It's Only March 6th and the Phillies and Nationals Are Already Throwing at Each Other

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The Phillies dominated the Nationals for a good five-straight seasons prior to the young Washington club showing a little something in 2012. The role reversal was accompanied by plenty of trash talk and a nice little rivalry was born. Jayson Werth going from one side to the other certainly helped. As did the emergence of that cocky kid who is pretty damn good at baseball.

But the Phillies aren't just going to roll over and allow the Nationals to walk all over them in 2013.

Enter a a seemingly meaningless spring training game this afternoon between the two clubs with superstar youngster Stephen Strasburg throwing for the Nats and Roy "This Dude's a Legend" Halladay for the Phils.

As you may or may not be aware, Chase Utley was named the second meanest player in all of baseball according to an SI player poll. So when a guy with great stuff like Strasburg loses a fastball in and drills Utley, it makes you wonder.

Following the game, Strasburg told reporters he had no reason to plunk Utley, but reason or not, Roy Halladay will not let this aggression stand, man.

Halladay threw a ball way behind a guy named Tyler Moore later in the game to show that you can't just go hitting Chase Utley and not pay for it. Or at least shake in the batter's box a bit for it.

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And how fitting. It was Utley who famously told Halladay before the season to drill a couple more guys (video). Halladay said a few weeks back he may have to do just that.

Of course Roy said the ball just got away from him, but then he apparently smiled, according to Matt Gelb who was on the scene to tweet about Roy's facial expressions.

I'm all for it. Halladay is the wily vet who knows when it's okay to waste a base and when it's not. And the Washington Nationals? Nobody likes them. Let's step this rivalry up a few notches this season.

Oh, and Halladay looked like a boss on the hill all day: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 shot fired.*

*Matt Gelb's line

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