Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones is congratulated by teammates after his solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of their baseball game, Sunday, July 29, 2012, at Turner Field in Atlanta.Maybe Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson meant to rattle the Atlanta Braves and maybe he didn’t. But it certainly seemed like fighting words at the time.
After the Nats split four games with the Braves nine days ago, Johnson said of that series: “[The Braves] had been playing the best in the division. To win the first two and then get a split out of here, if I were them, I’d feel deflated.”
If … I … were … them … I’d … feel … deflated.
Johnson may be 69 years old, but he’s not above a little psychological warfare/trash talk now and then.
But by any name, it isn’t working. At least it hasn’t the past eight days.