Blow the whistle

by Phil Wood

I won't pretend to know what's happening with Nyjer Morgan this past week. His on-field behavior, at times, has bordered on the bizarre, and he's the only one who knows why.

Running into Florida catcher Brett Hayes Tuesday night - and getting tagged out - was a play that bore a strong resemblance to Pete Rose bowling over Ray Fosse to score the winning run in the 1970 All-Star Game.

In that case, Rose was safe, and Fosse was dazed. Rose was praised in most corners for his aggressiveness; had he been tagged out, it might have been a different story, or perhaps not, given Rose's status in the game at that time. We'll never know.

Tonight, once Morgan was hit by Chris Volstad's pitch in the fourth inning, the situation should have been over with. Morgan's aggressiveness in stealing second and third was - apparently - seen as rubbing the Marlins' noses in it.

Volstad's decision to throw behind Nyjer in the sixth inning was ill-advised; no one should have been surprised Morgan charged the mound and the benches emptied.

Morgan's future with the Nationals, which seemed so bright a year ago, now seems to be up in the air. He has several marketable skills, but seems to play a little out-of-control at times.

Nyjer already has one suspension under appeal; tonight's scrum may well produce another.