Reds bad-mouth Harper after slow trot to first

By TODD DEWEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

10 years ago

Per baseball’s unwritten rules, Bryce Harper didn’t rub his back after getting drilled by a 95-mph fastball by Cincinnati Reds reliever Tony Cingrani, but the Las Vegan did rub the Reds the wrong way by walking to first base after getting hit by a pitch in the seventh inning of Friday’s game in Cincinnati. (Screengrab/MLB.com)

May 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper watches a pitch in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. (David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports)

May 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper prepares in the dugout at the beginning of a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. (David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports)

Per baseball’s unwritten rules, Bryce Harper didn’t rub his back after getting drilled by a 95-mph fastball by Cincinnati Reds reliever Tony Cingrani, but the Las Vegan did rub the Reds the wrong way by walking to first base after getting hit by a pitch in the seventh inning of Friday’s game in Cincinnati.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto took exception to Harper’s slow stroll and the two stars exchanged words before an umpire intervened.

After Cincinnati’s 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals, Cingrani said, “He should have jogged, but what are you going to do? Be a baseball player. Sorry I hit you, run.”

Harper bothered most opponents with his bat in the month of May, when he hit .360 with 13 homers and 28 RBIs. The Las Vegas High School and College of Southern Nevada product is batting .325 overall with 18 homers and 43 RBIs.

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