Cole Hamels Is ‘Fake Tough,’ Beaning of Bryce Harper Was ‘Chicken [Expletive],’ According to Mike Rizzo

The Washington Nationals don't like it when you intentionally hit one of the cornerstones of their franchise with a pitch. Just ask general manager Mike Rizzo.

The Nats GM blasted Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels on Monday morning after the Philly left-hander drilled Bryce Harper with a pitch in the first inning on Sunday night. After the game, Hamels admitted that he intentionally plunked the 19-year-old phenom.

All of this left Rizzo none too pleased.

"Players take care of themselves," Rizzo told The Washington Post on Monday morning. "I've never seen a more class, gutless, chicken [expletive] act in my 30 years in baseball."

Rizzo was far from done.

"Cole Hamels says he's old school?" he asked. "He’s the polar opposite of old school. He's fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who's eight games into the big leagues? He doesn't know who he’s dealing with."

Well then. Anything else?

"He thinks he's sending a message to us of being a tough guy. He's sending the polar opposite message. He says he's being honest; well, I'm being hones. It was a gutless chicken [expletive] [expletive] act. That was a fake-tough act. No one has ever accused Cole Hamels of being old school."

Rizzo also called on baseball to come down on Hamels with a suspension.

Even though the Nationals lost the series finale Sunday night, they still find themselves atop the NL East, 4 1/2 games above the last-place Phillies.