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Tony Cingrani hits Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch, then complains he was too slow getting to first base

Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper

AP

Reds reliever Tony Cingrani hit Bryce Harper in the back with a fastball in the seventh inning of Friday night’s game against the Nationals. Here’s the video. Putting Harper on first base meant that the tying run was only 270 feet away from home plate, so it’s difficult to see Cingrani wanting to hit Harper on purpose in that situation.

As Harper was hit square in the back, he took his time getting to first base. Per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, first baseman Joey Votto was not happy about the way Harper handled the situation, for some reason. He was 0-for-3 to that point, so it wasn’t like he gawked at a home run.

Cingrani wasn’t happy about Harper, either.

Cingrani on Harper HBP: “He should have jogged, but what are you going to do? Be a baseball player. Sorry I hit you, run.” #reds

— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) May 30, 2015


Harper is still only 22 years old, but he’s in his fourth year in the majors and has unquestionably been the best player in baseball so far this season. For whatever reason, some players like Harper -- as well as Yasiel Puig and Carlos Gomez -- become lightning rods with which older players use to make points about the unwritten rules.

Grant Brisbee wrote a terrific column about baseball’s unwritten rules at SB Nation recently, which certainly has relevance here.

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