Seriously, this guy is totally out of control. He shouldn't be playing baseball, and honestly the guy probably needs to be in therapy. He definitely shouldn't play the rest of the year for the Nationals.
By the way--remember the Nationals traded "bad apple" Lastings Milledge for Morgan. I don't remember Milledge ever doing anything remotely similar to this. Or Elijah Dukes for that matter.
Also, this really reflects badly on Jim Riggleman. He's the guy who let this situation get out of control, and it doesn't help him that his third base coach Pat Listach jumped right in the middle of the bench-clearing brawl and had to be pulled out by a player. Looked like John McLaren was right in there too.
- Oh, and in all this craziness, let's not forget that Scott Olsen raised his ERA to 5.88. Can anyone explain why he's still here?
- Now Riggleman orders Doug Slaten to hit Gaby Sanchez with a pitch, warming up Drew Storen to replace Doug Slaten just in case it wasn't totally clear what was going on. This is not the way to help the young guys transition to the bigs.
17 comments:
Well, at least it's not f-ing boring. If Nyjer were a .400 OBP guy with defensive skill, you'd put up with this. He's not. He's a punk and, yes Dukes was better.
Listach is awesome for jumping in there. I like that.
It would be kind of cool for the Nats to get a nasty reputation...if they were good.
I don't disagree with the general sentiment based on the totality of his actions, but Nyjer didn't do much wrong tonight. There's no rule written or "unwritten" that says you can't steal bases in the second inning. If it was the 7th or 8th, Ray Knight would have a better point, but its early in the game still and that's Nyjer's whole game.
Either way, I guess its moot because something clicked on (or off) in Nyjer's mind about two weeks ago and he's generally out of it right now.
Also, I'm glad Dibble's gone, but I wish Knight and Carpenter went with him.
Just one more addition, and know, I don't enjoy sticking up for Nyjer right now, but...
The play last night was not a dirty play, was not a cheap play, and was not anything that would have been a big deal had the incident with St. Louis not happened previously. St. Louis play: dirty. The play at the plate last night was not dirty at all.
I'm sorry, but Listach diving in headfirst was awesome.
You're wrong here. Nyjer made a clean play yesterday, and they beaned him for it. He took that beaning like a man, as the "unwritten rules" of baseball required. But he kept playing baseball. He wouldn't have scored if he didn't steal second and third. Should Nyjer and the Nats just give up because they're losing? I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure MLB doesn't have a slaughter rule, and if the Nats were supposed to stop trying, it's a pathetic move on the Marlins part to treat Nyjer's at bats as target practice in a game that's "over." Nyjer kept playing, and the Marlins kept throwing at him. This was a classless night alright, but it was the Marlins who acted like punks, not Nyjer. As a Nats fan with whom I usually agree, I'd expect you to recognize that.
I'm with the other commenters. Nyjer's done plenty this year (and particularly in the last two weeks) to annoy the fan bse, but I don't think he did anything wrong last night. Nyjer stealing second and third probably was a statement that he wasn't really sorry, but he isn;t required to be sorry. He's required to get hit and walk to first base, which is exactly what he did.
I can't think of an "unwritten rule" that lets the Marlins throw at him a second time.
And nice work Listach.
I agree with the other guys here that think the Marlins catcher collision and the stolen bases aren't anything, but there's enough there without it to form a pattern.
It's a shame legit baseball plays are getting grouped in with outlandish acts, but it's Morgan's own fault for doing all that other crap. He's begging for every move he makes to be over-analyzed.
I hate it when runners blindside catchers. I understand most folks think it's part of the game, but I don't think it should be. I just think it's a chicken-shit move and a dumb play since most of the time you're better off sliding.
Overall, you could minimize any of these incidents in isolation, but last night he took the field with the clear intent to fight. Given that he's already appealing a suspension and he's conducted himself the way he has, it tells me he's out of control. I think he's going to get himself or someone else hurt, and he's certainly not able to play smart baseball in this mental state. He shouldn't be on the field.
Weren't we just lauding Nyjer for his hockey mentality? So he goes out an shows off his fighting skills on a justifiable charge-the-mound moment. So what?
Nyjer Morgan does need to go, but not for any of the reasons you mentioned. He needs to go because he's been playing poor defense, and has an OPS of .635. That amount to a pretty fucking terrible baseball player.
Overall, you could minimize any of these incidents in isolation, but last night he took the field with the clear intent to fight.
Then why didn't he do it after getting hit the first time?
Maybe you were applauding his hockey mentality. I'm not much for "intensity" in baseball. Baseball is more like golf than football. You have to play in control and with focus.
The fact that he's played awful is also relevant, and I would argue related. He runs when he shouldn't, he has regressed in plate discipline, and he makes dumb decisions in the outfield.
Seems to me Nyjer Morgan is exhibit A on why a "hockey mentality" is good for hockey, not baseball.
Then why didn't he do it after getting hit the first time?
Because he had something else provocative in mind.
Nyjer's play at the plate Tuesday night was not clean. You take a catcher out when you have to and its your only possibility of being safe, i.e. when they are blocking (standing between the runner and the plate). Don't bring up Pete Rose name either. Again in all instances the catcher was BLOCKING the plate. The Marlins catcher was not blocking the plate. In fact the only way Nyjer was going to be out was if attempted to run over the catcher. If he slides he’s safe. In fact if he slides he probably takes out the catcher’s legs, preventing him from catching the ball and allowing the other runs to advance. Morgan is an idiot. At best he should be in instructional league.
and I have nothing wrong with the "get a base" type of provocative. I would have been all for him stealing 6 bases after getting hit 3 times just to show the stupidity of "retaliation". Of course Nyjer wasn't acting out against poorly strategized baseball.
Listach was protecting his player until the dugout arrived. Listen to the Marlin's TV team and you'd think he started the brawl. We need more coaches like Listach.
yeah, if listach hadn't dived on top of volstad, nyjer wouldn't have gotten out of there alive. there were already like 5 marlins on top of him when listach came in.
Anyone who is a Nyjer defender needs to take into account his taunting of the Marlins' fans as he was heading off the field. That to me took away the benefit of the doubt on last night's game. I don't blame him for stealing the bases, but we have no idea what he was yapping about on the basepaths. His agent and the Nationals should regret how he charged the mound, and I am especially frustrated and angry that I have yet to read about any remorse for the way he has reacted to heckling fans. You start letting fans get to you and become the poster boy for fan taunting and you need to produce like a blue chip starter to stay in the league.
I was also bothered that he was in the lineup last night. I wish he hadn't appealed the eight game suspension, had showed more remorse and his 0-4 last night only added insult to injury.
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