MLB to discipline Nationals’ Morgan and several Marlins
If you tuned in midway through the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals game on Wednesday night, you probably wouldn’t have known it was baseball. The two teams got into a scuffle that was ugly, but it will be remembered for a while. Nationals’ outfielder Nyjer Morgan is facing a suspension as well as Marlins’ pitcher Chris Volstad, who beaned Morgan and several teammates.
Volstad sailed a pitch that went behind Morgan’s back in the fifth inning. He had also hit Morgan with a pitch in the previous inning. Morgan charged the mound and clocked Volstad with a haymaker, only to take a clothesline from Marlins’ first-baseman Gaby Sanchez. The blow sent Morgan to the ground and led to both teams clearing their benches. Even Nationals’ third-base coach Pat Listach got involved, trying to defend Morgan.
Managers Jim Riggleman of Washington and Edwin Rodriguez of Florida had a shouting match in the middle of it all. The two managers will likely face disciplinary action as well. The incident truly was ugly. The Marlins won the game 16-10.
Morgan, Volstad, Rodgriguez and Jose Veras of the Marlins were all ejected from the game. Morgan was escorted off the field to a chorus of boos in south Florida. Morgan was clocked because he had stolen two bases while the Nationals were trailing 14-3 in the fourth inning. It is an unwritten rule in baseball between teams that a team losing by a lot shouldn’t steal bases, because it is seen as an attempt to run up the score and embarrass the other team.
"I thought it was over after [the fourth inning, when Morgan was hit the first time], but once I saw the ball go right behind me, it's time to go," explained Morgan for charging the mound. "Once is good enough, but twice, no, it's time to go."
The Nationals exercised a little payback in the seventh inning when relief pitcher Doug Slaten plunked Sanchez. Slaten and Riggleman were both ejected from the game and should face disciplinary action as well.
"They made the decision to throw at Nyjer and then the question is do we throw at them," Riggleman said. "I got some of my veteran players together and said, 'It's your ball club, if you want someone getting thrown at, I'll order it right now,' and everybody said, 'No, it's over.' That being the case, when they threw at him a second time, then it's not over."
All in all, it was an ugly turn of events. Both teams now insist that the incident is over and they want to move on. Time will tell if this escalates a rivalry between the two teams. However because both teams are the bottom-feeders in the NL East, maybe it's because they can't fight for a play-off spot they've turned their energy elsewhere.
Tags: