Almost every expectation and prediction for the Washington National’s 2015 season was proven wrong after teammates Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon were involved in a brawl in the dugout.
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Nope, in keeping with the bad season the Nationals are having, manager Matt Williams made a decision to put Papelbon in the game. He has blown two saves and lost two games in the past three weeks.
While most players have sided with Papelbon in the date, such allegations about Harper seem well out of date.
The Nationals have chosen their side in the matter, with their GM Mike Rizzo stating that Papelbon’s behavior “is not acceptable” and that the Nationals “will not tolerate it in any way”.
Washington Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon will get to enjoy the offseason a week early.
Williams said Papelbon is not expected to be with the Nationals on a season-ending road trip that begins Tuesday in Atlanta and concludes this weekend in New York against the division champion Mets. Will he be back with the Nationals in 2016?
It will be interesting to see if Sunday was the last time we’ll see Papelbon in a Nationals uniform.
“No reliever should tell a position player anything about hustle. We felt that to discipline Papelbon the way we did and not Bryce was unfair…”
On Sunday he did the one thing you can’t do. I just want to win. “He’s a competitive guy”.
“When I was able to view the footage of yesterday’s incident, I was upset”, Williams said.
Even if he’s just 22 years old, Harper is in his fourth year in the Majors and deserves more respect. You’ve played 63 innings this year. “Sometimes in this game there’s a lot of testosterone, … there’s a lot of intensity that spills over and I think that happened”. #Nats@TheNatsBlogJoe: If changes aren’t made tonight for the #Nats, I really have no idea how I can continue to respect the organization going forward… It was unfortunate and unacceptable.
“I don’t know”, Harper chuckled.
Harper tried to explain what he did to earn the punitive off day.
“That was the reason”.
Harper was not happy with Papelbon and it escalated from there. “It doesn’t happen in the open, generally”, Williams said.
That’s the case, at least, for pitcher Jonathan Papelbon.
Harper, Rizzo added, “did not deserve it, in my personal opinion”.
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“I love the way Bryce Harper plays”, Rizzo stated firmly. Nobody got hurt. I imagine that they probably settled it and thats the sort of thing that helps create an equilibrium in the clubhouse. You can handle that after the games or allow the manager to handle that. It’s important for him to feel that way and play that way. I think he’s the best player he can be when he does…. Papelbon then reached for Haper’s throat and shoved the outfielder into the back of the dugout, where they had to be restrained by teammates. It cost him four games worth of pay.
