Bryce Harper vs. Cole Hamels: What to Expect After Controversial Beanball

Just 17 days after Cole Hamels tried to make a statement by hitting Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch, they will be reunited on Wednesday night as the Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals. 

Hamels said after he plunked Harper that he was doing it to “continue the old baseball” that he grew up watching. 

Now that a little time has passed, it is time to look ahead to what Hamels, Harper and the other 48 players on the field and in the dugout will have in store for each other tonight. 

 

Hamels vs. Harper

While there will likely be a lot made about Harper’s first appearance in the batter’s box tonight against the Phillies lefty, don’t expect too many fireworks unless a breaking ball gets away from Hamels or Harper crushes a pitch 450 feet. 

Everything that happened in that Sunday night game is in the past. Harper didn’t have any issue with it, and it’s not like he suffered an injury, besides maybe a little bruise on his back. 

It is a fun story to talk about, but this is not the matchup that you need to be paying attention to when the first pitch is thrown. 

 

Edwin Jackson vs. the Phillies’ Lineup

Here is where you might see something brewing. Jackson has never been the best control pitcher in baseball, though that hasn’t been the case this year. In 51.2 innings pitched, Jackson has walked just 10 batters. 

If Jackson decides that he wants to get some semblance of revenge for Hamels hitting one of his teammates, don’t be surprised if it happens in the first or second inning against one of the Phillies’ best hitters. 

Names that immediately come to mind for Jackson to plunk are Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz. 

Victorino is likely going to be hitting third, so he will be the first of the three Phillies players to bat. He could get a fastball somewhat close to his body right away. 

 

Aftermath

Once the first two innings are over, I would say we will have our answer about what, if anything, the Nationals and Jackson are looking to do. I don’t want to see either team do anything, because it would just come off as childish. Hamels plunking Harper was idiotic, and trying to get “revenge” would be even more so. 

But on the off-chance something does go down, I imagine that the umpire will warn both benches, and that will be the end of it. These two teams have strong personalities in the dugout, led by managers Charlie Manuel and Davey Johnson. They aren’t going to do anything that will jeopardize the outcome of the game, which is really all that matters. 

 

Final Predictions For Hamels and Harper

Hamels: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 K, 1 BB (W)

Harper: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, SB

Phillies win, 4-2

For more analysis on the Battle of the Century and other great mysteries of baseball, be sure to check me out on Twitter. 

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