Getting Swept By the Phillies Caused Angry Yelling Among First Place Nationals

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Sure, the Phillies have had a pretty darn crappy season in 2012 and the Washington Nationals have played fantastic ball for the better part of the summer, good enough to be the National League favorites with just about a month left in the season, but damn it if I'm not going to thoroughly enjoy sweeping them for one weekend in August. And extra bonus points for the sweep at the hands of the Fightins that causes a minor shouting match between Nationals Manager Davey Johnson and GM Mike Rizzo.

As the story goes, following yesterday's Phillies victory behind the handy work of one Clifton Phifer Lee, reporters heard Johnson screaming in the clubhouse. As told by the Nats beat writers:

"Why don't you come down here and manage this team!" At which
point Nationals PR director John Dever asked all of us to head back
outside the clubhouse.

Yeah! Why don't you!

Nationals beat writer Mark Zuckerman goes on to poo-poo the situation.

It all sounds like juicy and salacious stuff, because it's the kind of
outburst that rarely takes place within earshot of reporters. But that's
the key point: This stuff rarely takes place within earshot of
reporters. That doesn't mean it doesn't take place when reporters are
nowhere in sight.

And finally:

The level of respect Rizzo has for Johnson and vice
versa is as strong as you'll find between any manager and GM in
baseball.

Oh. Well that's just not as fun as we were hoping for when we first heard of the great quote above.

As Cliff Lee might say, "Whatever."

Regardless of the outburst not turning into an all out coup in Washington, I think Phillies fans can still enjoy the sweep that took place at Citizens Bank Park over the weekend. If you know you're gonna lose the war, gotta enjoy the minor victories along the way a little bit more.

Plus, causing grown men to yell at one another is always fun.

For real insight on the actual happenings of the Nationals, check out the original article.

>>Heated words, but no rift between Johnson and Rizzo [CSN Wash]

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