Former Viper Morgan Puts His Speed On Center Stage:

Here is a article on former Vernon Vipers defenceman, Nyjer Morgan that was posted on the Milwaukee Brewers website last Thursday. Morgan played two games with the Vipers as an "AP" back during the 1996-97 season.

This is posted on the Brewers website:

Morgan puts his speed on center stage

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | 04/07/11

MILWAUKEE -- Nyjer Morgan hadn't even put on his shirt on Thursday afternoon when he turned and discovered a crowd of people toting cameras waiting at his locker. They wanted to see what he had to say about barreling over another big league catcher.

When this happened to him last year, it was not a good thing. Thursday was different.

"It feels good not to get blasted this time around for making a hard play," Morgan said.

Morgan's hard-but-clean collision with Braves catcher Brian McCann gave the Brewers the go-ahead run in the second inning, and Shaun Marcum and four Milwaukee relievers made it stand for a 4-2 win over the Braves at Miller Park.

Morgan has a knack for lowering his shoulder into McCann's peers. Last season, while with the Nationals, Morgan drew the ire of the Cardinals for a hard hit into catcher Bryan Anderson, whom St. Louis contended was a few steps away from home plate. About a week later, he separated the shoulder of Marlins catcher Brett Hayes in another plate collision, sparking retaliation the following night and a benches-clearing incident that netted Morgan a suspension.

It didn't take long for Morgan to find himself in a similar situation in 2011. With the Brewers and Braves tied at 2 in the second inning on Thursday, he doubled with one out and stole third base. He then broke from home when catcher George Kottaras hit a grounder to drawn-in Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, whose throw home arrived just as Morgan did.

Morgan lowered his left shoulder into McCann, the baseball glanced off the catcher's glove and, after gathering himself, Morgan touched home for the go-ahead run.

"It's a bang-bang play, and he made the right play," McCann said." "The ball got loose. I didn't have any problem with that at all."

"I love it, man," said left fielder Ryan Braun of Morgan. "He's awesome. He's a great teammate, He's very passionate, very emotional. He plays the game tough. He plays the game hard. I think we're really fortunate to have him on our team."

The Brewers traded for Morgan on March 27, four days before Opening Day, because they wanted a backup for center fielder Carlos Gomez. But Morgan is making quite a case for more playing time, with a .462 average thus far and a knack for finding his way onto the highlight reel.

Thursday marked only Morgan's seventh Major League start in right field but he made two nice catches, including a diving grab to end the sixth inning that probably robbed Braves shortstop Alex Gonzalez of an extra-base hit.

"I'm going to play the game hard, play like I know how to," Morgan said. "Basically, I'm going to leave it all out on the field. That's my game. That's what got me here."

Does he think he's making a case to be a regular starter?

"I'm just playing my game," he said. "Basically, I've been doing this ever since I got called up, and I don't know anything else. I'm not going to hit home runs or anything like that, but as long as I can get on base and make things happen, that's all I can ask for."