The defining moment of the John McLaren (interim) Era

That's it right there, above: John McLaren going ballistic and getting ejected from Friday night's game, an emotional roller coaster that was (of course) eventually won by the Nats under acting interim manager Trent Jewett's watch after 14 wild innings. I mean, we sort of knew going into it that McLaren had the potential to go off, but didn't think he'd get ejected in his first game as interim manager.

On Saturday, with McLaren on his best behavior on the bench for all nine innings, the Natsfailed to take advantage of 2 1/3 innings of emergency relief from Brian Bruney, then ran into a Jake Peavy buzzsaw.

After the game, Mike Rizzo announced that McLaren was being removed from the bench entirely, and reassigned due to McLaren's apparent loyalty to Riggleman. Here's Rizzo:

"John and I had a long discussion. We're going to reassign him to a position to assist me in scouting and other duties, in a non-uniform capacity. ...I think he had an allegiance to Jim Riggleman and had some thoughts about really wanting to get out of uniform and into trying something different."
(Mike Rizzo, via Mark Zuckerman/CSNWashington.com, 6/25/2011)

So, unless McLaren gets himself ejected from Sunday's game in spectacular fashion -- his last game in a Nationals uni before Davey Johnson takes over for the rest of the season -- , we're going to go out on a limb and call Friday night's ejection THE defining moment of the John McLaren Era for the Washington Nationals. And it was awesome.

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Comments

[Mark in Arlington]

We all hope that the team continues to play well, but if McLaren giving the umpire and crew what for and the team hanging in there to win in 14 innings is the high water mark of the season - and just one day after Riggleman leaves in a huff - then agree: it was awesome.

[Mark in Arlington]

Oh, Jeez! So close to an out (in Sunday's ballgame), and so close to another tirade!

[Nats Enquirer]

@Arlington - was thinking it was ON for a minute there, but he kept his lid on this time. Oh well...