Author Topic: The Bryce Harper Watch (Read 218996 times)

Smithian · « **Reply #2275 on:** November 02, 2011, 08:45:10 pm »

I sorta have a crush on Bryce.

imref · « **Reply #2276 on:** November 02, 2011, 09:03:59 pm »

Quote from: houston-nat on November 02, 2011, 06:52:42 pm

I still think Harper would struggle Morse-style for a month or so in the bigs. So if they put him on the Opening Day roster, they have to agree to play him all season rather than waiting for two weeks and then sending him back down for "seasoning." He's either up or he's not.

agreed.

I can't wait to see him as a smurf.

Baseball is Life · « **Reply #2277 on:** November 02, 2011, 10:00:09 pm »

Unless he absolutely dominates in ST, I still think he will start at AAA and come up in June. That will be the perfect compromise between Davey and Riz.

GNatsNoMore · « **Reply #2278 on:** November 03, 2011, 12:08:36 pm »

Quote from: imref on November 02, 2011, 06:04:53 pm

My only concern with bringing Harper up to start the season is where do you bat him? They probably want to bat him low in the order which means we still need LaRoche to break up the RH 3-4-5 of Zimm/Morse/Werth.

Would Davey be comfortable with Zimm-3, Morse-4, Harper-5, Werth-6?

If they don't sign a lead-off / CF type, then you could play Morse and Harper in the OF at the same time and still have LaRoche at 1B, but then we still don't have a lead-off hitter (unless Reyes replaces Desmond).

I still think it makes more sense to bring Harper up in June, or in July, especially assuming they trade LaRoche before the deadline after he establishes some trade value. But I've been thinking lately, what would Nats do after spring training if:

1) they trade for/sign an everyday CF
2) they keep LaRoche at least for the first half of the season, AND
3) Harper rakes it like Mickey Mantle in spring training, and Davey/Rizzo decide he needs to go north.

How would the playing time be divided between Morse, Harper, new CF, Werth, and LaRoche? Would they each play roughly 80% of the time - with everyone except the CF and Laroche playing multiple positions?

Lintyfresh85 · « **Reply #2279 on:** November 03, 2011, 12:15:21 pm »

LaRoche was an average hitter to begin with, now that he's had his shoulder cut on, I have no expectations of him.

The Chief · « **Reply #2280 on:** November 03, 2011, 12:18:00 pm »

Quote from: Lintyfresh85 on November 03, 2011, 12:15:21 pm

LaRoche was an average hitter to begin with, now that he's had his shoulder cut on, I have no expectations of him.

I wonder if the booth will hammer the magic glove thing to death again this year.

Lintyfresh85 · « **Reply #2281 on:** November 03, 2011, 12:23:51 pm »

Quote from: The Chief on November 03, 2011, 12:18:00 pm

I wonder if the booth will hammer the magic glove thing to death again this year.

I have no doubt we'll hear it within the first inning of the first ST game.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2282 on:** November 03, 2011, 01:17:17 pm »

Quote from: The Chief on November 03, 2011, 12:18:00 pm

I wonder if the booth will hammer the magic glove thing to death again this year.

Veteran who can't hit = great glove man for home town analysts

The Chief · « **Reply #2283 on:** November 03, 2011, 02:06:14 pm »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on November 03, 2011, 01:17:17 pm

Veteran who can't hit = great glove man for home town analysts

I'm sure they'll still make veiled references to Dunn about a 1/4 of the time, too.

"Boy Mike Rizzo really went out and improved the defense when he signed Adam LaRoche"

-Bob Carpenter (or replacement)

"He sure did Bob (or replacement). Adam LaRoche does all the little things right while wanting to win. Also, JT Snow."

-FP

imref · « **Reply #2284 on:** November 03, 2011, 04:35:57 pm »

Harper goes yard again, 6th HR. 5th in 6 games.

epic_phalanx · « **Reply #2285 on:** November 03, 2011, 05:03:51 pm »

Quote from: imref on November 03, 2011, 04:35:57 pm

Harper goes yard again, 6th HR. 5th in 6 games.

Apparently off of a lefty too. Dead center.

Mr Clean · « **Reply #2286 on:** November 03, 2011, 05:17:44 pm »

Harper now 3 for 3. 3 RBI BA .323

Squab · « **Reply #2287 on:** November 03, 2011, 05:23:07 pm »

Quote from: epic_phalanx on November 03, 2011, 05:03:51 pm

Apparently off of a lefty too. Dead center.

Hitting .312 off lefties with 2 HR.

Lintyfresh85 · « **Reply #2288 on:** November 03, 2011, 05:26:10 pm »

Good. He got ate up by lefties in AA.

zimm_da_kid · « **Reply #2289 on:** November 03, 2011, 07:42:39 pm »

I'm digging his lefty lefty avg

hammondsnats · « **Reply #2290 on:** November 03, 2011, 09:19:44 pm »

the chosen one (hitter form)

zimm_da_kid · « **Reply #2291 on:** November 03, 2011, 09:45:57 pm »

Bryce is the chosen one, strasburg is our savior.

imref · « **Reply #2292 on:** November 03, 2011, 09:49:38 pm »

Can I remind everyone that he put up a .389 / .450 / .556 line earlier this year at spring training (only 13 games, 18 ABs). If he comes anywhere close to that next year, there's no way they keep him off the team.

imref · « **Reply #2293 on:** November 03, 2011, 09:50:42 pm »

MLB.com:

Quote

Even by Bryce Harper standards, this is a nice little run.

A few days after brushing off the thought that he was "locked in" at the plate, Harper -- MLB.com's No. 2 prospect -- added to his monster week with the bat, going 3-for-3 with his fifth homer in six games as Scottsdale outslugged Surprise, 10-6, in the Arizona Fall League on Thursday.

Harper's third-inning homer off Braves left-hander Sean Gilmartin (2-1) was his sixth long ball of the fall and the fifth since Oct. 26, when he began a run of three homers in three games. He has 17 RBIs in just six games.
Bryce Harper, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 Draft, has 17 RBIs in six games. (Jordan Megenhardt/MLB.com)

"I got a good pitch to hit and it went over the wall," Harper said of the 1-0 fastball he deposited over the center-field wall. "[Gilmartin] has a good slider and curve, so I was looking to jump on his fastball or cutter early. I tried to hit it into the gap, but it went a bit further than that.

"I'm feeling pretty good up there. I'm not trying to get too big, I'm just trying to swing the bat well and get some hits."

Harper's success in Arizona is a promising sign to Nationals fans and scouts alike after the 19-year-old outfielder had his first full season in the Minors cut short by a hamstring injury. He missed the final few weeks of the season with Double-A Harrisburg, but has responded well since joining Scottsdale -- he's batting .323 with 21 hits and three steals in 17 games.

"I definitely am maturing," Harper explained. "I'm trying to learn from the older guys like [Brandon] Crawford and that has been huge. I'm learning when to run and not to run, I'm learning to see better pitches and I'm busting my butt every day.

"I'm trying not to chase pitcher's pitches, and when I get into an 0-2 hole, I'm learning how to battle. You can always improve every day."

houston-nat · « **Reply #2294 on:** November 03, 2011, 10:27:29 pm »

"I tried to hit it into the gap, but it went a bit further than that."

Heh.

Also I continue to be impressed by how acute is his sense of what he needs to be learning.

imref · « **Reply #2295 on:** November 03, 2011, 10:38:21 pm »

Quote from: houston-nat on November 03, 2011, 10:27:29 pm

"I tried to hit it into the gap, but it went a bit further than that."

Heh.

Also I continue to be impressed by how acute is his sense of what he needs to be learning.

his confidence would probably be crushed more by being sent to AAA in April then in coming up and hitting .190 for the first month of the season.

UMDNats · « **Reply #2296 on:** November 03, 2011, 11:32:01 pm »

The next Tebow?

http://twitter.com/#!/BHarper3407/status/132111275500118016

Quote

Win today! #I am second! Glorify God in everything you do! Eating, drinking, work, every task in the day! Do all through him!

Bloo · « **Reply #2297 on:** November 03, 2011, 11:46:44 pm »

^^ "Eye of Thundera, Give me Power beyond Power"

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #2298 on:** November 03, 2011, 11:59:30 pm »

Quote from: UMDNats on November 03, 2011, 11:32:01 pm

The next Tebow?

http://twitter.com/#!/BHarper3407/status/132111275500118016

Why is this

worthy?

UMDNats · « **Reply #2299 on:** November 04, 2011, 12:05:53 am »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on November 03, 2011, 11:59:30 pm

Why is this worthy?

Oh no - please don't think I'm laughing at his faith. I'm

at Harper becoming the next Tebow (open about his faith, successful, polarizing, hyped like crazy) and him Tebowing