Harper and Papelbon gets into fight in dugout

[williewilliejuan]

I heard the Papelbon suspension is only 4 games.

It's basically the remainder of the season after he serves his other suspension from MLB.

 

[Cedrique]

I heard the Papelbon suspension is only 4 games.

I think he already had a different suspension so the 4 games makes it the rest of the season

 

[tducey]

Poor Washigton, a team that could do so much but is reduced to players getting into fights in the dugout.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Heh

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I was thinking that same thing. Harper's their franchise player and here some dickbag, has-been, rental closer starts a physical dust up in the dugout during a game? If I were GM, he'd be fired and he'd fall down the steps on the way out of the park.

That's what I say. Harper has the potential to be a great player for a long time, and Papelbon has more of his career in the rear-view mirror than out the windshield.

 

[Villain]

Oh, that makes sense. No wonder he was so pissed off. They actually had the gall to ask him to try and pitch more than one inning?

One of his demands in approving the trade was that he'd be the guy to close/finish games. I wonder if that had to do with it.

Now that Beckette is gone, I agree with you. Couple of whiney like-to-dish-it-out-but-can't-take-it bitches. Possibly the two players I've hated the most.

Beckett really impressed me as a member of the Dodgers. He was a good leader as a veteran, pitching was kinda "meh" outside of the no-no in Philly, but yeah he didn't seem to be a problem at all. I wonder if it was because he didn't feel any pressure to perform and wasn't constantly taking shit from the NY/BOS media. No stupid stories about beer and fried chicken in the clubhouse, he was friendly and funny with the LA media and the SNLA behind-the-scenes shows.

I don't know if I was watching him through homer-vision or if he was really just a different dude out in LA. Like he was on vacation or something. I still couldn't stand how long he took between pitches though. Good lord that guy was so slow.

 

[fordman84]

It's basically the remainder of the season after he serves his other suspension from MLB.

Gotcha, hadn't heard about MLB suspension

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Beckett really impressed me as a member of the Dodgers. He was a good leader as a veteran, pitching was kinda "meh" outside of the no-no in Philly, but yeah he didn't seem to be a problem at all. I wonder if it was because he didn't feel any pressure to perform and wasn't constantly taking shit from the NY/BOS media. No stupid stories about beer and fried chicken in the clubhouse, he was friendly and funny with the LA media and the SNLA behind-the-scenes shows.

I don't know if I was watching him through homer-vision or if he was really just a different dude out in LA. Like he was on vacation or something. I still couldn't stand how long he took between pitches though. Good lord that guy was so slow.

My big issue with Beckette is he would straight lose his shit if he felt a hitter was "showing him up" after hitting a HR -- you know, running too slowly, or watching it from the batter's box -- yet if he got a big K, he hand no problem jumping around fist pumping like a lunatic. That's bitch shit right there. If you can't take it, don't dish it out.

For the record, I'm pretty indifferent on running slow, watching HRs, fist pumps or whatever, but I think if you're gonna do all that shit, don't get pissy when others do it to you.

Fuck Beckette.

 

[Villain]

My big issue with Beckette is he would straight lose his shit if he felt a hitter was "showing him up" after hitting a HR -- you know, running too slowly, or watching it from the batter's box -- yet if he got a big K, he hand no problem jumping around fist pumping like a lunatic. That's bitch shit right there. If you can't take it, don't dish it out.

For the record, I'm pretty indifferent on running slow, watching HRs, fist pumps or whatever, but I think if you're gonna do all that shit, don't get pissy when others do it to you.

Fuck Beckette.

I agree with all of that. Maybe he didn't do that on the Dodgers because he was on a team full of players who are the worst culprits - Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez, and of course, the best bat-flipper in the bigs:

Spoiler

 

[navamind]

Mark DeRosa, one of the scrappier players in recent memory, on the Harper/Papelbon feud:

 

[Villain]

I love Mark DeRosa. He's the best guy on MLBN and it's not even close.

 

[bksballer89]

Not only did Washington suspend Jonathan Papelbon for the rest of the year, it pulled the closer's jersey from the Nationals stadium shop today.

 

[calsnowskier]

Not only did Washington suspend Jonathan Papelbon for the rest of the year, it pulled the closer's jersey from the Nationals stadium shop today.

I wonder if Vegas will have a line on his being on the Washington 25-man roster on April 1. That would be an interesting prop-bet.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I wonder if Vegas will have a line on his being on the Washington 25-man roster on April 1. That would be an interesting prop-bet.

I don't think that would, particularly after watching the post game interview with Harper. I think there is no chance of him being on the Nats' roster - I'd bet my middle testicle on it.

 

[navamind]

Why Are Unwritten Rules Disputed and Written Rules Ignored?

 

[Villain]

Gotcha, hadn't heard about MLB suspension

That's for going after Machado, by the way. MLB hasn't done anything about the Harper situation yet.

 

[calsnowskier]

That's for going after Machado, by the way. MLB hasn't done anything about the Harper situation yet.

And I doubt they will. That is a Nats issue. Not a league issue.

 

[The Q]

I don't think it's too big of a deal.

Not hustling can kill your team.

Ask Alex Gordon. I hope that jogging around the bases last year haunts that prick forever.

 

[Villain]

I don't think it's too big of a deal.

Not hustling can kill your team.

Ask Alex Gordon. I hope that jogging around the bases last year haunts that prick forever.

His team was already eliminated so no one is getting haunted if that ball drops. Yes, it's true that he didn't sprint, but he did make it at least to first. It's not like he set his bat down and walked to the dugout.

Could he have legged it out more? Yes.
Was that the play that he needed to be singled out on by a newcomer relief pitcher? Hell no.

If Harper isn't hustling on dropped-third strikes that he might've made it safely to first on, then you have a problem. Is Papelbon the guy to address that problem? Never. Not on this Nationals team. Ryan Zimmerman or Jayson Werth can pull him aside if they feel the need to. Werth knows how to hustle, is a fellow outfielder, and is a veteran who has been-there-done-that.

If Papelbon really and truly felt like something needed to be done (I doubt it, I think he was picking a fight because of the Machado comments), then he should've approached Werth or one of the coaches and told them he was concerned and asked them to address it.

 

[The Q]

His team was already eliminated so no one is getting haunted if that ball drops. Yes, it's true that he didn't sprint, but he did make it at least to first. It's not like he set his bat down and walked to the dugout.

Could he have legged it out more? Yes.
Was that the play that he needed to be singled out on by a newcomer relief pitcher? Hell no.

If Harper isn't hustling on dropped-third strikes that he might've made it safely to first on, then you have a problem. Is Papelbon the guy to address that problem? Never. Not on this Nationals team. Ryan Zimmerman or Jayson Werth can pull him aside if they feel the need to. Werth knows how to hustle, is a fellow outfielder, and is a veteran who has been-there-done-that.

If Papelbon really and truly felt like something needed to be done (I doubt it, I think he was picking a fight because of the Machado comments), then he should've approached Werth or one of the coaches and told them he was concerned and asked them to address it.

I don't think any of what you're saying is unfair.

But Paps is a long time big league veteran. And it's still a bad example to set for the rest of the team not legging things out. I get it that 162 games is a long time.

But again, Alex Gordon. Not legging it out in game 7. How'd that work out for them?

He didn't learn that just in one night. It might not hurt the Nats this year. But if he doesn't let something out in the playoffs...it's a problem.