Dylan Bundy says he would hit Bryce Harper 'all four at-bats'

[Austin]

When I was in high school I hit a bomb that was a no doubter, flipped the barrel of the bat up to my shoulder and held the bat like a shotgun, yelled pull and acted like I was shooting skeet. Then I walked halfway to first base and then slowly jogged the rest of the way around. I'm embarrassed that I would do something like that, but I was a jerk when I was that age.

I know it's terrible sportsmanship but that is freaking hilarious.

[seak05]

Nobody is perfect, and very few are really bad but with athletes we get caught up in hero/villain making, and lose sight of that fact. In this case Harper reacted in a poor manner to poor behavior by others. In telling the story it's important to provide the context of the situation and not sensationalize. But for his development it doesn't help to excuse the behavior either. Rather all sides should be held accountable.

[Flosman]

If you think blowing a kiss at a pitcher is a rare occurrence, you haven't watched teenagers play high level baseball. Add to that there was apparently a lot of "back and forth" leading up to this and I think you are mischaracterizing things some.

EDIT -- I appreciate the back and forth and understand I may be overly protective of Harper being blasted. I just have a soft spot for kids being unfairly chewed up in the public. Bryce is a big kid and can handle himself -- I understand.

I agree it seems a lot of posters don't realize/remember how much smack talking goes on during games. In baseball I remember trying to talk a pitcher into throwing his spinner (curveball, lol) to me between pitches. Then promptly hitting a bomb on the first one he threw. I Keep talking to him all the way around the bases. Hit another in the second AB and got one in the ribs in the third.

Currently I coach football and at times it is hilarious to listen to the smack talked between corners and WR during games and practice. It really has always been that way and I know a lot of people that watch good players play don't like it when the realize it is going on. It really is just part of guys competing.

[SrMeowMeow]

I am all for competitive behavior and/or taunting.

[tilgaham]

Trash talk is part of sport. I for one hope to see Harper v. Bundy battle up and down the Beltway in interleague games for the latter half of the decade.

[gamer]

I know he was hit first,,, whether or not it was intentional Im not sure because I don't know what all was going on,,, Stotle I understand where you are coming from,,, Im just hard headed .

Take care all,

I really want to see a Bundy/Harper matchup,,, not because I wan't to see Harper get hit,,, necessarily,,, but it would simply be a great Power v. power matchup.

Take care all

[JayThomas]

I think it's funny that pitches can be as big of an ass as they'd like without fear of anything happening, but if a batter banters back he should be open to physical abuse. Gotta love double standards.

Hey, now we're right back to Roger Clemens. What a jacka$$. I wish that guy had pitched in the NL. Obviously he'd still have been a great pitcher, but I bet he wouldn't have pitched high and tight anywhere near as much. I also doubt that he would've thrown part of a broken bat at Piazza if he'd have had to bat the next inning.

[Robbie]

Clemens did pitch for Houston for a few years.