Washington Nationals reliever Jonathan Papelbon has always been known for inspiring hot opinions. Whether he's commenting about being traded to a better team or making an obscene gesture directed at the fans, Papelbon always seems to put himself in controversial situations.
At this point, it's not just the fans who have noticed. Papelbon's actions, specifically the choking of National League MVP Bryce Harper, have now garnered attention from those in government.
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was recently asked how "his" Nats were going to bounce back this season. After an audible groan, McConnell says the first step is getting rid of Papelbon.
McConnell follows that up by saying the team probably needs another outfielder since Jayson Werth is aging and isn't playing many games anymore. He then begins talking about the team's rotation, and even mentions superstar prospect Lucas Giolito as a replacement for Jordan Zimmermann.
It's a dangerous game when politicians try to talk about sports. Most of them insist they are big fans of their team, but then resort to pretty casual analysis of the club. Based on McConnell's answer, he does not fall into this category.
Everyone knows about the Harper/Papelbon spat at this point, but few Senators would likely know Giolito by name. So, we're giving him credit for that. Mitch McConnell is actually a Nationals fan, not the type of person just looking to gain support by appealing to the local sports nuts.
As for his strategies on improving the club ... well ... he's got some good ideas. The Nationals would probably be better off getting rid of Papelbon, especially after he filed a grievance against the club. On top of that, they could use help in both areas McConnell mentioned.
Papelbon remains the top focus. If McConnell truly loved his club, maybe he would bring some new legislation to Congress forcing another team to take the reliever off the Nationals hands.
That would probably be a waste of everyone's time, but it could also be an opportunity to unite both parties in support of one cause. Think about that for a minute, a scenario exists where Jonathan Papelbon's actions could bring people together instead of tear them apart.
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