I have three more years to play here and hopefully a lot longer.
Advertisement
Harper, a leading NL MVP contender, also indicated he would be OK with Papelbon returning to the Nationals in 2016. 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.
Papelbon was suspended for the remainder of the regular season for his roll in the melee and Harper will sit out Monday’s game.
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. He was suspended for seven games by Major League Baseball.
Harper watched Monday’s game from the dugout and laughed with teammates on the bench.
Papelbon expressed regret after the fight, according to Williams.
The Nationals relief pitcher’s suspension without pay was due to his role in a dugout altercation with right fielder Bryce Harper on Sunday.
Toronto was in need of a proven closer and Papelbon was openly available so his name kept coming up.
“I’m okay”, Harper said.
-Minnesota Twins right-hander Phil Hughes, the scheduled starter Monday, was a late scratch due to a virus that has been working its way through the Twins’ clubhouse. “The punishment fits”.
General manager Mike Rizzo addressed the media after the win Monday.
Harper tried to explain what he did to earn the punitive off day.
During Sunday’s blow-up Papelbon appeared to yell at Harper for not running out a fly ball. “That’s all I’m going to say on the matter”. Did Williams see the fight or not?
Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Washington Nationals is restrained by Wilson Ramos #40 after being thrown out of the game in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on September 23, 2015 in Washington, DC.
“He played a part in it”, Williams said. “He made a mistake”. I was appalled..
That’s exhausted, okay? No reliever should tell a position player anything about hustle.
“I take responsibility for that”.
Joe Girardi, like most sports fans, couldn’t avoid it.
“But there is a lot going on in the dugout at the time. There were plenty of mistakes made in that situation”.
Did the coaches make a mistake by not telling Williams? After another failed season, the National’s will probably start the offseason by cutting ties with Matt Williams and Jonathan Papelbon.
Harper, Rizzo added, “did not deserve it, in my personal opinion”.
But, the Nationals fell apart early and often.
As a team, they have been struggling to hit, with the exception being Harper. Papelbon promptly lost the game against his former team after publicly questioning their will to win a few weeks ago.
The questions turn to next season for the Nats.
Papelbon’s team suspension will begin Thursday. Is there any outcome from yesterday that does not include Williams being fired? Will the displaced closer, Storen, out with a broken thumb, get traded?
Advertisement
Rizzo said all moving parts would be examined after the season. I think they respect what he’s done in the game and the way he prepares and goes about his business. “This is pretty much the first time I have hit live”. Not always in front of TV cameras, perhaps, but teammates do get into fights with each other. Many people picked the Nationals to win the World Series with the signing of Max Scherzer. “We can’t be fighting or anything like that”.
