Michael Morse was removed from today's Nationals victory in the middle of the fourth inning, a surprise mid-game benching the club said was due to right thumb soreness even though manager Davey Johnson later cited an issue with Morse's hand and Morse himself insisted nothing was physically wrong."My hand feels fine," Morse said. "My hand feels good."
Morse has dealt with two separate nagging injuries over the last month. His thumb acted up in mid-August while the Nationals were playing in San Francisco, the result of being jammed on several inside pitches. Then on Aug. 24 in Philadelphia, he was struck by a pitch on the outside of his right hand, knocking him out of the entire series.
Morse hadn't noted any problems with either area since and appeared to be fine through the first 3 1/2 innings of today's game against the Cubs. But when the top of the fourth ended with Morse mimicking a catch in left field as teammate Bryce Harper actually snagged the flyball a few feet away, Morse and Johnson were seen having an animated discussion as soon as he returned to the dugout.
Roger Bernadina then came up to bat for Morse to lead off the bottom of the fourth and took his spot in left field the following inning.
Several innings later, the Nationals announced Morse departed the game with "right thumb soreness."
"Morse was complaining about his thumb/hand, where he got hit, was acting up," Johnson said after the game. "I knew their pitcher was going to pound him in, and I didn't want to aggravate it worse. He didn't want to come out. I just said: 'You're coming out.' I don't need you aggravating [it]."
Morse later insisted the thumb and hand injuries were not connected in any way and insisted neither was bothering him enough to warrant removal from today's game.
Asked if Johnson took him out for precautionary reasons, the outfielder said: "I don't know. I have no clue. Whatever he says."
Johnson did say he expects to have Morse back in his lineup for tomorrow night's game.
18 comments:
Hmmmmmmm.
Hope he's okay. I wondered whether it might be his hand after he was pulled.
This sounds like reporters stirring up the pot to me. This team has gone almost an entire year with no internal controversy,. Let's keep it that way, put it to rest.
Has Davey ever been ejected since he took over? Talking about controversy made me think of it. By the way, Davey had words with an ump today over something. No clue, didn't pick up on anything.
I prefer them play it safe at this point.
Swami, it's been a while since Davey last got the thumb, about this time last year.
Until Bryce's ejection, NO Nats had been ejected this year.
Hmmm I guess we'll see what happens over the next month relative to Mikey Mo and Davey ... Corey Brown and his 25 homers are due to arrive for tomorrow's game.
I don't think it's nothing - Morse was shaking his hand on the way to 1B in yesterday's game, as if he'd hurt it--I don't remember which inning.
Was Davey upset over Morse 'goofing around' in the outfield during a play -- where harper caught a fly ball and MOrse was acting to playful and goofy?
I think Davey said something to him and Davey got the wrong response. Results: Bernie, grab a bat. You're up.
"Morse was complaining about his thumb/hand, where he got hit, was acting up," Johnson said after the game. "I knew their pitcher was going to pound him in, and I didn't want to aggravate it worse. He didn't want to come out. I just said: 'You're coming out.' I don't need you aggravating [it]."
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Davey probably wasn't too happy in a 1-0 game some goofing around out there with a veteran player in front of a 19 year old rookie. The view from the dugout is far different than the view on TV. It may have looked to Davey like Morse jumped right in front of Harp.
Hhover, I'd noticed him shaking his hand more than once on recent broadcasts.
Just maybe its both ... its time to start the training and Shinsei Davey wants a somewhat more serious approach to the game. Nothing has been won yet and the hardest fought games are yet to come. Plus there's Morse's dearth of power production which can be attributed to the hand/thumb injury.
I think someone said there's a lot there? I think there's a lot there too.
Shinsei Davey? I think that's a promotion. Sensei, maybe. But there is plenty there, no question about it.
Lots of speculation in the article and in the posts, which is unfair to both men involved. None of you really know what went down. Unless something changes, I'm taking Davey at his word. I hate it when the press implies something just to stir the pot.
The press is reporting what they and the fans actually saw. I thought it was weird when he pretended to catch the ball, and also thought that it could have distracted Harper and caused an error. It looked to me like Morse was annoyed that he was called off by Harper. Anyway, those were my reactions as it happened.
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