Cole Hamels Followed in the Tradition of Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale & Sandy Koufax

Cole Hamels continued the old baseball tradition by deliberately throwing at Bryce Harper. When Hamels watched baseball as a youngster, pitchers routinely initiated rookies to the big leagues by throwing at them.

“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,” the Philadelphia Phillies left-hander said to the Associated Press.

When asked directly if he had thrown at Harper, Hamels didn’t pull any punches. “I was trying to hit him. I’m not going to deny it.”

It is amazing that in 2012, a pitcher still thinks that a rookie, especially a much-heralded one, must be welcomed by being thrown at. What is more unbelievable is that a pitcher would admit it.

Players have never been less loyal to the franchise for which they play or friendlier to the opposition than they are today. Management and players have always been adversaries and almost all players have been loyal to their teammates.

The difference today is that free agency and fantastically lucrative contracts have forced players to realize that today’s opponent could be next season’s teammate.  Few players want to injure an opponent and cost him millions of dollars.

Hamels might have gone a little too far. Perhaps when he watched games as a youngster, he misunderstood most pitchers’ concept of how to treat rookies. Maybe he didn’t.

Bob Gibson’s attitude was not too different from Hamels’. After Gibson hit John Milner the first time he faced the powerful left-handed power hitter, Hank Aaron asked Gibson why he hit him.

“I heard he could hit,” responded Gibson.

Hamels is on target when he states that “old baseball” is gone, but it’s been gone for a while.

A few years ago, Red Schoendienst made a comment about Gibson that will soon be tested by Hamels’ actions.

“He couldn’t pitch today because they wouldn’t let him. The way he’d throw inside, he’d be kicked out of the game in the first inning, along with guys like Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.”

Veteran pitchers have always thrown at rookies, but the question—which will always remain unanswered—is how many of the pitchers actually wanted to hit the rookies?

The brushback pitch has always been part of the game. It will always be part of the game. But there is a tremendous difference between brushing back a rookie and trying to hit him.

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