Jonathan Papelbon throws high and in, and then eventually hits, Manny Machado

We may never know exactly what's going on inside Jonathan Papelbon's head, but thanks to his actions, we may never have to. Whether he's roaring after a victory, lamenting a lack of success, or feeling prickly about some fans while simultaneously needing to adjust his cup, it's never too hard to figure out how he's feeling.

Papelbon isn't on the Phillies anymore, allowing the Phillies to move on to their rebuild and allowing their franchise saves leader to join the contender for which he thought was playing when he signed in Philadelphia. Of course, the Nationals are not really contenders anymore, and that's left everyone in D.C. a bit frazzled (everyone who stays to watch the games at least).

MLB has been trying to foster a mid-Atlantic rivalry between the cross-league Nationals and Orioles by having them play six times a year, and thus far, it hasn't been too effective. Leave it to Papelbon, however, to spice things up in a late-September game between two teams who have all but given up hope.

The Orioles Manny Machado stared at a lead-snatching home run that gave Baltimore a 4-3 lead in the seventh a little too long for Papelbon's liking, so when the closer entered the game, he tossed a pitch up and in on the young third baseman. His intentions instantly known, one would think Papelbon would back off, but instead, his blood lust unsatiated, Paps threw again at Machado, this time striking him in the left shoulder.

Papelbon was ejected, despite his *utter confusion.* Machado cleared things up on his end.

Bryce Harper predicted that when vengeance came from the Baltimore pitching staff (the two teams square off again this afternoon), it would be aimed at him, seeming at least somewhat dismayed by his teammate's antics putting a target on his back. Or shoulder.

But elsewhere, the Phillies new closer, Ken Giles, surrendered a lead to the lowly Marlins in the ninth inning of a one-run game. In some other season, perhaps that would be worth complaining about, but Giles has proven himself a more than apt replacement for the veteran Papelbon, likely to be here for the long term and with a far less prominent track record of crotch-touching.