Matt Williams: "I want Bryce to be Bryce"

Nationals manager Matt Williams returns to the dugout tonight after being tossed for defending Bryce Harper in the third inning of Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Yankees.

"Without getting in to what happened three days ago, I know nobody's going to let it go," Williams said before tonight's game. "I would encourage everybody to do so because we're now playing the Phillies."

Williams indicated he has not heard anything from Major League Baseball regarding home plate umpire Marvin Hudson's controversial ejection of Harper. The 22-year-old star clearly thought Hudson's quick hook was unwarranted.

"I don't think 40,000 people came to watch him ump tonight," Harper said after Wednesday's game. "Plain and simple. Plain and simple. I really don't think they did. Especially when we're playing the Yankees. The Yankees are a good team, we're a good team and we're rolling. I don't want to get tossed. There's no reason for me to get tossed in that situation. I don't think I did anything bad to get tossed. Maybe he just had a bad morning or he didn't get his coffee."

Williams was asked today whether he has spoken to Harper about being careful with his actions toward the umpires.

"I don't know if you want to go to that point," Williams said. "What we love about Bryce is his passion and the way he plays the game. So without commenting on it, I would like to leave Bryce where Bryce is at because he's doing pretty darn good. Of course, we want him to be in ballgames and that's important for us too. But I can't take away his competitive nature because that's what makes him really good. There are conversations that happen from time to time. We'll leave it at that."

Williams had the reputation for being one of the game's most intense competitors during his 17-year career in the big leagues. Now as a manager, he knows you can't create the competitive level that players bring to the table. Sure you can motivate, but some players are born with a certain drive. Williams prefers to be given the luxury of coaching a player whose emotions need to be harnessed rather than forced out.

"I want Bryce to be the kind of player that he is currently and I don't know anybody in the right mind that wouldn't," Williams said. "So the intensity and the passion and the way he plays the game is good for our club. It's good for this city and it's good for Bryce because that's the way he knows how to play. Over time, things change. As you get deeper into a career things change. But for right now, I want Bryce to be Bryce."

Harper, the reigning back-to-back National League Player of the Week, has to be salivating coming into tonight against Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan. Harper has homered in both games that O'Sullivan has pitched against the Nats this year. Both bombs came in the first inning, a solo shot on April 12 and a three-run blast on April 17.