Author Topic: The Bryce Harper Watch  (Read 186729 times)

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Offline JMW IV

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The Bryce Harper Watch
« Topic Start: September 11, 2009, 01:26:17 AM »
*le sigh* 2nd #1 pick in a row.

http://natsfarm.com/2009/09/09/csn-fall-season/#comments

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CSN Fall Season

The College of Southern Nevada starts its fall scrimmage schedule on Friday 9/11.

Why is this of interest to us?

Well, if you take a look at CSN’s roster, a couple of names should jump out.

First is Bryan Harper, a 2008 31st round draft pick by the Nationals out of a Las Vegas HS. he did not sign and spent the 2009 season with Cal State Northridge.

But the name right below him is of greater interest for the 2010 DraftWatch season … Bryce Harper.

If they regularly update the site, I’ll start the DraftWatch earlier than last year.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #1: September 14, 2009, 09:40:26 PM »
so far away from being the #1 pick in the 2010 draft it's not even close.

Offline tomterp

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #2: September 15, 2009, 12:06:53 PM »
Harper played CF and was 2-5 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs.  His average is a .300 and he's the only player on either team to have more than 1 RBI.  His team (Blue) is 2-0.

Edit:  Harper also stole 2 bases last night.  He's 2 for 2 in steals.


Playing like the consensus 2010 #1 pick he is.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #3: September 15, 2009, 01:18:10 PM »
I'm somehow predictiong a 100 page plus thread that culminates right after the draft with people wanting to felate him, turns on him when he doesn't sign right away, then jumps back into his arms when he does finally sign at the deadline.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #4: September 15, 2009, 01:19:19 PM »
I predict that he has a so-so year at Southern Nevada and the Nats draft the top college player.

Offline imref

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #5: October 13, 2009, 08:57:38 PM »
so what's next for Harper now, are we still waiting for his GED results? 

Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #6: October 13, 2009, 09:04:20 PM »
so what's next for Harper now, are we still waiting for his GED results? 

More like waiting for him to reach puberty.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #7: October 14, 2009, 01:41:25 AM »
Any relation between Bryan and Bryce Harper? Besides all but two letters of their names?

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #8: October 14, 2009, 06:39:16 AM »
brothers

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #9: October 22, 2009, 01:34:58 PM »
From Jim Callis's chat on ESPN:

Tim (Durban South Africa)

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Could Nationals go with Taillon or Ranaudo over Harper?

Jim Callis  (2:12 PM)
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Sure they could. I'll do a column on this at some point, but I don't think it's far-fetched to conceive of Bryce Harper falling out of the first round. It's going to be almost impossible to live up to the hype, and if he falls short and is looking for big money--is Strasburg's contract a starting point--he may scare off clubs, who know he can re-enter the 2011 and 2012 drafts and still have lots of leverage. It's also possible that after spending $15.1 million on Strasburg, the Nationals don't want to spend huge money on another No. 1 overall pick.

It's about a quarter of the way through the chat:
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/29011

Offline imref

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #10: October 22, 2009, 03:48:39 PM »

Offline tomterp

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #11: December 03, 2009, 04:34:44 PM »
It's being reported that Harper passed his GED's.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=1916


Offline imref

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #12: December 04, 2009, 12:39:31 AM »
http://masnsports.com/2009/12/bryce-harper-eligible-for-2010.html

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College of Southern Nevada head baseball coach Tim Chambers has confirmed that Bryce Harper received his GED diploma yesterday, after passing the day-long exam for high school equivalency.

This means he is now eligible for the June First-Year Player Draft. Many prognosticators project the high school phenom to be the number one overall selection in that draft.

Southern Nevada has started winter workouts in preparation for their 56-game baseball schedule, which begins January 29 in an Arizona tournament. After a few more tourneys, Southern Nevada will play 20 games at home and 20 on the road. Then in early May, the postseason begins.

Chambers told me the 17-year-old Bryce will catch for his team, splitting time with Ryan Scott. He said Bryce will get extensive at bats after getting only 50 at bats during the Fall scrimmages. Harper had a .790 slugging percentage in those scrimmages, hitting 8 doubles, 3 triples and 3 home runs.

Coach Chambers also told me no less than 16 teams sent questionnaires regarding Harper, including the Nats, Royals and Pirates.

After receiving 44 questionnaires in one day from four major league teams interested in his players, Chambers also says his team is going to be very good and expects 10 to 12 of his players could be drafted in June, including Harper.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #13: December 04, 2009, 02:31:04 PM »
I want to see what this kid can do with a wooden bat... not just a metal one.

Offline tomterp

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #14: December 04, 2009, 02:32:13 PM »
I want to see what this kid can do with a wooden bat... not just a metal one.

Bet it cuts his home runs back to a mere 500 feet each.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #15: December 04, 2009, 03:06:59 PM »
I want to see what this kid can do with a wooden bat... not just a metal one.
From what I hear, a lot of those tournaments and such he played in were with wood bats and he did just fine.

Offline blue911

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #16: December 04, 2009, 03:10:24 PM »
It's not the wood bats that you need to worry about, it's the steady diet of off speed junk.

Offline imref

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #17: December 15, 2009, 10:11:06 PM »
Maybe Pudge could mentor him next year?

Offline PatsNats28

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #18: December 15, 2009, 11:00:11 PM »
thatd be an interesting clash of egos

Offline doubler

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #19: January 07, 2010, 09:53:12 AM »
Nice article from Draft America on Harper....not sure if its been posted or not?

http://www.draftamerica.com/2010-draft.php

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#1 Bryce Harper...
Catcher,  College of Southern Nevada
Born Oct. 16, 1992, (17.6)
Ht/Wt...  6-3/210,   Bats Left / Throws Right

Consensus Review...

Harper may be among the best baseball prospects ever. This is not hyperbole... it is consensus scouting. Considered by some a once-in-a-generation talent, the 16-year old Harper seems to be a scout's living dream.  Harper has every tool, he hits for both average and power -prodigious power at that- he has a great arm, is a good defender behind the plate and is fast on the bases. Yet it's that unseen tool- passion for the game, that pushes his accolades to the loftiest of heights. Compared to former #1 overall draft picks and superstars Justin Upton, Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. -for overall talent- Harper is earning such praise at a younger age than any of them... so yes, he may just be that special.

After a lengthy season, he performed poorly in his last all-star effort, but many would agree that he was likely worn out, and is still a tremendous prospect. The hoopla surrounding Harper may not be fair for a youngster to endure, but stardom has a price. Making a choice to get his GED and play the coming 2010 season at a junior college (College of Southern Nevada) seems a pre-emptive attempt to skirt upcoming changes in the draft rules- where the draft slots are fitted with pre-determined bonus's... something his 'advisor' Scott Boras wants no part of.

Harper will be 17 by the start of the season and scouts expect that he'll be tested. His play this coming campaign should go a long way toward finalizing scouts views on his considerable talents, and his place in draft lore.
   

Nick James reviews Harper…

Despite a few down offensive performances towards the end of the summer, Harper remains the clear front-runner to go first overall next June. While his most publicized tool is his plus-plus raw power, his arm rates out at a true 80 (though his arm action can get a little long – I’ve caught pop times in the 1.7 to 1.8 range) -- more, he couples 80-strength with good accuracy. Defensively, he moves exceptionally well side-to-side and is a good blocker. His receiving is a little stiff, and he also can get in the habit of rotating his body when he collapses his left side mid-pitch (which gets his body moving towards the righty batter’s box and can prevent him from getting to mistakes to his throwing arm side). As he gets bigger, he’ll need to continue to work on his body control and flexibility to stick behind home. At the plate Harper shows good bat speed and excellent torque through his core. His swing got long and a little loopy towards the end of the summer – it’s unclear whether it’s due to some fatigue or simply trying to hit tape measure shots to live up to the hype that’s been heaped upon him. He’s such an incredible collection of tools, it’s important to remember that he should just now be entering his junior year of high school, as opposed to his first year of junior college. The talent is there to hit for average and big power while providing above-average defensive production at a premium position. Should he need to shift out from behind home, he could get a shot at third base. If his actions were to prove to stiff there, he has the foot speed to play a good right field while showing off one of the best arms around.


Offline Skinz72

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #20: January 13, 2010, 12:03:07 PM »
I feel very guilty even looking at this kid at such a young, young age.  Yet, if he can play, then let him.  I just hope he doesn't lose out on a being a teenager - having fun with freinds, going to movies, daring you buddies to do something dumb, getting into a little trouble at school... Everyone deserves a life of normalcy - I just wonder if he'll ever have one.

And this is plain baseball nerd talk..
.. his arm rates out at a true 80 (though his arm action can get a little long – I’ve caught pop times in the 1.7 to 1.8 range) -- more, he couples 80-strength with good accuracy.

...he also can get in the habit of rotating his body when he collapses his left side mid-pitch

... good bat speed and excellent torque through his core. His swing got long and a little loopy towards the end of the summer

I want all my catchers to have excellent body torque with 80 strength at 1.7-1.8 range. But watch that collapsed body mid-pitch!! 

Offline epic_phalanx

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #21: January 13, 2010, 04:18:27 PM »
And this is plain baseball nerd talk..
.. his arm rates out at a true 80 (though his arm action can get a little long – I’ve caught pop times in the 1.7 to 1.8 range) -- more, he couples 80-strength with good accuracy.

...he also can get in the habit of rotating his body when he collapses his left side mid-pitch

... good bat speed and excellent torque through his core. His swing got long and a little loopy towards the end of the summer

I want all my catchers to have excellent body torque with 80 strength at 1.7-1.8 range. But watch that collapsed body mid-pitch!! 

That stuff's really not that hard to understand with minimal effort.

Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #22: January 13, 2010, 04:27:26 PM »
I feel very guilty even looking at this kid at such a young, young age.  Yet, if he can play, then let him.  I just hope he doesn't lose out on a being a teenager - having fun with freinds, going to movies, daring you buddies to do something dumb, getting into a little trouble at school... Everyone deserves a life of normalcy - I just wonder if he'll ever have one.

He can buy one after he is finished making millions in baseball.

Offline cmdterps44

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #23: January 13, 2010, 05:43:27 PM »
I'm sure he has friends and all that good stuff. Hes a stud baseball player, what else would he want? Unless hes a douchebag, Im sure hes living a good high school life. The thing that he'll probably miss out on is college life, but IMO its definitely worth missing a few years in the farm to become rich and basically have your own fun getting girls and spending away everything.

Offline Skinz72

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Re: The Bryce Harper Watch
« Reply #24: January 18, 2010, 02:25:51 PM »
I'm sure he has friends and all that good stuff. Hes a stud baseball player, what else would he want? Unless hes a douchebag, Im sure hes living a good high school life. The thing that he'll probably miss out on is college life, but IMO its definitely worth missing a few years in the farm to become rich and basically have your own fun getting girls and spending away everything.

I guess I'm a bit "old fashioned" in this regard... the professional athlete's life of luxory and "freedom" can be free wheeling and scary.  I hope he's got good parents to tell him what's what, and how to identify people he can truly trust.  I've got no beef with athlete's per se, just with the perannas and leaches that can lead these kids down the wrong path.  He sounds grounded, though.  I'm not too concerned overall, but it's his age that makes me concerned just a little.