
The Nationals come to Citizens Bank Park in exactly two weeks. That will be fun.
Read Adam Kilgore's full interview with Rizzo.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Hamels is an idiot. Now he'll be suspended for sure, and he deserves it..and I'm a Phillies fan.— Fast Eddy- Sounds like he threatened Cole and is telling him to watch his back every time he faces the Nats. Cole is shaking in his boots. Nats's started all this with keep the Phils out of DC and the team pronouncing they will win the division in May. If nothing else what Cole did will spark the team up. Harper is very good and will be but enough with all the hype already from the media. They get props when and if they win the division. Phils need a little attitude themselves— pattymac3
Comment removed.- I think Cole just wanted to fire up his team. Now we have a war! This will bring a pulse to the team. Perhaps now they will be motivated. Go Phillies!— chase26TJ
- Heard a rumor out of spring training that Harper "dissed" Werth. If true I'm sure Cole decided to remind the kid there are better ways to earn the respect of his peers.— Leocious
- who care what this clown has to say? The Nats won't even be a team in 5 years. Without the Phillies crowd, they'll be out of business. Washington can support anything except hookers and dope dealers.— RH
- To the fool who pointed out that the Nats took 2 of 3 from the Phillies, did you watch the game on Friday night? The Phillies won that game 2 times. It was a travesty. And Hamels hit Harper, then he got hit himself. That is baseball. Stop whining.— bwillie
- MattPSU:
Be careful what you say. He didn't get "beaned" - it was a surgical strike - and a message. Very common in the old days as noted. Sounds like the Nats new-found bravado and egos are a bit fragile. If they start to slide they may welcome some Philly fannies into their stadium to pay the salaries. I live in the Baltimore-DC area and see definitely "fair weather" fans for most sports.— natsdad - hey, the way Harper plays shows people up. Pete Rose the same thing. Play that hard and people don't like it. Harper got back at him by stealing home. Is Zimmerman gutless for throwing a pitch and hitting a person squaring around to bunt? That is gutless and also stupid.— skolman
- I recommend some extra protection for Galvis the next time we play the Nats.— KINGOFZED
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- I say bean him again, I want to see this clown rizzo really blow a gasket...— tim17600
- Gutless??? I think Hamels showed plenty of guts in doing it and admitting it. He should be signed to a contract extension for that act alone.— marckahn
- I don't blame the guy at all for his comments.
And you know we'd be saying the same thing if the cleat was on the other foot.
Hamels had NO reason to do it, and admitting it and risking suspension when your team is in last place was idiotic— VicM - This all but guarentees that Rizzo is gonna offer Cole 10 years-$190 Million in the offseason.— Favorthabold
