So Bryce Harper struck out on three pitches for the second out in the 9th inning of NLDS Game 5 against Cardinals closer Jason Motte. (Note: We had to go back and watch the video on MLB.TV to verify this and get the screen caps above, because, honestly, we've blocked out nearly everything that happened in that 9th inning from the ol' memory bank. You could say a unicorn and grizzly bear attacked Teddy in the 9th and we wouldn't have had a clue if you were lying).
After Harper whiffed on that pitch up around his eyes, he stood for a beat, then grabbed his crotch before returning to the dugout. Apparently the Cardinals saw this gesture as an attempt to insult Motte; even St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sports columnist Bernie Miklasz took offense to it in a barf-bag piece in which he quoted Cardinals about the comeback (and even quoted an anonymous Cardinals player about how Gio looked like he didn't want to be out there Friday night):
Motte retired the Nationals in order in the bottom of the ninth. Jayson Werth flied out. The second hitter was the brash Nationals' rookie Bryce Harper. Motte struck him out, and Harper responded by grabbing his crotch in a gesture meant to insult Motte. The 'diss didn't work out the way Harper had intended. (That's a clown move, bro.) A few of the Cardinals that saw it hooted at Harper. After disposing of the immature Harper, Motte got Ryan Zimmerman on a pop up to Descalso, and the Cardinals sprinted from the dugout to begin a wild celebration. (via StLToday.com, 10/15/2012)
Brash. Immature. Oh, and Bernie got a clown reference in there. Good one.
Just for the record, we're totally OK with that gestture if it was intentional, but only if it was directed at [bleeping] Kozma.
(Screen caps via TBS/MLB.com)
So much for St. louis being the classiest market for baseball
Posted by: brady | October 15, 2012 at 09:10 PM
first and foremost, you have to do something before you can have an attitude..you have no series rings, no tradition, no history, no roster no Hall of Famers,..you got nothing. Like Harper, a punk, who is going to get taken out and not with a ball to the back, yo need to sit your ass down in the back of the room and STFU
Posted by: butch | October 16, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Boy you would think with all those accomplishments the cards, and there fans, would be more busy playing instead of going all jersey shore nearly a were later. Good at baseball, but apparently a bunch that's pretty insecure and pathetic.
Posted by: David | October 16, 2012 at 01:02 PM
Who cares about all this crap. Im a Nats fan and they choked. End of story.
Posted by: me | October 16, 2012 at 01:07 PM
No, no, he was just adjusting his magic underpants.
Posted by: Adam | October 16, 2012 at 03:52 PM
As a Nationals fan I want to play either the Cardinals, Braves, Giants, and Reds everyday, and throw in the Yankees and Orioles too! That's how you become good, playing the best teams and learning form them.
Fear none of them, but respect what they can show and teach you.
Besides, we are building for 2013 and beyond and really should not have been in postseason this year, albet I'll take it.
GO NATIONALS IN 2013!
Posted by: H H H | October 16, 2012 at 04:59 PM
Maybe his balls were itching. I hate when that happens.
Posted by: Adam | October 16, 2012 at 08:52 PM
Thought thats what ball girls are for....
Posted by: me | October 17, 2012 at 12:43 AM
Well, at least Bryce managed to get a hold of something in that at-bat. Kid's got a grip. And lots of free time to use it.
Posted by: Stephen S. | October 19, 2012 at 01:57 AM
Motte wasn't even looking at him when his hand traveled to the crotch region.
Only Bryce knows if he meant anything by it and chances are like many baseball players, it was subconscious and meant nothing as ballplayers readjust the cup all the time. If not the cup its the nose or a good loogy spit.
Absolutely much to do about nothing.
Posted by: Steve M. | October 19, 2012 at 11:06 AM
i saw it. he grabbed his crotch and made a funky face. it looked punk.
i made the same move towards davey jones after the game because he blew the nats season by leaving gio in way too long and then bringing in jackson. then went on to overuse a burned out bullpen when the game was out of hand.
add in the misuse of strasburg and you have a major league choke by a team that could have won it all.
now we have to wait another 100 80 years
Posted by: royale | January 13, 2013 at 12:55 PM