A Phillies fan wrote the Washington Post to defend Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan, who was suspended seven games on Wednesday for his actions in a game in Philadelphia last weekend.Morgan reportedly threw a ball into the stands at a heckler that hit another fan. MLB called Morgan's actions "inappropriate."
Adam Holman was sitting in the same section and e-mailed the Post his view of the events, saying Morgan's toss was a "rainbow-style" throw and directed at a kid. Here's the Post 's Adam Kilgore with a synopsis of Holman's letter:
In Holman's recollection, Morgan began being heckled in the fourth or fifth inning. One made fun of how Morgan wore his socks high and pants baggy. Morgan, Holman wrote, laughed at some of the comments.
While the Nationals warmed up in the bottom of the eighth inning, Morgan played catch with left fielder Roger Bernadina. Before the inning started, Morgan looked at the crowd. A boy of about 12, Holman recalled, leaned over a railing and called for the ball.
Standing 30 or so feet away, Holman wrote, Morgan lobbed the ball "rainbow-style" in the direction of the boy. The ball sailed over the boy and smacked a fan who was looking in a different direction in the shoulder.
"It wasn't even directed towards the heckler," Holman wrote. "It's unfortunate that the ball was overthrown, but it shouldn't be Morgan's fault that the one guy in the section who wasn't paying attention got hit, there were a number of us standing up trying to catch the ball." Morgan has appealed the suspension, but you can expect his agent will get in touch with Mr. Holman quicker than Morgan goes first-to-third.
-- C. Trent Rosecrans
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