If you're keeping score at home, Nationals fans, then here's your recap: The lightning-rod closer who grabbed the NL MVP candidate by the throat apologized for the dugout scuffle after being sent back out to pitch the ninth inning.
Manager Matt Williams, questioned after the game, appeared to downplay the situation, especially his decision to keep Jonathan Papelbon in the game after he tangled with Bryce Harper.
MORE: 15 times Papelbon was the worst | Scherzer shows up Williams
“At the time it was a tie game," Williams told reporters (via USA Today). He’s our closer.”
At best, Williams appeared clueless. At worst, he appeared to condone Papelbon's actions.
However, Williams later clarified things after seeing the video of the incident, the Washington Post reported.
Matt Williams clarifies: he did not see video of Papelbon-Harper incident until after fan jersey giveaway & he spoke with reporters. (1/2)
— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) September 28, 2015MW was at other end of dugout. Had he known severity of fight, he said he would "absolutely not" have used Papelbon for 9th inning. (2/3)
— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) September 28, 2015Williams said behavior like that is not acceptable. "I’m livid about it." (3/3)
— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) September 28, 2015“Now that I’ve had a chance to view the videotape, I would absolutely not have sent him back out there,” Williams said Sunday night. “I didn’t have the luxury of viewing that at that time, with one out in the eighth inning. And I’m livid about it.”
In Williams' defense, dugouts can be very crowded in September. Working against him: A season's worth of miscues and missteps by his team, six weeks' worth of disruption by Papelbon and his continuing tone deafness to this long Nationals nightmare.
