Right about now, if there’s a brawl or some sort of MLB controversy, you can assume Nationals leadoff man Nyjer Morgan is probably right in the middle of it. And he was again last night. Nats and Marlins and it actually started the night before when Morgan slammed into Florida catcher Brett Hayes in the 10th inning. Hayes separated his shoulder on the play, but I don’t know why the Marlins were so hot. Sure, Morgan could have slid; may have even been safe if he did. But that wasn’t Pete Rose running Ray Fosse into the dugout in an exhibition game. That was a leadoff man burying the catcher, in the 10th, in a tie game, trying to win. But the Marlins didn’t think he needed to do it, didn’t like Hayes getting hurt, and really don’t like Morgan so they dotted him last night in the fourth. At that point, it probably would have been over, except down 11 runs, Morgan swiped a couple of bags. The Marlins, already infuriated by the guy, and thinking that he violated one of baseball’s archaic codes only understood by those who play the game, set out to teach the guy a lesson once and for all. So pitcher Chris Volstad threw behind him in the 6th and Morgan charged the mound. And this wasn’t for show. This was a great baseball brawl.

Morgan didn’t rush the bump for show, he went with bad intentions, looking to land a haymaker on a guy nearly a foot taller than him, and left his feet to do it. That’s known in MMA circles as a superman punch. And it turns lights out, if you land it. But if you don’t, you leave yourself wide open, which is what Morgan did and why first baseman Gaby Sanchez was able to lay him out with a perfectly executed flying, forearm shiver. That was brilliant. Again, far be it for me to try to crack the code, but isn’t there something in the code about coaches coming after players during a brawl. That coaches aren’t supposed to tangle with players. Isn’t that Nats coach Pat Listach running into Volstad during the fight? I thought that wasn’t allowed. He better have been pushed into him or Don Zimmer going after Pedro Martinez is going to be very disappointed in you, Pat. As for Nyjer, going out of his way to lay out a catcher who didn’t have the ball like he did a few days ago against St. Louis…that’s bad. Laying out Hayes a couple of nights ago, borderline. But I don’t have a problem with him running while down 11 runs. If he were up by 11, he should get one in the ear hole, but you can run as much as you want if you’re losing. That said, this Cat is not making friends and influencing people, including Bob Watson, who I’m sure will be looking to bring the lumber.