Bryce Harper vs Ozzie Guillen

Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen

Washington National's Rookie Bryce Harper

 

 

If I knew how to get these pictures side by side it would look like they were staring at each other but I couldn't figure it out.  

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Bryce Harper vs Ozzie Guillen

Washington shuts out Miami 4-0

In the fourth inning of yesterday's game as rookie phenom Bryce Harper came to bat, Miami Marlin's Manager Ozzie Guillen jumped out of the dugout screaming.  Mr. Guillen complained to the ump about the amount of tar on the bat.  Bryce Harper got a new bat but the Miami manager contained yelling and even picked up a bat and started mocking how Mr. Harper held his bat.  Ozzie wanted to get in this rookie's head and he did.  In that at bat, Mr. Harper grounded out weakly to second base.

You can't blame Bryce Harper.  He's 19 and all of a sudden some old guy is screaming at him.  It messes with your mind at that age because when a grown up starts yelling at you, it catches you off guard.  You think maybe you did something wrong because he's an adult.  It destroys your focus. 

Bryce Harper regained focus later in the game and made a great catch in foul territory for the final out of the the Nationals victory over Miami. 

Here's what Bryce Harper had to say about Ozzie Guillen after the game.

“He battles for his team, and that’s the type of manager Ozzie is,” Harper said. “He’s a great manager to play for. He’s going to battle for you, no matter what. That’s a manager you want to play for.”

This kid is good.  And he won't fall for Mr. Guillen's jedi mind trick next time. 
He's going to file this away and use it as fuel against Ozzie, which I can't wait to see.  Plus, in a few years Mr. Harper is going to rattle a rookie's cage to throw him off his game.

That old man taught the kid a lesson on Sunday.  And it sounds like the Bryce Harper learned it.

Hot Damn!  I love baseball.