Bryce Harper Megathread

[ChapelHillMatt]

OK, but what about football or boxing? To be consistent, I don't see how you could support either sport (esp. not boxing).

I don't watch boxing and football I don't see players intentionally trying to hurt other players, if they do then I don't agree with it. They definitely encourage it in hockey, nobody is ejected for fighting. They get 5 minutes in a penalty box after the ref has them drop gloves and go at it.

 

[ChapelHillMatt]

Exactly.

But they are rules. They may not be official in the MLB handbook, but they are rules.

Did you see when HanRam the other day took a walk after he got brushed up on the face against the Cubs? He left the bat two inches away from Cubs' catcher, Cubs catcher picked up the bat and slammed it on the ground and broke it.

Don't disrespect the catcher's area, don't disrespect the pitcher's area, don't show up the pitcher, don't steal bases when you're blowing out the other team, Don't step in the box while the pitcher is warming up,

Ah.....running up the score is something else that is a PET PEEVE of mine. The losing team wants you to stop trying. Love that one.

 

[yeezus]

I don't watch boxing and football I don't see players intentionally trying to hurt other players, if they do then I don't agree with it. They definitely encourage it in hockey, nobody is ejected for fighting. They get 5 minutes in a penalty box after the ref has them drop gloves and go at it.

Hitting someone in baseball doesn't mean trying to hurt them.

 

[The Tariff King]

I don't watch boxing and football I don't see players intentionally trying to hurt other players, if they do then I don't agree with it. They definitely encourage it in hockey, nobody is ejected for fighting. They get 5 minutes in a penalty box after the ref has them drop gloves and go at it.

They may not look like they're trying to intentionally hurt a player, but if a safety or linebacker is running up at a RB or WR and goes in shoulder first full power to try and force a fumble and he's incidentally injured the guy, is that not the same? Football players to their credit do a better job at hiding the fact they're trying to hurt someone, because almost every tackle can be just as malicious as the next and its' accepted. When the Saints had a bounty on Favre, they were getting "hard-nosed" clean hits, but it wasn't exactly OBVIOUS that they were trying to injure him.

 

[ChapelHillMatt]

Hitting someone in baseball doesn't mean trying to hurt them.

You are doing something that's not within the rules. If you tackle someone in football and they get hurt then that's part of the game. If someone gets hit in baseball because you are trying to pitch inside then that's part of the game. If you intentionally throw at someone and aren't trying to get them out then that is wrong.

 

[ChapelHillMatt]

They may not look like they're trying to intentionally hurt a player, but if a safety or linebacker is running up at a RB or WR and goes in shoulder first full power to try and force a fumble and he's incidentally injured the guy, is that not the same? Football players to their credit do a better job at hiding the fact they're trying to hurt someone, because almost every tackle can be just as malicious as the next and its' accepted. When the Saints had a bounty on Favre, they were getting "hard-nosed" clean hits, but it wasn't exactly OBVIOUS that they were trying to injure him.

Football is a contact sport. As long as you are playing the game then I have no problem with it. My problem is intentionally trying to injure someone or using your thinking "sending a message"

 

[Braves1976]

I don't watch boxing and football I don't see players intentionally trying to hurt other players, if they do then I don't agree with it. They definitely encourage it in hockey, nobody is ejected for fighting. They get 5 minutes in a penalty box after the ref has them drop gloves and go at it.

I don't think Teheran was intentionally trying to hurt (injure) anyone, though I do believe that he meant to hit Harper.

 

[diamondsyd]

Football is a contact sport. As long as you are playing the game then I have no problem with it. My problem is intentionally trying to injure someone or using your thinking "sending a message"

Football is not a contact sport. Football is a collision sport. Boxing, MMA, etc... are contact sports.

Also, throwing at someone is not trying to hurt someone. If he through at his head, then I agree completely. You throw at their butt because of padding and it is tougher to get out of the way. Its baseball, always has been.

 

[The Tariff King]

Ah.....running up the score is something else that is a PET PEEVE of mine. The losing team wants you to stop trying. Love that one.

It's not that.

It appears your definition of professionalism has a gray area and margin for error.

If you're winning 9-0 in the 7th inning, and stealing bases it's like you're trying to win the game when you pretty much already have the game in hand. Never kick a man when he's down, and if you're beating a team by that margin of a score, why try to make it worse? If they want to throw fastballs over the plate and you hit homeruns that's one thing, but stealing bases is a strategic move to try and win a close game.

Professionalism and sportsmanship go hand in hand. Showmanship/showing off is not part of professionalism. Want to know why many people respected our team and Bobby Cox in the 90's? We played the game the right way, no major personality problems except Rocker who we eventually got rid of because of his problems.

Harper's showmanship after that homerun was proving he lacks sportsmanship. Julio set him straight. Harper not only disrespected Julio, he disrespects the game, which many players find sacred. Strasburg running off the mound prematurely 4 times yesterday was terrible showmanship towards the umpire. You always hear the phrase "He plays the game the right way", that's code for "he understands how to play, and he also understands the rules and unwritten rules, what to do and what not to do."

 

[57Brave]

Couple/3 things -- 1) the ball hurts 2) pay proper respect to the man throwing the ball 3) a bean ball is a ball thrown at the batters head and is intended to cause injury. Harper was hit in the ass

Haven't heard too much talk on Harper losing a 3-1 count to Kimbrell 2 outs ninth inning of a one run game

 

[The Tariff King]

You are doing something that's not within the rules. If you tackle someone in football and they get hurt then that's part of the game. If someone gets hit in baseball because you are trying to pitch inside then that's part of the game. If you intentionally throw at someone and aren't trying to get them out then that is wrong.

This goes back to my example how you can separate the two.

If Ray Lewis is going to tackle Wes Welker at full force to force a fumble, he's not going to try and strip it. If he can measure him directly head on, you best believe he's going to try and inflict as much damage as he can to force the fumble. Incidentally, it may also cause a concussion or serious injury. That's part of the game right?

Guys get HBP all the time incidentally and unintentionally. When the other team hits back it's a message that "hey, our pitcher isn't crappy enough to hit your guy accidentally, here you go"

Julio can throw the ball wherever he pleases. Do you remember all the players that stand over the plate literally and get HBP or get some chin music to back off the plate from the pitcher? Those are unwritten rules, but they're also part of the game and have been for generations.

 

[57Brave]

I don't think Teheran was intentionally trying to hurt anyone, though I do believe that he meant to hit Harper.

If he meant to hurt him the pitch would have been in his ear. Big-Big difference

 

[ChapelHillMatt]

It's not that.

It appears your definition of professionalism has a gray area and margin for error.

If you're winning 9-0 in the 7th inning, and stealing bases it's like you're trying to win the game when you pretty much already have the game in hand. Never kick a man when he's down, and if you're beating a team by that margin of a score, why try to make it worse? If they want to throw fastballs over the plate and you hit homeruns that's one thing, but stealing bases is a strategic move to try and win a close game.

Professionalism and sportsmanship go hand in hand. Showmanship/showing off is not part of professionalism. Want to know why many people respected our team and Bobby Cox in the 90's? We played the game the right way, no major personality problems except Rocker who we eventually got rid of because of his problems.

Harper's showmanship after that homerun was proving he lacks sportsmanship. Julio set him straight. Harper not only disrespected Julio, he disrespects the game, which many players find sacred. Strasburg running off the mound prematurely 4 times yesterday was terrible showmanship towards the umpire. You always hear the phrase "He plays the game the right way", that's code for "he understands how to play, and he also understands the rules and unwritten rules, what to do and what not to do."

I'm not the one who brought up professionalism, 50PoundHead did. I was responding to the double standard everyone on the board has regarding this issue. I don't care if a player is professional or not. It doesn't mean anything. If you are a big believer in it though then you shouldn't support retaliation in any shape or form.

If you are up 9-0 in the 7th inning you keep playing. No lead is safe, what if you end up losing 10-9 because you stopped trying to score? Play hard all 9 innings regardless of the score. Besides, I doubt the losing team is going to stop trying to come back. I'm sure they are going to be aggressive on the basepath's

 

[The Tariff King]

Smoltz, Maddux, Glavine would've all done the same. Pedro sure as hell wouldn't hesitate, nor would Schilling or Johnson. These are some of the greatest pitchers in history, and they also happen to be guys that played the game the right way and respected the game. The fact that they also play by the unwritten rules is why they have deep respect amongst their peers.

 

[The Tariff King]

I'm not the one who brought up professionalism, 50PoundHead did. I was responding to the double standard everyone on the board has regarding this issue. I don't care if a player is professional or not. It doesn't mean anything. If you are a big believer in it though then you shouldn't support retaliation in any shape or form.

If you are up 9-0 in the 7th inning you keep playing. No lead is safe, what if you end up losing 10-9 because you stopped trying to score? Play hard all 9 innings regardless of the score. Besides, I doubt the losing team is going to stop trying to come back. I'm sure they are going to be aggressive on the basepath's

In baseball, retaliation has and always will be professionalism.

 

[ChapelHillMatt]

In baseball, retaliation has and always will be professionalism.

lol....makes no sense.

I'm done, we'll just agree to disagree.

 

[57Brave]

Ok I get to act the old guy again.

When I first strated watching MLB it was considered un professional to stand and jaw at the pitcher after getting hit. If you had a beef with the pitcher you went out and fought him. If as a pitcher you couldn't defend yourself well, you didnt throw inside. Frank Howard was 6' Large and weighed over 250. I dont think anyone ever threw at him. And if he did get hit, it was understood it was an accident

Drysdale was 6'5" and was notorious for throwing inner half. I don't recall anyone (Drysdale hit Aaron over 20 times!!!) EVER going to the mound. And, if they stood and jawed well, they got "visited" the next time

the nature of sport is intimidation --- going back to the Greeks. An old story goes Early Wynn was being asked about hitting players and someone asked if he'd throw at his own Mom. Wynn replied "if she crowds the plate, yeah"

 

[57Brave]

I feel comfortable if Nats hit JUpton he would have taken his base without making a scene.

 

[Braves1976]

Ok I get to act the old guy again.

When I first strated watching MLB it was considered un professional to stand and jaw at the pitcher after getting hit. If you had a beef with the pitcher you went out and fought him. If as a pitcher you couldn't defend yourself well, you didnt throw inside. Frank Howard was 6' Large and weighed over 250. I dont think anyone ever threw at him. And if he did get hit, it was understood it was an accident

Drysdale was 6'5" and was notorious for throwing inner half. I don't recall anyone (Drysdale hit Aaron over 20 times!!!) EVER going to the mound. And, if they stood and jawed well, they got "visited" the next time

the nature of sport is intimidation --- going back to the Greeks. An old story goes Early Wynn was being asked about hitting players and someone asked if he'd throw at his own Mom. Wynn replied "if she crowds the plate, yeah"

That reminds me of Ty Cobb who viewed baseball as something like a war.

 

[wheresmykayak]

It's my hope that in tonight's game, whenever Justin (or McCann, or whomever) gets hit by a pitch, they take their base, and hopefully score.

And after the game, when they get asked about it, they just say something like "Oh, it's part of the game. What am I going to do, whine about it?"

It'd be nice to show up Harper that way, I think.