Washington Nationals rookie right fielder Bryce Harper had an Amar’e Stoudemire moment in last night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. While showing his frustrations over a sub-par night, he inadvertently slapped himself in the head with his own bat.

Fortunately for him and the Nationals, he wasn’t seriously hurt, and according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post, Harper is in the lineup tonight.

 

 

OK, everyone, he’s alright, it’s cool to laugh now.

Harper was 0-for-5 for the game; after his fourth at-bat he smashed his war club against the clubhouse wall, it rebounded and smacked him on the noggin, right above his left eye.

It opened up a cut that required 10 stitches to close, but doctors have given him the OK to play.

Here are a few of the images posted by Dan Steinberg and The Washington Post:

Harper didn’t do anything crazy or unforgivable. Frustrated athletes, and specifically baseball players, have smashed their bats over strikeouts and double plays in the past. It just so happened Harper’s bat hit back, and caught the teen sensation in the dome.

He is only 19 years old, but with such high expectations, he is putting a ton of pressure on himself.

Harper confirmed this notion after last night’s game. He said this to Kilgore:

“I just got caught up in the moment,” Harper said. “I want to do so well. It just got me.”

At some point he’ll relax, and realize he doesn’t have to do it all every night and in every at-bat. His talent is undeniable, he just needs to be patient.

Things aren’t going to come as easy for him on this level as they have at every other level of baseball.

As he found out last night, even the clubhouse walls are tougher in the major leagues.

 

Follow Brian Mazique and Franchiseplay.net for reactions, analysis and news from the world of sports and sports video games.

 

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