Looking back at the Nats' top 10 quotes from the second half: "It's pretty tired"

When we reflected on the Nationals' top 10 quotes of the first half of the season during the All-Star break, the list was mostly filled with awestruck comments after Bryce Harper homers or sheer euphoria following epic comebacks. Back then the Nationals held a two-game division lead over the Mets.

Now as we take inventory of the most significant words uttered during the Nationals' second half collapse, we can't help but notice the theme of the Jonathan Papelbon disturbance littered throughout.

10. Oct. 3, Max Scherzer: "I think I tasted some chocolate sauce. I just know I had a ton of beer. ... There was a huge beer shower in the clubhouse. It was freezing cold. Somewhere I think there was chocolate sauce. It was too cold to really know."

This was Scherzer describing the celebration in the Nationals clubhouse at Citi Field moments after becoming just the sixth pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw two no-hitters in a season. Scherzer's career-high 17 strikeouts set a Nationals record and matched Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan for most strikeouts in a no-hitter in baseball's storied history.

9. July 29, Papelbon: "I imagine that we'll be able to create a good (rapport) and be able to go out there and be a 1-2 punch in baseball that is feared and can help us hoist a trophy at the end with champagne all over it."

Well, that didn't come close to happening. In any event, these were Papelbon's comments about working with Drew Storen upon arriving in Miami after Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo acquired the veteran closer a few days before the trade deadline.

8. August 29, Denard Span: "It's been a terrible eight months for me."

Injuries tore through the Nationals clubhouse all year long, but few were as affected as Span. This was a dejected Span speaking in front of his locker for the last time all season and most likely the last time ever after realizing he needed season-ending hip surgery. In only 61 games, Span batted .301 with five homers, 17 doubles, 22 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

7. Sept. 15, Harper: "Truly, I love him as a manager. Flat out, I absolutely do and if I didn't, everybody would know because I'm not shy to say things. Just being able to have the fire, the intensity that he has and the way he approaches every single day. He wants us to be perfect and I love that as a manager."

Call it a ringing endorsement or vote of confidence from Harper for Matt Williams, it didn't work. Harper's powerful comments came moments after he pounded two homers and drove in all four runs in the Nationals' 4-0 shutout win over the Phillies.

6. July 30, Papelbon: "I was in the shower with Storen. I said, 'Can you show me that slider grip tomorrow?' He was really, really good."

Papelbon's candor will undoubtedly be missed if Rizzo opts to dump the closer this offseason. This "after hours" comment fooled us in many ways. It followed the first time Storen and Papelbon combined to finish off a win for the Nationals. Obviously, that wasn't a recurring situation over the final two months.

5. Sept. 16, Harper: "Everybody's gonna expect 40 a year every time I play now."

Harper's seventh-inning moonshot in the 12-2 win made him the sixth-youngest to player in Major League Baseball history to reach 40 home runs in a season. The other players younger than Harper to accomplish the feat are Mel Ott (1929), Eddie Matthews (1953), Johnny Bench (1970), Joe DiMaggio (1937) and Juan Gonzalez (1992).

4. Sept. 26, Jayson Werth: "I never thought we'd end up here. Obviously, we've underachieved. We haven't played well. We've done a lot of things that got us here. But I would've never guess that. I would've never thought we'd be sitting here having this conversation with seven or eight games left. Would've bet the other way."

This was the grizzled veteran leaning back in his locker showing disbelief moments after the Mets eliminated the Nationals from a postseason almost everyone was certain they were going to be major factor in when the year began.

3. Sept. 23, Harper: "I mean Manny (Machado) freaking hit a homer and walked it off and somebody drilled him. It's pretty tired. It's one of those situations where it happens. I don't know. I'll probably get drilled tomorrow. We'll see what happens."

The slugger uttered these words after Papelbon beaned Machado. Harper's public airing of his frustrations apparently set off Papelbon and then all hell broke loose a few days later.

2. Sept. 28, Harper: "I don't know? It's something that if you're in a bar or if you're in the dugout or if you're anywhere, if somebody grabs your neck, your first reaction is to do what I did, I guess."

A day after the brouhaha with Papelbon in the dugout, Harper stood in front of his locker attempting to explain why he was punished for his actions in the fight. A reporter shouted, "Papelbon grabbed your neck. What did they expect you to do?"

1. Sept. 27, Williams: "He's our closer."

Williams repeated this three separate times as I questioned him why he sent Papelbon back in the game to pitch the ninth inning after the closer placed his hands around Harper's throat during the dugout brawl. The writing was already on the wall for Williams' dismissal, but this clueless and defiant exchange revealed how out of touch the then Nationals manager truly was, especially throughout the second half of the season.