Giants rained out for opener in D.C., will play two Sunday
But lingering effect takes toll on Morse, who has been out of sight since incident
More than 10 weeks have passed since Hunter Strickland hit Bryce Harper with a pitch and set off a mano a mano brawl in front of the mound.
So Giants manager Bruce Bochy bristled a bit when asked if he had talked to his right-handed reliever prior to this weekend’s renewal of acquaintances at Nationals Park, the start of which was delayed by Friday night’s rainout and rescheduled as a split doubleheader on Sunday.
“It’s behind us,” said Bochy, as the Giants took batting practice Friday. “I had forgotten about it till you brought it up.”
There is one person who hasn’t forgotten about it, because it’s hard to forget the last moment of your major league career.
Michael Morse sustained a concussion when he tried to separate Harper and Strickland, and he ended up knocking heads with Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija.
Morse was diagnosed with the concussion the day after the May 29 fight and placed on the disabled list. That’s where he remains, out of sight and out of mind after going back to his family in the Miami area.
Bochy said he tried to call Morse earlier this week, and he heard from the training staff that the former World Series hero would visit the team at Marlins Park on Tuesday.
There has been no discussion of putting Morse on the active roster as a September call-up, Bochy said. It appears his career is over at this point.
The collision with Samardzija ended a second act that probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer, anyway. The Giants conceded the season in the following weeks, and as great a story as Morse was when he came out of retirement to bash the ball in spring training, he wouldn’t have served much purpose on a team that is looking to the future with younger players.
Still, it is a sad and unfortunate way for things to end. Awkward, too.
In the aftermath of the fight, Harper thanked Morse, a former teammate, for preventing him from getting sucker punched.
“I’m kind of thankful that Mikey Mo and Samardzija collided, because Samardzija saw blood a little bit, I thought,” Harper said at the time. “I’m very thankful for Mikey Mo.”
Was Morse coming to the defense of a former teammate instead of supporting his current mates? Was he ostracized as a result?
It’s hard to make that claim when so many other Giants wanted nothing to do with Strickland’s assault to avenge a three-year-old grudge that dated back to the 2014 NL Division Series. Catcher Buster Posey stood behind the plate and watched as Harper charged the mound and sidearmchucked his helmet. Giants infielders kept their distance, too.
Samardzija was the first to reach the two combatants – and he appeared to have a clenched fist guided at Harper’s jaw before he and Morse knocked heads in a swirl of waving, brown hair.
There probably won’t be any escalation of tensions in this three-game series at Nationals Park. The Giants and Nats played two games at AT&T Park after the Harper-Strickland fight without incident, even though Samardzija started one of them. Both Strickland and Harper have served their suspensions.
Most likely, it’ll be business as usual – and while it could get interesting if Strickland faces Harper, I’d wager that Bochy won’t let that happen. His pitcher went rogue on him once already. Managers do not like to have their authority challenged.
For Morse, though, the consequences of that fight continue to linger.
• Denard Span walked out of Nationals Park, wearing his street clothes and a look of wonderment.
“They haven’t said anything to you guys yet?” he said to reporters.
Turns out the White House isn’t the only institution here having internal communication issues. More than a half hour after the first Giants players began to leave the premises, the Nationals were still letting their fans fidget in the damp concourse.
With one big league team actually in the stadium, the Nationals finally announced the obvious after a more than 3-hour wait. The announcement likely was delayed while club officials debated whether to reschedule a doubleheader for today, when the forecast is just as dicey, or on Sunday.
The first pitch for Game 1 Sunday will be moved up from 10:35 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. PDT so that the Nationals can clear the stadium and keep their gate receipts. The second game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. PDT.
Bochy said he planned to keep his rotation in order. So Chris Stratton would start on Saturday, with Samardzija and Matt Moore in Sunday’s doubleheader.
The Giants and Nationals can add a 26th man to the roster on Sunday, but only for the second game.
• The Giants plan to activate right-hander Mark Melancon from the disabled list on Saturday, but it sure sounds as if the $62 million closer’s elbow discomfort remains an ongoing battle.
Asked if Melancon were finally past the pronator strain in his elbow that has put him on the DL twice this season, or if he merely improved to the point where he can pitch, Bochy chose the latter description.
“He feels like he’s pitchable,” Bochy said. “In our bullpen, he can contribute and help out. That’s what he wants to do.”
Melancon, 32, hasn’t pitched since June 27 and has a 4.35 ERA in 22 appearances. He has blown four of 15 save opportunities, including one on opening day at Arizona.
Meanwhile, right-hander Sam Dyson has a 2.22 ERA in 23 appearances, is 8 for 9 in save chances and there would appear to be no reason – aside from a nod to Melancon’s hefty contract – to remove him from the closer role.
Bochy has said Melancon would be the closer sometime down the road. But to begin, the manager would prefer to use Melancon in a lower leverage situation or two.
“Still, if it’s a close game, I’ll use him,” Bochy said.
• Second baseman Miguel Gomez was feeling better three days after he injured his knee while running down the first base line. “I asked him if he could outrun me,” Bochy said.
• Johnny Cueto (strained flexor muscle in forearm) began playing very light catch – his first time picking up a baseball since he left his rehab start at Single-A San Jose because of elbow discomfort.