Cole Hamels suspended 5 games for throwing at Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Philles / Getty Images

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels has been suspended five games for intentionally throwing at Washington rookie Bryce Harper.

Major League Baseball announced the penalty Monday. Hamels also was fined.

Washington Nationals' batter Bryce Harper is hit by the pitch thrown by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels during the first inning of their baseball game at Nationals Park, Sunday, May 6, 2012, in Washington. Harper later scored by stealing home from third base.

/ AP Photo/Richard Lipski

Hamels plunked Harper in the small of the back with a fastball in the first inning Sunday night. The Phillies won 9-3 and Hamels admitted that he deliberately threw at Harper.

Hamels said the purpose pitch was his old-school way of welcoming the 19-year-old Nationals phenom to the big leagues.

Cole Hamels: I hit Bryce Harper on purpose

"That's something I grew up watching, that's kind of what happened," Hamels said. "So I'm just trying to continue the old baseball because I think some people are kind of getting away from it. I remember when I was a rookie the strike zone was really, really small and you didn't say anything because that's the way baseball is."

Harper brushed off Hamels' comments on the purpose pitch, according to Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore:

Told Hamels admitted plunking him, Harper laughed. "He's a great guy, great pitcher, knows how to pitch. He's an all-star. It's all good."

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 7, 2012

But in an interview with the Post on Monday, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo called Hamels "gutless" and "fake tough."

"I've never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball," Rizzo said.

Unless appealed, Hamels was scheduled to begin serving his suspension Monday night when the Phillies hosted the New York Mets.

[Paul_I]

Hamels displays an arrogance that, left unchecked, will infect the whole game of baseball. We await stories now of Little League pitchers sending a message to the younger and smaller first-year players so the pitchers can "be like Hamels." With no sincere remorse on Hamels part, he deserves induction into the Baseball Hall of Shame.

[sandiegopete]

Hamels admits he intentionally threw at the batter. That is assault and battery. The mere fact that a person is engaged in a sporting activity does not shield him from criminal prosecution. Had the throw been an accident then it would be considered an assumed risk. Being hit by an intentionally thrown pitch is not an assumed risk.

[419andlost]

Giving a pitcher a 5 game suspension is such a joke.... MLB, Hamels is laughing at you and your suspension, and you know it, but still you don't do anything.

[baileycccc]

Is this sport still on Television?

[nostalgicgeek]

"Beanballs" are aimed at the head. Get a headline writer who wasn't introduced to the game of baseball yesterday!

[mcneighborly]

Not condoning the dummy Hamels for hitting Jr. in the butt, or even more stupidly, admitting it; but I don't see Zimmerman as being the brave guy for aiming at Hamel's knee and getting suspended, I mean not getting suspended for it. How can Rizzo get on Hamel's case when Zimmerman did the same thing, or does he also think that Zimmerman is a classless chicken xxxx as well?. Oh wait, is retaliation supposed to be more brave? Pitchers plunking hitters to me is just plain idiotic.

[KnowerseekerReturns]

Hamels sounds like a bitter ****** keeping the vicious cycle alive.