The Bryce Harper Watch

[Kevrock]

Hey man, I just google Bryce every other day or so and check out the news stories on him.  I take what google gives me.

Hi Tokey!

[hammondsnats]

he should be in auburn after last nights display.

[NatsDad14]

I know everyone wants him in Potomac/Harrisburg. But the man himself says he's getting challenged where he is at and learning a lot. Letting him continue to chase the division title and play in the All-Star game before getting promoted. Makes too much sense.

Why does it make too much sense? A low A ball All-star game and division title is completely meaningless. Why hold back his development so he can chase meaningless goals. The team should be rewarding him for his success.

[hammondsnats]

Why does it make too much sense? A low A ball All-star game and division title is completely meaningless. Why hold back his development so he can chase meaningless goals. The team should be rewarding him for his success.

agreed ... he's been with the club for over well over a month now and has gotten to know the guys and all that, but now it's time for a new challenge.

[Kevrock]

Why does it make too much sense? A low A ball All-star game and division title is completely meaningless. Why hold back his development so he can chase meaningless goals. The team should be rewarding him for his success.

Yeah, I'm all for Bryce spending lots of time at a level so that he can learn to get through slumps and the grind of the season... but he's clearly better than his competition right now.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

^Exactly.  It's like making a young Beethoven learn piano with the rest of his class.

[DPMOmaha]

How's he doing in the outfield?

[Lintyfresh85]

Another HR for Harper.

Extends hitting streak to 18.

[strasmasndzimmermas10]

Oppobopo too!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Another HR for Harper.

Extends hitting streak to 18.

Both hands on the wheel.

[Terpfan76]

Like making Eddie Van Halen take guitar lessons.

[Lintyfresh85]

Both hands on the wheel.

I had actually stopped to eat when I wrote that!

[imref]

2-4, solo HR, 2Ks

.393 / .468 / .705

The slump is over.

[Smithian]

I understand they're trying to let other teams adjust to him and force him to deal with some adversity, but I think he is currently facing the adversity.... And he is still tearing it up.

I don't mind though. I like letting him stay in one place for a while so everything can slow down a bit. I don't want to fast track him totally. I'd like him to debut next year. No reason to let him get up here this year and strike out a ton just so all offseason peple can question if he's a bust and if we messed up by moving him to the majors.

[NeedaNewNick]

Like making Eddie Van Halen take guitar lessons.

Well, Rizzo's got his secret timetables and insisted yesterday on a pre-game radio show that Harper had to learn the "everydayness" of pro baseball, like how to ride the team bus.   Apparently, Harper's bus riding skills are only suitable for Low A ball.  

[NeedaNewNick]

he should be in auburn after last nights display.

agree, he has not mastered the NY-Penn League, and could qualify for the All-Star Game if sent down, would be very exciting for our new short season affiliate as they prepare to battle the always tough Batavia Muckdogs

[Tokeydog]

Hi Tokey!

Shazbot!  Hiya bro!

They can promote him after this thursdays game.  Finally, my schedule has cleared up to take the short little trip over there.

[imref]

the hitting streak is over: 0-4, R BB.

Average down to .381

[d_mc_nabb]

the hitting streak is over: 0-4, R BB.

Average down to .381

He SUCKS. Whose idea was it to draft this jerk?

In all seriousness though- I said this earlier, and people tore me apart (and THAT was as a joke)- no doubt it will happen here, too. I've noticed recently that his games are often 2-4 with 2 Ks. Looks and is really good. But he has a pretty bad K/BB rate, if I'm not mistkaen. Maybe a bit nitpicky, but his hits aren't going to fall in at that rate forever. Whether that's enough to keep him in low-A... I don't think so. But maybe the organization does.

[NoShoesNoShirtNoDice]

Well, Rizzo's got his secret timetables and insisted yesterday on a pre-game radio show that Harper had to learn the "everydayness" of pro baseball, like how to ride the team bus.   Apparently, Harper's bus riding skills are only suitable for Low A ball.   

You have to remember Harper skipped two years of high school. So that's two years he missed riding the bus. 

[UMDNats]

He SUCKS. Whose idea was it to draft this jerk?

In all seriousness though- I said this earlier, and people tore me apart (and THAT was as a joke)- no doubt it will happen here, too. I've noticed recently that his games are often 2-4 with 2 Ks. Looks and is really good. But he has a pretty bad K/BB rate, if I'm not mistkaen. Maybe a bit nitpicky, but his hits aren't going to fall in at that rate forever. Whether that's enough to keep him in low-A... I don't think so. But maybe the organization does.

Bryce Harper's K% is currently better than Jayson Werth's, and his BB% is pretty much even.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

If Bryce Harper was in The Matrix he would have made that building jump the very first time.

[houston-nat]

This just popped up on MLB.com:
-
Harper ran his streak to 18 in far more impressive fashion on Saturday, belting an opposite-field home run for the only run of the game in Hagerstown's 1-0 win over Lakewood. Harper strikingly sprinted around the bases in record time, almost as if the ball was still in play.

"I learned never to disrespect the game or the pitcher," Harper said. "I'm not going to disrespect it. He could get me the next two times, and I get him once. I think you need to run around the bases. Pete Rose ran around the bases every single time. He never trotted or anything like that.

"I'm an old-school guy," the 18-year-old said, "so that's what I'm going to do."

-
Setting aside the "record time" stuff - do people really time home run trots? - the fact that he would hustle on a homer is just freaking awesome.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110515&content_id=19122880&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

[tomterp]

Setting aside the "record time" stuff - do people really time home run trots?

Larry Granillo of Baseball Prospectus has a blog in which he tracks and discusses various trots at the major league level.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13917

All of Today's Trots

Carlos Lee..........26.39      Ramon Hernandez #2..22.22*
Todd Helton.........26.25      Jon Jay.............22.02
J.P. Arencibia......25.85*     Nate McLouth........21.47
Ramon Hernandez #1..24.96      Jose Bautista.......21.22
Lyle Overbay........23.92      Ryan Braun..........20.87
Carlos Gonzalez.....23.3       Mike Stanton........20.67*
Brad Hawpe..........23.16      Brandon Phillips....20.41
Adrian Gonzalez.....22.99      Daniel Murphy.......19.5
Jake Fox............22.96      Michael Cuddyer.....19.21
Paul Konerko........22.96      Martin Prado........18.98
Mark Reynolds.......22.87      Matt Downs..........18.69
Prince Fielder......22.69      Brandon Boggs.......17.11*
Bill Hall...........22.67

[Kevrock]

Love the old school mentality. I hate players like Hanley that pose and show the pitcher up before slowly strutting around the bases.