Already appealing a seven-game suspension for throwing a baseball into the crowd in anger and hitting a fan in Philadelphia on August 21st, Nationals OF Nyjer Morgan is at the center of a bench-clearing brawl in today’s 16 – 10 loss to the Florida Marlins. The brawl starts when Chris Volstad thows a ball behind Morgan, who has already been hit by a pitch earlier in the game; Morgan charges the mound and throws a punch at Volstad before 1B Gaby Sanchez tackles him. He needs to be escorted from the field, with his shirt ripped and his face bruised, but pounds his chest and screams at the crowd as he departs. He, Volstad, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez and reliever Jose Veras are all ejected from the game after the dust settles, then one inning later, Nats manager Jim Riggleman and P Doug Slaten are also thrown out when Sanchez is hit by a pitch. The trouble started the day before, when Morgan slammed into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes in the 10th inning, separating his shoulder; he infuriates his opponents further when, after his hit-by-pitch, he steals second and third base even though his team trails, 14 – 3. In two days, the National League will hand out suspensions to all involved, including 8 games for Morgan, 6 for Volstad and shorter suspensions for both managers, Nats coach Pat Listach, Slaten, Sanchez and Marlins reliever Alex Sanabia, while Veras escapes with a simple fine and warning. The league cites the succession of incidents in which Morgan has been involved in recent days to explain the unusually long verdict. Morgan will appeal, but now faces the prospect of two weeks of forced inaction.

This Day In Baseball

On September 1, 2010 — Already appealing a seven-game suspension for throwing a baseball into the crowd in anger and hitting a fan in Philadelphia on August 21st, Nationals OF Nyjer Morgan is at the center of a bench-clearing brawl in today’s 16 – 10 loss to the Florida Marlins. The brawl starts when Chris Volstad thows a ball behind Morgan, who has already been hit by a pitch earlier in the game; Morgan charges the mound and throws a punch at Volstad before 1B Gaby Sanchez tackles him. He needs to be escorted from the field, with his shirt ripped and his face bruised, but pounds his chest and screams at the crowd as he departs. He, Volstad, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez and reliever Jose Veras are all ejected from the game after the dust settles, then one inning later, Nats manager Jim Riggleman and P Doug Slaten are also thrown out when Sanchez is hit by a pitch. The trouble started the day before, when Morgan slammed into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes in the 10th inning, separating his shoulder; he infuriates his opponents further when, after his hit-by-pitch, he steals second and third base even though his team trails, 14 – 3. In two days, the National League will hand out suspensions to all involved, including 8 games for Morgan, 6 for Volstad and shorter suspensions for both managers, Nats coach Pat Listach, Slaten, Sanchez and Marlins reliever Alex Sanabia, while Veras escapes with a simple fine and warning. The league cites the succession of incidents in which Morgan has been involved in recent days to explain the unusually long verdict. Morgan will appeal, but now faces the prospect of two weeks of forced inaction.

 

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Sources:
Baseball Reference September 1
National Pastime
Retro Sheet
Hall of Fame
SABR Games Project
Replay The Game