Nationals’ Morgan suspended seven games

[jonathan34]

Two things.

1) Something is clearly wrong with Nyjer. He has had a mental breakdown of sorts. As his behavior has deviated from his norm drastically.

2) since when is stealing two bases when DOWN 11 runs considered bad sportsmanship? They ended up losing by 6...meaning comebacks can happen.

[Possum]

Morgan was a hockey player before he got into baseball.  He did start baseball at an advanced age I believe.  So that explains it.  He is stinking the joint up in baseball so he reverts to his old hockey mentality and ends up being like an enforcer in hockey.  Drop the gloves and swing the fists.

Yes, I do believe he is a mental case and needs a lot of help overcoming whatever it is that is causing his recent problems.

[JayDub]

I don't see what's wrong with stealing bases when you're losing either.  It was the fourth inning and he ended up scoring on a sac fly.  The Nats came back and scored over 10 runs.  If that's why Volstad threw at Nyjer the second time, then I don't fault him for charging.

[Pens44]

Wasn't Nyjer supposed to be the happy go lucky great teammate who worked hard and Lastings was supposed to be the thug always causing problems for his teammates and himself on an off the field? Seems to me like their roles and reputations are now reversed

[bobster]

It's always considered bush league to steal when you are way AHEAD. But it has never been taboo to steal when way behind. The only reason teams don't normally do it is because it isn't worth the risk of being erased off the basepath when your team needs a lot of runs. Rather, it appears the Marlins were retaliating against Morgan because he ended the season for Marlins catcher Brett Hayes Tuesday night by violently colliding with him, when some thought he should have slid.

[ECBucs]

The chances of his 7 game suspension being reduced have gone down.

He'll get suspended for 3-5 games for last night.

I thought he did the right thing in charging mound but he shouldn't have put his arms up in the air and pounded his chest when being taken off the field.

I didn't mind him stealing either. Florida could have thrown him out (surprised that they didn't!)

[lost_zero]

Morgan has certainly had an interesting week.

But if the only reason Volstad threw at him a second time was for stealing the bases while behind in the 4th inning, then I don't fault Nyjer at all for charging the mound.  He took the first plunking like a man, which should have been for bowling over the catcher the night before.

I still haven't seen a definitive answer on whether throwing the ball into the stands was a deliberate attempt to injure someone, but here are the seemingly controversial things Nyjer did over the last week or so.

1.  Throwing the ball into the stands in Philly
2.  Running into or shoving Bryan Anderson (Stl) at the plate when he didn't have the ball
3.  Running over Hayes (Fla) at the plate
4.  Stealing two bases when down by a bunch of runs early in the game
5.  Charging the mound to confront a guy who's a foot taller than him.

Out of all of those, the only one that seems to be a definitive no-no was #2....and he didn't even knock the guy off his feet, did he?

He got plunked once for #3 and put his bat down and went to first like a man.  That should have been the end of it.

[Dogknot3]

I didn't see anything wrong with how Morgan knocked down the catchers in either game.  They were blocking the plate.  They were in his way.  He was trying to score.  Yeah, he could have slid but he still would have knocked them down. 

If the catcher doesn't want hit, then they should move.  They both had their masks on so they were expecting some contact. 

I think the Marlins were mad that after they plunked him that he got over on them and stole two bases on the back up catcher.  Morgan should have just laughed when the ball was thrown behind him.  That would have got the Marlins more fired up.

Morgan could have been the bigger man in this situation.  Instead, he dropped to the Marlin's level.  The chest pumping didn't help either.  I don't fault the guy for playing the game hard.  The losing probably got to him.  He was loved in Pittsburgh and now that isn't the case in Washington DC.

[lost_zero]

I think the problem with the St Louis incident was that he ran the catcher when he didn't have the ball, he threw a little elbow, and he went out of his way to do it to the point that he missed the plate.

The only problem with the Hayes incident was that it wasn't Joggin' Ronny.

I appreciated the efforts of the jump-punch, though. 

[gamecckfn]

Based on what we do know about Morgan (the history of a playful back and forth with the fans, the history of giving balls away to the fans on the road, and the accounts from the game that say he didn't mean to hurt a fan) it isn't likely that he threw the ball in to the stands out of frustration.

Also, while throwing a ball is intentional, the result is out of Morgan's control.  Morgan can't be punished for a circumstantial outcome, such as everyone failing to catch the ball, and the ball hitting a fan.  That's a risk with every throw in to the stands.  If you punish Morgan, you have to punish every outfielder who throws a ball in to the stands, regardless of the outcome.  Otherwise it's like only pulling someone over for speeding if they cause an accident.

Actually, based on recent history, I would say that it is very likely that the ball was thrown in frustration.  This is not the first time Morgan has been involved in something that makes you question him.  Plus, the way I understand it, the person was hurt by the ball.  I am not sure how you can be hurt by a ball tossed into the stands.

His own teammates and manager were embarrassed by him for his cheap shot on Saturday, and then he comes back to take out Bret Hayes a few days later.  He also had a temper tantrum in the outfield when he missed a ball, and now charges the mound when his team is down 10 runs?

Ryan Zimmerman's comment that Morgan is still learning the game is silly, but I suppose he is trying to find some kind of excuse for Morgan.  That excuse is lame.  Despite being a junior hockey player, he has played baseball for quite a while.  He was drafted out of high school, played JC ball, and then 7 full pro seasons.  If he is still learning the game, he will never figure it out.

[gamecckfn]

Morgan was a hockey player before he got into baseball.  He did start baseball at an advanced age I believe.  So that explains it.  He is stinking the joint up in baseball so he reverts to his old hockey mentality and ends up being like an enforcer in hockey.  Drop the gloves and swing the fists.

Yes, I do believe he is a mental case and needs a lot of help overcoming whatever it is that is causing his recent problems.

Morgan was drafted by the Rockies in 1998 out of high school.  He has been playing baseball for a long time.

[SammyKhalifa]

There's lobbing the ball into the stands for a fan, then there's throwing AT a spectator.  I haven't seen it to judge for myself, but if that's what it was; the defenses that stadiums post warnings, and that players toss balls into the stands all the time seem downright silly.  You can't throw a bat at someone either, whether the ticket says that bats might leave the field of play or not.

[PMike]

The chances of his 7 game suspension being reduced have gone down.

He'll get suspended for 3-5 games for last night.

I thought he did the right thing in charging mound but he shouldn't have put his arms up in the air and pounded his chest when being taken off the field.

I didn't mind him stealing either. Florida could have thrown him out (surprised that they didn't!)

The "right thing" in charging the mound?  I don't think there is ever a "right time" to run at another human being with the intent to hit and violently hurt them.  And especially within the confines of a baseball game.

I think all of this Morgan stuff is pretty low class humanity.  The hockey player history is irrelevant.  He knows he isn't playing hockey.  And that doesn't matter either.  He plays the game and acts shamefully.  Temper tantrums on the field while the ball is in play.  I won't comment on the ball hitting the fan because there doesn't seem to be a conclusive outcome.  The two hits on the catchers were totally outside the lines.  The first one was totally inappropriate.  The catcher didn't have the ball.  He was standing a couple feet on the mound side of the plate.  Morgan had to go so far out of his way to hit the catcher that he missed home.  Then he hits the catcher really aggressively just a few days later.  Maybe if that play was independent of the others, it would be alright.  But it wasn't.  And you know my opinion on the charging the mound nonsense.

And I really like Morgan.  Sad.

Mike

[TNbucs]

It's crazy watch unfold.

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/09/01/nyjer-morgan-charges-mound-setting-off-brawl-between-nationals/

How about Pat Listach, a coach for the Nats, jumping on Volstad and pinning him to the ground.  I think that shows even less class/character than what Morgan did by charging the mound.  Interestingly, though, other than Listach nobody else on the Nats seemed too motivated to fight in defense of Morgan.

Another point on Morgan--I think what makes his collisions with the catchers look particularly bad is that neither were necessary.  Against the Marlins he would have been safe with a slide but chose to run over the catcher and make an out.  Against the Cardinals the catcher didn't even have the ball.  Maybe he's trying to create a reputation as a hard-nosed player, but he is going about it all wrong.

[Thunder]

Nyjer is in the process of playing...and acting...his way off the Nationals roster. He's carrying a .635 OPS (OPS+ of 72)...near or below average defense this season...33 SB but 15 CS (leads the league) and 5 additional pickoffs, thrown out stretching 6 other times, what is sure to be 2 suspensions, mouthing off to fans in St. Louis, Philadelphia and Florida, and seemingly has lost some popularity in the Nationals clubhouse.

If the Nationals weren't so barren of position players in their minor league system (probably in worse shape than the Pirates system for position players, if that's possible)...it would be a done deal that he's gone. As is...I wouldn't be shocked if he gets non-tendered.