NL Beast

Actually, “Pitcher’s got a big butt…in AAA New Orleans!”

Nelson Figueroa can’t take the heat:

Figueroa was fuming over the behavior of some of the Nationals’ players during the third inning, whom he accused of singing and chanting as he pitched to Austin Kearns with the bases loaded and the score tied, 3-3.

“They were cheerleading in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls,” Figueroa said. “I’m a professional just like anybody else, so I take huge offense to that. … I think they need to show a little more class and professionalism. They won tonight but, in the long run, they are still who they are.”

Figueroa is as mild-mannered a player as the Mets have in their clubhouse, so his words resonate.

He wouldn’t say specifically who the Washington players were, but his tone indicated that it wasn’t something the Mets would take lightly. With three more games this week, a feud between the two teams could be brewing.

Lastings Milledge, the controversial outfielder the Nationals acquired from the Mets this winter, defended his teammates’ conduct.

“Well, what are we supposed to do?” Milledge said. “We’re not supposed to cater to anybody on the opposing team. We’re not going to cater to him or anybody else, so whatever. We’ve been down the last couple days; we want to get something going. If you don’t like it, you’ve got to just deal with it.”

Luckily for him, he won’t have to anymore, as he’s been designated for assignment.

-Greg Berlin