Matt Lecroy is the new bullpen coach of the Nats, having been hired over the winter by new manager Matt Williams. Several weeks ago a TV videoclip of Lecroy dashing in from the bullpen went viral, as a little “dustup” evolved into a possible bench-clearing brawl during a Nats game.  The video looked like a Marx Brothers “Chinese fire-drill” with Lecroy at first leading the charge, then slowly fading as the 20-something pitchers quickly left him in their dust:)  He subsequently fell down (tripped over himself?) and never arrived at the two-team face-off in the infield (no punches were thrown and things simmered down quickly).  The fact that the middle-aged Lecroy is more than several pounds over-weight added to the comical video!

Fast-forward to Friday night’s game (May 2) and another bench-clearing face-off between the Nats and Phillies.  The bullpen gates open and out charges Lecroy, followed by the much younger pen denizens (you just can’t make this stuff up!) again.  Again no punches were thrown and in the post-games press conferences the protagonists (Cliff Lee and Denard Spann) both claimed through clenched teeth and straight faces that they were not angry with each other:)  Stay with me here…………..

Wait for it……………

A footnote in today’s Washington Post has a story about the one injury from Friday night’s potential armageddon;  Matt Lecroy is now laid up with a pulled muscle in one leg:)  Me thinks the team might want to put the new bullpen coach on a leash?