Kind of odd that we've made it two games into a Phillies-Nationals series with next-to-no talk on Cole Hamels-on-Bryce Harper crime. (And candidness at the microphone about it.)

So much for that...

"If Hamels hits anyone -- especially if he hits Bryce Harper again -- five game suspension is probably gonna be about a 15-game. (The MLB league office) can't allow that to happen."

Nor can Hamels. Because while it might've been tactfully defiant and delightfully flippant to do it, and cop to it (both of which I've steadfastly maintained weren't just an accidental slip of the grip and tongue), the first time, the curtain's closed on those shenanigans.

Act II wouldn't just be detrimental to the team. It'd be outright stupid. At least if the Phillies are center stage. But, as Kruk mentions, it would make a ton of sense for the Nationals to go all Steven Segal on what would be (in the hypothetical Kruk's about to draft for you in a second) the Phillies taking back the momentum with a big, blow-their-doors-off win to stave off the series sweep (which was, not coincidentally, exactly the last time, to-the-t, given Hamels' Sunday night gem earlier in the month) and drill a few of them with some "rogue curveballs" in the back bacon.

Said Kruk: "I think with the Nationals winning the first two games in Philadelphia, and a chance to sweep (tonight), I can't see the Nationals right now saying, 'OK, we're gonna get him, we're gonna get Cole Hamels in this game.'

"But if it gets out of hand, if the Phillies score runs and it gets out of hand a little bit, it wouldn't surprise me if someone gets hit."

(Thumbing fingers connivingly.)

First pitch at 7:00 p.m.

 

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