According to multiple sources, Washington Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan will serve eight of the original 15 games of two different suspensions.  He will begin serving those games Friday, and will return to action Sept. 25. 

He'll miss half of the Nats remaining 16 games.

There's no information as of this post how the two individual suspensions were reduced.  We'll post more when information becomes available.

"Nyjer, he's hitting eighth there, but that's his game. I can't ask him to hit eighth but don't run. I really thought that he'd get that base. The pitcher wasn't real quick to the plate but the catcher made a great throw, and he got him. That's Nyjer's game, I can't take that away from him." --Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman.

The Washington Nationals lost another game to the Florida Marlins.  It's a yearly exercise in failure, these series with the Marlins, so the result of the game isn't really news.  John Lannan pitched well enough to keep his team in the game, but the bats were once again silent, especially with runners on base.

It was a 3-1 loss where the Nats went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

In the grand scheme of things, the play in the bottom of the third wasn't that big a deal to the outcome of the game.  But the play, and the reaction of the manager to it after the game, speaks volumes about where this team is now.

And, of course, it centered around Nyjer Morgan.

With two outs in the inning, Morgan did his job by lacing a single up the middle, successfully bringing the pitcher to bat so Lannan wouldn't have to lead off the next inning.  However, on the very next pitch he inexplicably took off for second in a stolen base attempt.

Naturally, he was thrown out by Marlins catcher Brad Davis, a 27 year old rookie catcher.

Davis wasn't impressed by Morgan's attempt after the game, as he told reporters, ""I had a feeling [Morgan would run].  I knew it was the wrong situation, but it was the wrong situation for him to steal after we hit him that one time. He's not really playing by those rules, so it was definitely in my mind."

"With all that happened, I think he kind of wants to put it to us," Davis said. "Which is understandable. I would, too."

Morgan was unavailable to comment, as he's not speaking to reporters until Bob Watson, head of discipline for MLB, makes his ruling on Morgan's two pending suspensions.

Morgan's manager, Jim Riggleman, said after the game that he couldn't ask Morgan to hit eighth and not run.  "That's Nyjer's game, I can't take that away from him."

Actually Riggs, you can.  And you should.  You're the manager.  And Morgan is hurting your team's chances of winning on an almost nightly basis with his self-serving actions.

It's the league-leading 17th time Morgan's been caught stealing this season.  Since the Philadelphia series, when all this started, Morgan is hitting .189/.267/.208.  He's reached base just 15 times in 63 plate appearances, and been thrown out three of his last five attempts.

There are times a team should be agressive and try to steal a base, or take an extra base, or try to run over the catcher in an attempt to score a run.  But Morgan has proven time and again that he's either not capable of making the correct decision or simply doesn't care about making the proper decision.

It's the manager's job to put his team in the best position to win.  It's one thing to keep putting Morgan in the lineup.  It's another thing to continue to give him the "green light" to run in any situation.  It's what caused the brawl last week, and it cost the Nats an out tonight when every out was precious.

Riggleman is an old school manager.  He knows how the game "should be played."  He also knows Morgan's not doing it that way.  Riggleman's tirade about Morgan the day after he initiated contact with St. Louis Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson was surprising in its honesty and openness.

Tonight's comments defending Morgan rang hollow.

Tonight, Riggleman sounded like he was resigned to the fact that he has to keep trotting Morgan out there regardless of what he does until Major League Baseball finally rules on these suspensions.

C'mon Bob Watson.  Get it over with.

BULLET-POINT STYLE!

• Dang, it's cold in Pittsburgh.  Definitely sweatshirts and jeans weather.
  
  
• First guy we see getting out of the parking garage was wearing a Penguins windbreaker and Steelers cap.  Naturally.
  
  
• The Nationals plan to recall Yuneski Maya, Collin Balester and Ross Detwiler on Monday, according to multiple reports.  You have to figure at this point Maya will slide right into Scott Olsen's spot in the rotation, and perhaps the Nats will do like they do with rehabbing starters in the minors on a four or five inning limit, and bring another starter in behind him after he gets his (hopefully) five innings in.  With Zimmermann, Livan, Lannan, Marquis, Maya, Detwiler and Olsen, that's seven starters for five rotation spots.
  
  
• Still buzzing about Danny Espinosa's first two games in the big leagues.  At 23, his glove is major league ready.  The play he made ranging far to his left to record a ground out in the middle of the game last night was on a ball that no one that's played second base this season evne gets close to making a play on.  It's going to be how well his bat plays, and his ability to get on base consistantly, that will tell what type of major leaguer he's going to be.  But with him at second and Desmond at short, there both be a lot of balls that sneak through the middle infield.
  
  
• For the last two days, Manager Jim Riggleman has had Espinosa and Desmond out on the field before batting practice working on exchanges on the double play.
  
  
• Third base coach Pat Listach had his suspension reduced from three games to two after speaking with the league offices.
  
  
• Finally, if you're in Pittsburgh for the games this weekend, find us in the park.  We'll be walking arounnd pre-game and we're in section 12 tonight and 115 on Sunday.  Mmm, Primanti Bros.

Courtesy of Bill Ladson at MLB.com, here were Nyjer Morgan's comments this afternoon upon learing about his eight-game suspension for "three separate incidents" in the past week, including clipping St. Louis Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson instead of touching home plate, exchanging expetlives with fans in Miami after bowling over Florida Marlins catcher Brett Hayes -- ending his season with a separated shoulder -- on Tuesday night, and the resultant brawl Wednesday night: 

"Man, they threw the book at me.  What did I do? I feel I haven't done anything. They are blowing this way out of proportion because I'm a hard-nosed player -- because I knocked over a catcher. They throw the ball at me. Come on, what am I supposed to do? I have to take this and try to keep playing.

I feel I haven't done anything wrong expect for playing the game hard and play the game like it's supposed to be played. Wow. I don't know what else to say. It's just a fact that people are blowing this way out of proportion. I don't think you should be suspended for hitting a catcher. ... I don't understand what I did wrong to get an eight-game suspension. They make it seem like I'm Mike Tyson."

Morgan has apparently appealed this current suspension, since he is in tonight's lineup hitting lead-off and he has appealed the pending seven-game suspension for throwing a ball into the stands in Philadelphia, injuring a patron. His original hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but has been pushed to next Friday, presumably so they can handle both cases.

The league can't appreciate Morgan making these further statements in the press, and it certainly won't help him in the hearing.

Morgan should consider himself fortunate that he "only" got eight games.  Marlins pitcher Alex Sanabia got five for his part, and the video shows him throwing a couple punches on the bottom of the pile and then getting tossed around like a rag doll by Adam Dunn.  If Morgan got just three more games than Sanabia, with the Cardinals incident and the yelling at fans incident lumped in, Morgan is lucky he didn't get two weeks.

It amazes me that 1) Morgan appears so clueless to not realize what he's done, unless this is still part of this "underdog tough guy" act; and 2) Why his agent hasn't taken it upon himself to shut his client up.

But I suppose it shouldn't surprise me.  Morgan's immaturity has been on display all season long.

From the glove slamming episode against the Orioles, to pouting about not leading off, to complaining in the press about being put on the disabled list, Morgan has had one episode after another this season where his attitude clouds any benefit from his play.

And that benefit is questionable at best.  He has fashioned a .317 on base percentage this season and once again leads the majors in caught stealing and pickoffs.  While capable of making tremendous highlight reel catches, he all too often takes poor routes, especially on balls over his head.  And throwing has been a nightmare:  missing cut-off men, throwing to the wrong base, and generally displaying a weak, inaccurate arm.

Add it all up, and it seems hardly worth the effort to rehabilitate the player.

But his contract is cheap, and he was the centerpiece of GM Mike Rizzo's "signature" trade thus far in his tenure.  It won't surprise me if the Nats try to make things work with Morgan.  As recently as two days ago, Manager Jim Riggleman said in a prefect world, Morgan is the team's best lead-off hitter.

But it's not a perfect world.  And Morgan just isn't the player he looked like in the six week stretch he had last summer where he batted .351/.396/.435 in 49 games.

Right now, his utter disregard for anything other than "proving himself" makes him a detriment to the team on the field, and an embarrassment off it.

According to multiple sources, Washington Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan has been suspended eight games for his role in "three separate incidents" in the past week:  initiating contact with St. Louis Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson, inappropriate comments made to Florida Marlins fans on Tuesday night after he bowled into catcher Brett Hayes, and Wednesday night's brawl and aftermath.

Morgan has a hearing scheduled for next Friday.

Additionally, manager Jim Riggleman was suspended two games, third base coach Pat Listach suspended three games and pitcher Doug Slaten got three games, as hit Gaby Sanchez with a pitch after play had resumed.

Florida staff suspended:  pitcher Chris Volstad (six games), pitcher Alex Sanabia (five games), Sanchez (three games) and manager Edwin Rodriguez (one game).

 

I've watched the replays of the brawl about a dozen times, and all I can see of Alex Sanabia is him getting tossed like a rag doll by Adam Dunn out of the pile. For that he gets just three games less than Morgan?

It will be interesting to read the final report from this one.

For MLB to actually cite all three incidents and Morgan to get off with "only" eight games is very surprising, considering he already has an appeal scheduled for throwing a ball into the stands after an on-going confrontation with fans in Philadelphia, which injured a fan not related to the goings-on.

If both suspensions are withheld, Morgan will miss 15 of the Nats final 28 games.

BULLET-POINT STYLE!

• 
  
  Congratulations to 1B Tyler Moore and OF Randolph Oduber for winning MVP honors in their respective leagues.  Moore won the Carolina League MVP, finishing first in that league in homers, RBIs, doubles and extra-base hits.  Moore's 75 XBHs were second in all of minor league baseball.  Oduber won th Gulf Coast League MVP.  He led that league in average (.366), slugging (.569) and OPS (1.002).  Oduber was a 32nd round pick in this year's draft.
  
  
• 
  
  Stephen Strasburg undergoes his ligament replacement surgery today, under the direction of Dr. Lewis Yocum in CA.  Nats team doctors will assist.  Best wishes to Strasburg and his family today.
  
  
• 
  
  We should hear about any suspensions for Wednesday night's brawl before game time today.  My guess?  Morgan gets 10 games, Volstad gets 10 games, Edwin Rodriguez and Jim Riggleman both get two games, Slaten and Veras both get two games, and Listach gets 3 games.  MLB comes down hard on coaches who get involved in brawls other than playing peacekeeper.
  
  
• 
  
  Ross Detwiler went five innings for Syracuse last night.  He gave up three runs -- just one earned -- on five hits.  The lefty walked one and struck out two.  He threw 56 pitches, 39 for strikes.  Garrett Mock goes for the Chiefs tonight.
  
  
• 
  
  Finally, Nats News Network will be making the road trip to Pittsburgh this weekend for the games Saturday and Sunday.  We'll be saying hi to anyone wearing the Curly W!

Major League Baseball announced tonight that Washington Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan was suspended seven games for throwing a ball into the crowd and hitting a patron in the middle of the ninth inning in Saturday night's game in Philadelphia.

Morgan was to begin the suspension with tonight's game, but has appealed the decision.  He will be eligible to play pending a hearing.

Morgan, 29, is hitting 261/.318/.325 in 109 games with the Nats this season.  He has stolen 31 bases and has leads the National League being caught 14 times.