In this rush-to-judgment world, Nyjer Morgan(notes) doesn't stand a chance.
Fans see “15-game suspension” and conclude “nut job.” Case over. But before you write off the Nationals’ center fielder as a loose cannon who has gone off once too often, look beyond the headlines. Your first impression might not be completely accurate.
• There was a play earlier this season when Morgan missed a catch at the nfl jerseys
wall and promptly threw down his glove in anger. The ball, meanwhile, went neglected and the hitter circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
Beyond the headline: Morgan said he thought the ball went over the fence after hitting his glove. Manager Jim Riggleman believed him and left Morgan in the game.
• There was a recent incident in Philadelphia when Morgan threw a ball in the stands and hit a fan. MLB suspended Morgan for seven games, a punishment he is appealing.
Beyond the headline: A fan in the stands says there was no malice on Morgan's part. In an e-mail that fan sent to The Washington Post, he wrote that Morgan lobbed the ball "rainbow style" in the direction of a boy who was standing 30 or so feet away and had called for the ball after between-innings warm-up tosses. Morgan threw high and the ball hit another fan who was looking in another direction. The fan struck by the ball also has been quoted as agreeing that he was looking away and was surprised that Morgan was suspended.
• There was a play against the Cardinals last weekend when Morgan clipped catcher Bryan Anderson(notes)—at the expense of stepping on the plate—even though there wasn't a play and Anderson was looking away. Morgan was out when a teammate grabbed him and pushed him back toward the plate. Touching a "live" baserunner is against the rules for a teammate.
Beyond the headline: Not much you can do to defend him. It was a cheap shot. Morgan told reporters he was fooled by a fake throw by first baseman Albert Pujols(notes) and thought there was going to be a play. Riggleman didn't buy the story and sat Morgan the next game, admonished him in the media and apologized to the Cardinals.
• Against the Marlins on Tuesday night, Morgan rammed full speed into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes(notes) on a close play at the plate. Morgan was out when Hayes somehow held onto the ball while also suffering a dislocated shoulder.
Beyond the headline: Hayes told reporters the Patriots jersey
play was clean, even though he felt Morgan would have been safe if he had slid.
• The next night, Marlins starter Chris Volstad(notes) plunked Morgan in his third at-bat. Morgan dropped his bat and went to first. With the Nationals down 14-3, he then stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Beyond the headline: The Marlins weren't happy that Morgan was stealing bases in such a one-sided game which, by the way, finished 16-10.
• Two innings later, Volstad threw a pitch behind Morgan. The former hockey player immediately dropped his bat, charged the mound and grazed Volstad with a left hook before Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez(notes) clothes-lined Morgan. The benches emptied and Morgan was among those ejected. He was the only one to leave the field with his arms raised in some sort of triumph.
Beyond the headline: Morgan said the first plunking was fine but after he was thrown at a second time, "we got to go." Fine. Still, the way he departed was unprofessional and almost certainly was the reason his latest suspension was eight games instead of five.
Despite Morgan being in the center of so many incidents, one former teammate told Sporting News that Morgan "is a good guy."
"I don't know what's going on with him but, yes, I'm surprised by all this," the former teammate said. "He's a personable guy, but not an out-of-control guy."
Morgan is the kind of guy who enjoys bantering with fans, who actually seems to enjoy interviews with the media. Baseball could benefit from more like him. Instead, it will do its best to shush him and get him in line.
Morgan certainly shouldn’t be let off the hook. The play on the Cardinals' Anderson was uncalled for and unprofessional. About the only way to explain the way Morgan strutted off the field in Florida was to say his emotions got the best of him. That shouldn't happen. He is 30 years old.
Instead of charging the mound, Morgan should be more concerned about getting his Vikings jersey
batting average to .260 and his stolen-base rate up to 70 percent. Morgan needs to think of his teammates and how these antics have grown tiresome in a hurry.
But that doesn't mean the guy should be buried by the headlines or the video clips.
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