This budding Phillies-Nationals rivalry could get interesting -- as long as it doesn't get too ugly. To review:

*Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels beaned Nationals phenom Bryce Harper on Sunday -- later admitting that the plunking came on purpose because he was trying to play an "old-school" game.

*Harper responded by advancing to third and then stealing home when Hamels threw over to first base.

*Nationals starter Cole Jordan Zimmermann then plunked Hamels.

*Nationals and Phillies players went back and forth via social media.

*And then, Monday morning, the ante went up with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo telling the Washington Post this:

"I've never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [redacted] act in my 30 years in baseball. Cole Hamels says he's old school? He's the polar opposite of old school. He's fake tough. He thinks he's going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who's eight games into the big leagues? He doesn't know who he's dealing with."

BOOM!

The Nationals took 2 of 3 games in the series; they are slated for another three-game set in a couple of weeks, and the way it lines up now Hamels would pitch one of the games. That's when things, in the words of Smoove B, could reach "Destination: another level."