Harper benched for lack of hustle

Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper sits on the bench during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on Saturday, April 19, 2014, in Washington. The Cardinals won 4-3. Harper was pulled early from a game after Washington manager Matt Williams said the young outfielder didn't hustle. Harper was taken out after six innings. The 21-year-old Harper is a two-time All-Star known for his aggressive play. But in the sixth inning, he hit the ball to the mound, jogged to first and took a right turn to the dugout before getting halfway down the basepath. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

It was a case of Las Vegas on Las Vegas baseball crime.

Or at least a misdemeanor.

When Las Vegan Bryce Harper failed to run out a ground ball Saturday against the Cardinals, he was promptly benched by Nationals manager Matt Williams, who played his college baseball at UNLV.

“No, lack of hustle. That’s why he came out of the game,” Williams said to reporters after the game. “The inability to run 90 feet.”

“We made an agreement. He and I made an agreement, this team made an agreement, that when you play the game that we hustle at all times, that we play the game with intensity and a willingness to win.”

The play happened in the sixth inning. Harper hit a tapper back to the mound and slowly ran to first base, turning to the dugout as Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams caught the throw from Lance Lynn.

“I respect what he did,” Harper said of Williams’ decision after the Nationals’ 4-3 defeat. “It’s part of the game.”

Washington outfielder Jayson Werth also supported Williams’ decision.

“I’ve played on teams where if you don’t hustle, you get taken out of the game. It’s pretty standard,” Werth said. “I think that’s part of the game. You show up here, you be on time, you hustle. Not a lot is asked of us.”

Williams said Harper would return to the lineup on Sunday.