Williams on McLouth being done for the year and Harper's baserunning blunder
By Byron Kerr
Nationals manager Matt Williams confirmed that outfielder Nate McLouth has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and is done for the season.
McLouth had been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 (retroactive to Aug. 2) with right shoulder inflammation. An MRI athrogram and doctors' consultation confirmed the seriousness of the injury. Williams said McLouth will have surgery on Thursday.
"It's something he's been dealing with all year," Williams said. "For me, the symptoms got bad after that game in Miami. He dove for that ball and it hasn't gotten any better since. He had the arthrogram. He had a couple of opinions on it. It's best that he gets that fixed because it just hasn't been getting any better."
Had the injury affected McLouth's play the whole season?
"Everybody's got a little bit of something in their throwing shoulder," Williams said. "But it was manageable. Played all year last year and this year up to Miami. I think that really that dive really hurt him and it just hasn't been able to progress back to where he wanted it to be since that date. So he decided to go ahead and get it fixed and be ready for next spring."
Did McLouth believe the injury adversely affected his offense this season? McLouth struggled to a .173 average in 79 games.
"No player will ever say," Williams said. "You never are going to admit to something bothering you to give (a reason for a) lack of production."
Williams felt it was important to get the surgery done this week so the veteran will be healthy and ready to go for spring training in 2015.
"It's a question now of getting it fixed and having him ready for next spring," Williams said. "The fact that he's getting it done now gives him time to heal and rehab and get back. Guys have it done in the offseason and they are ready to go in spring training. It's a little different for a pitcher, of course. He should be good."
Williams was asked about Bryce Harper's single that turned into an out in the bottom of the fifth Monday against the Diamondbacks. Harper singled to right field, but then got caught rounding first too far and was tagged out on a throw from the right fielder to the shortstop.
Williams explained the situation and what Harper will learn from the mistake.
"It's the first hit of the inning," Williams said. "I would say that it's a little overaggressive. Now if it's a ball down in the corner and he's trying to stretch a single into a double, that's one thing. But it was a little overaggressive. He got out there and tried to make a play happen that didn't need to be made.
"That's part of a learning curve. That is a young player trying to be aggressive and do something for his team. So in that regard, I never have a problem with guys trying to be aggressive, but I also want Bryce to understand the situation of the game.
"Granted, we want a guy on second base to score a run. But the next guy can get a base hit and get him to third. So that's important, too. It's part of his learning curve and part of the maturation process that he'll go through. And we certainly talk about it."
Had the injury affected McLouth's play the whole season?
"Everybody's got a little bit of something in their throwing shoulder," Williams said. "But it was manageable. Played all year last year and this year up to Miami. I think that really that dive really hurt him and it just hasn't been able to progress back to where he wanted it to be since that date. So he decided to go ahead and get it fixed and be ready for next spring."
Did McLouth believe the injury adversely affected his offense this season? McLouth struggled to a .173 average in 79 games.
"No player will ever say," Williams said. "You never are going to admit to something bothering you to give (a reason for a) lack of production."
Williams felt it was important to get the surgery done this week so the veteran will be healthy and ready to go for spring training in 2015.
"It's a question now of getting it fixed and having him ready for next spring," Williams said. "The fact that he's getting it done now gives him time to heal and rehab and get back. Guys have it done in the offseason and they are ready to go in spring training. It's a little different for a pitcher, of course. He should be good."
Williams was asked about Bryce Harper's single that turned into an out in the bottom of the fifth Monday against the Diamondbacks. Harper singled to right field, but then got caught rounding first too far and was tagged out on a throw from the right fielder to the shortstop.
Williams explained the situation and what Harper will learn from the mistake.
"It's the first hit of the inning," Williams said. "I would say that it's a little overaggressive. Now if it's a ball down in the corner and he's trying to stretch a single into a double, that's one thing. But it was a little overaggressive. He got out there and tried to make a play happen that didn't need to be made.
"That's part of a learning curve. That is a young player trying to be aggressive and do something for his team. So in that regard, I never have a problem with guys trying to be aggressive, but I also want Bryce to understand the situation of the game.
"Granted, we want a guy on second base to score a run. But the next guy can get a base hit and get him to third. So that's important, too. It's part of his learning curve and part of the maturation process that he'll go through. And we certainly talk about it."
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