The Bryce Harper Watch

[hammondsnats]

Specifically, tomorrow, before Nathan can get to see his Suns game.

blue would kick his ass

[NJ Ave]

I know, I was shocked when I looked at the Harrisburg roster.

I think ideally you might move him to Potomac, but the boy obviously likes challenging himself, and it's highly unlikely he's going to completely fall off the table in AA. Even .260/.330/.500 would be a tremendous success for an 18-year old in AA, and I think I'd bet the over on that.

Remember, he hit .343 in the AFL with a 1.000 OPS. He hit .389 with a 1.000 OPS in spring training. Those are obviously limited sample sizes, but given those performances against competition at the AA level or above, and with him absolutely destroying the Sally league, there's no reason to think he'll be overmatched at AA.

[blue911]

blue would kick his ass

I sent Harper an email requesting that he kick Nathan's ass. If Harper wants to be promoted, he has to kick ass at Hagerstown.

[Terpfan76]

Yeah, I really don't see the point in sending him to Potomac. The kid seems to thrive on being challenged. I'd give him the rest of this month at Hagerstown and see where we stand. If he's still crushing the ball, send him to Harrisburg.

Now, just for arguments sake, if we send him to AA say at the end of May and he's absolutely raking into August, do we leave him in AA, kick him up to AAA or September call up?

[Mr Clean]

Yeah, I really don't see the point in sending him to Potomac. The kid seems to thrive on being challenged. I'd give him the rest of this month at Hagerstown and see where we stand. If he's still crushing the ball, send him to Harrisburg.

Now, just for arguments sake, if we send him to AA say at the end of May and he's absolutely raking into August, do we leave him in AA, kick him up to AAA or September call up?

I vote for September callup.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Bryce Harper is the Fifth Element.

[Terpfan76]

Bryce Harper is the Fifth Element.

[NJ Ave]

I actually think it should depend on his defensive progression. For better or worse, he's kind of blocked at the major league level unless he learns how to play CF. He's aggressive and smart, so I think he can do it. Scouts seem to feel he's at least not "overmatched" in CF.

He's a big kid, so he probably can't stay there forever, but the obvious best solution for our team is Bryce in CF for 3-5 years, or until Werth needs to move to LF.

So I vote to use it as motivation. Tell him that he can get a September callup only if he makes real progress towards learning CF.

[sportsfan882]

He has been pretty good defensively for Hagerstown.

.978 Fielding Percentage, 1 Error, 1 Assist. 9/9 in chances in 5 games playing CF.

[houston-nat]

9/9 in chances in 5 games playing CF.

Someone needs to create an eccentric and comical "sample size" JPG/GIF.

[Terpfan76]

Really though, at this point does it really matter that much about his d in the outfield? Would he be any worse than Dunn? lol... Seriously though, I think he'd be at least as good a hitter as we currently have on the MLB roster, so why not give him a shot in September. He can't possibly be that bad in the outfield... can he?

[Kevrock]

Seriously though, I think he'd be at least as good a hitter as we currently have on the MLB roster, so why not give him a shot in September.

Because bringing him up too soon could seriously freak his development, and we're not contending this year any way. Whether he is better than Ankiel or Morse should not be a factor this year.

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't think it's wise to even teach him CF at this point.

He's 18, and he's already 6'3, 225.

When he's done growing, he'll be what? 6'5, 6'6, 250+ ?

I just don't see how he can last in CF with a build like that.

Also, anyone that wants him up now... it'll just start his FA clock even sooner than need be. Nats need to slow play his FA status as much as possible.

Plus, the Nats suck. No need to waste time in the majors burning up service time with a losing team.

[blue911]

Because bringing him up too soon could seriously freak his development, and we're not contending this year any way. Whether he is better than Ankiel or Morse should not be a factor this year.

Thank you. What the Nats should want is for Bryce Harper to be the best Bryce Harper and not simply better than some fill in/role player.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I'll give whoever makes up the call up decisions $5 if they can have Harper in Harrisburg somewhere between May 12th - 15th next week.

They'll be playing in Richmond.

[Lintyfresh85]

I'll give whoever makes up the call up decisions $5 if they can have Harper in Harrisburg somewhere between May 12th - 15th next week.

They'll be playing in Richmond.

crap. I didn't even think about that. I'll be working those games.

Yes. Make it happen.

[NJ Ave]

Why does anyone care about the service clock?

(a) what's the point of rooting for a team if you don't expect the team to resign it's own best players?
(b) given (a), why would you form your opinion about what saves the Lerners money? I couldn't give a crap if they have to give him a long-term deal one year earlier.

Second, I guess you're taking the Boswell approach that every young power hitter has to turn into a bohemoth like Adam Dunn and gain 40+ lbs after they're drafted. Personally, if he has the ability to already put up 300+ ISOs, I don't know why he'd bulk up further to 250+. If Josh Hamilton can play CF at 6'4" 240 why can't Bryce Harper? Maybe he's the evolutionary Dale Murphy.

Anyways, why would it not be "wise"? Because it might not work? If the kid wants to play CF (he does) then why not give him a chance to be Mickey Mantle?

[NJ Ave]

Plus, Andruw Jones played a wonderful CF for many years dressed up like a fat guy. So who knows?

[Terpfan76]

Thank you. What the Nats should want is for Bryce Harper to be the best Bryce Harper and not simply better than some fill in/role player.

I'm not suggesting calling him up and keeping him up, but what good does it do him if he's tearing the cover off the ball at AAA to just keep him there? A September call up wouldn't hinder him I wouldn't imagine, if anything, giving him a taste of the Show might drive him even harder to get to the bigs for good.

Just because he's 6'3" now, doesn't mean he'll end up 6'6" or something like that. I think we've all known people growing up that had early growth spurts and then stabilized. I was 5'8" my junior year in HS. When I graduated, one year later, I was 6'1" and have since maxed at 6'2". That being said, it is quite possible he could get huge, but how bout we cross that bridge when we get to it.

For what it's worth, I'm really hoping that we are in the position to debate a September call up because he his raking much like Hosmer was at AAA. By the way, I just snagged him in my fantasy league.

[Lintyfresh85]

Why does anyone care about the service clock?

(a) what's the point of rooting for a team if you don't expect the team to resign it's own best players?
(b) given (a), why would you form your opinion about what saves the Lerners money? I couldn't give a crap if they have to give him a long-term deal one year earlier.

Second, I guess you're taking the Boswell approach that every young power hitter has to turn into a bohemoth like Adam Dunn and gain 40+ lbs after they're drafted. Personally, if he has the ability to already put up 300+ ISOs, I don't know why he'd bulk up further to 250+. If Josh Hamilton can play CF at 6'4" 240 why can't Bryce Harper? Maybe he's the evolutionary Dale Murphy.

Anyways, why would it not be "wise"? Because it might not work? If the kid wants to play CF (he does) then why not give him a chance to be Mickey Mantle?

Why would he bulk up?

He's 18! He won't bulk up, his body will fill in naturally. You might want to go take a class on human physiology if you think an 18 year old that may still grow a few inches will magically stop gaining weight, as he grows taller.

You also asked why a fan should care about "service time"? It's quite simple. Every player under your control should always have their guaranteed time with the team maximized as much as possible.

It does the Nats no good to waste a year of their guaranteed control of Harper on a potentially last place team. You want that extra year at the end of the deal when the team should be running good.

That's basic economic utility.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

crap. I didn't even think about that. I'll be working those games.

Yes. Make it happen.

I'm going to try to come to at least one of them if I can get the time.

What do you do for the Flying Squirrels exactly?

[Lintyfresh85]

I'm going to try to come to at least one of them if I can get the time.

What do you do for the Flying Squirrels exactly?

I don't work for the Squirrels, I work for a baseball company doing stats as a stringer. My home base is Richmond, though.

[hammondsnats]

if he's ready - not saying he is - but if/when he is and the only thing we're worried about is service clock, i give up on this team.  

worry about that crap down the road.  if he is capable of helping the club and ready to become what we all think he is capable of, you insert him in the line-up.  

and if he does become the superstar we all hope and pray, when that day comes he deserves to get paid ... well ted lerner better do it.

as far as position goes ... whatever he/FO feels comfortable with.  obviously the bulk of his time is in RF so far, that should give away something.

[Lintyfresh85]

Any smart team would delay his service time to match up with what they believe is their window to be competitive.

The Nats would be stupid to bring him up to sell a few tickets on a last place loser like we've got right now.

[hammondsnats]

Any smart team would delay his service time to match up with what they believe is their window to be competitive.

The Nats would be stupid to bring him up to sell a few tickets on a last place loser like we've got right now.

actually nats aren't in last

and again i didn't say now. 

oh but remember, we're in phase two and are close to competing