Bryce Harper Should Have ‘Brought the Bat’ to the Mound, the Junkies say By Chris Lingebach WASHINGTON — Monday was the first time Bryce Harper had faced Hunter Strickland since they met in the 2014 NLDS, during which Harper took Strickland deep twice — in Games 1 and 4 — in two plate appearances.
Their latest encounter came with the Nationals leading the Giants 2-0 in the eighth inning, and there would be only one pitch thrown — a 98-MPH fastball Strickland flung directly into the batter’s box, striking Harper square in the hip.
Harper squared up to shout at Strickland, then launched his helmet as he charged the mound seeking a fistful of revenge
“So Bryce Harper did charge the mound yesterday,” John-Paul Flaim of The Sports Junkies said Tuesday morning. “I just think baseball brawls, and the old baseball rules, are just stupid. I mean this guy, Hunter Strickland, is holding a grudge for three years!”
“I mean, let’s be honest. Yes, there have been brawls forever and they’re never gonna stop,” Jason Bishop said. “But when it’s a guy who is pissed off about a couple of bombs from three years ago? He’s got some issues. …It’s a bigger story when it’s a star in the game, and Bryce obviously is a star.”
“But it’s more than the bombs,” Erick Bickel said. “It was just that Bryce got a little overexcited for his liking, right? I mean, it’s not just the bombs.”
“But that’s what I think is stupid,” Flaim said. “Shouldn’t you be excited when you hit a home run in the playoffs? In the playoffs!”
“I agree. But I’m just saying, if you were to be technical about it, I don’t think he was necessarily upset that he hit two bombs off him,” Bickel said. “I think he was upset about just how excited he got.”
“Well the first one that he hit in Game 1, I didn’t think there was a problem with it at all,” Bishop recalled. “He hit the ball — he crushed it — he ran around the bases and ran to the dugout. Now, maybe the second one in Game 4…”
“A lot of hooting and hollering in there,” Bickel said.
“Yeah, but remember: after the first one, Strickland was staring at Bryce,” Bishop said. “That was all on Strickland.”
“Why you staring? Why you being a jerk? You gave up a big meatball down the middle,” John Auville said. “It’s not Bryce’s fault he hit it 500 feet!”
more at:
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2017/05/30/bryce-harper-should-have-brought-the-bat-to-the-mound-the-junkies-say/