Jonathan Papelbon gets ejected, Manny Machado calls him a ‘coward’
Jonathan Papelbon isn’t getting any calmer in his 11th year in the league.
Manny Machado took some extra time to admire his seventh-inning homer in the Orioles’ 4-3 win over the Nationals Wednesday night. And Papelbon entered the game in the ninth, apparently unhappy with Machado.
Papelbon pegged Machado on the third pitch of the at-bat.
“That was so obvious it’s ridiculous,’’ the broadcaster said.
Machado threw his bat and started yelling at Papelbon, who was eventually ejected from the game but was allowed to watch from the dugout.
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Machado called Papelbon out after the game, saying “that’s coward stuff.’’
Papelbon dodged an admission of malintent. He said he was already guilty in the court of public opinion.
“They just said they deemed it intentional,’’ Papelbon told CSNMA.com. “They didn’t give me any reason. I don’t know if they have to give me a reason or not. But perception is reality. If Manny thinks I hit him, then that’s what he thinks. I’m not going to sit here and go back and forth whether I did or whether I didn’t, cause it doesn’t matter. If he thinks I did, that’s what he thinks.’’
Arguments like this tend to beget more arguments and more batters getting struck by pitches.
“I’ll probably get drilled tomorrow,’’ Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper said, via CBSSports.com.
The two teams will play their third and final game of the series on Thursday. And apparently, Harper will be on-guard.
h/t — Deadspin.com
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