The Bryce Harper Compendium (2015)

[Ray D]

Completely disagree. Are you saying that it's bad for everybody so it evens out? First of all, it may not even out over the course of a particular game but I leave that to the smart math types to figure out.

But it's more about the integrity of the game. If the umpires are effing up left and right, it makes the game a bit of a charade.

No. I'm saying that bad umpiring is irrelvant to the discussion of Harper's childish behavior.  NOT that it's not a bad thing not that it doesn't affect the integrity of the game

[Ray D]

Uh, I would definitely say that his talent is more important than his stupidity.

Uh, well I'll make a bold prediction: Harper's behavior is going to keep him from reaching his full potential.  People say "He's only 22, still a kid. He'll grow up".  In other words, it's a matter of maturity. And if it were a matter of maturity, he'll grow out of it. But no, I don't think it's immaturity, I think it's stupidity.  You don't overcome that by growing up.

[GburgNatsFan]

I think you are right.


I will also say, though, that on the calls Harp goes ballistic over, he's almost always right, meaning there is plenty of room for improvement on the part of the umpires. They should go back to those big chest shields so they can line up without regard to the catcher. That might be a start.

No. I'm saying that bad umpiring is irrelvant to the discussion of Harper's childish behavior.  NOT that it's not a bad thing not that it doesn't affect the integrity of the game

[Baseball is Life]

No. I'm saying that bad umpiring is irrelvant to the discussion of Harper's childish behavior.  NOT that it's not a bad thing not that it doesn't affect the integrity of the game

We sort of agree. The bad umpiring is what causes his behavior but he needs to control his own actions. The bigger issue is the bad umpiring and how it's hurting the game.

I can only speak for myself but I can be enjoying a game (win or lose) and the only time I get pissed is when the umps hose my team. It ruins the game for me. It certainly did that last night. The call on Werth (which was borderline but still wrong) and the call on Harper ruined the game for me. I'm still pissed.

Or the bad calls in Game 5 against St. Louis. I will never get over those. Somehow it seems like a severe injustice, worse then when my team fails at something.

[BeltwayBaseball]

I think age and success will breed it out of Harper, though I think there will always be a tendency for him to get thrown out and he will always have words with the umpire, even if they are, in the future, gentler.

But right now he's hot and fiery and he's got no laurels to rest on and this team's trying to win. That alone will keep him so riled up he won't be able to take horrible calls in important spots.

He'll never be Mike Trout, but that's why we love him...right?

[Slateman]

So maybe I'm mindfacting, but Harper seems to be struggling with pitches away and he seems to be determined to pull them. Needs to do what Duda has done and look to punch them the other way. He starts hitting balls off the wall to left, pitchers won't want to go to the outside edge .

[spidernat]

He was doing fine with those pitches early I the season. Blame the coach.

[Ray D]

So maybe I'm mindfacting, but Harper seems to be struggling with pitches away and he seems to be determined to pull them.

In one of the most important at bats of the series, 8th inning, game tied, leadoff batter doubles, Harper up. A homerun would be nice but at the very minimum, move the runner to third. Which to me means, whatever you're trying to do, hit it to the right side.  So what does he do, hits it the opposite way, left side ground ball.  Not only was he not determined t pull the ball on that one, I honestly think he took pride in his ability to hit the other way.  He does not understand baseball.

[Optics]

He's pressing. The pressure is on him to produce because nobody else in this lineup can with any consistency, and hes trying to be Babe Ruth, because the only way this team wins is if he's Babe Ruth and Scherzer is Sandy Kaufax.

[HalfSmokes]

He's pressing. The pressure is on him to produce because nobody else in this lineup can with any consistency, and hes trying to be Babe Ruth, because the only way this team wins is if he's Babe Ruth and Scherzer is Sandy Kaufax.

Scherzer is hear way too long to hope he's Kaufax

[Slateman]

http://www.barstoolsports.com/newyork/bryce-harpers-excuse-for-the-nationals-sweep-they-had-to-face-the-mets-good-pitchers/

Bryce needs to put up or shut up

[spidernat]

Harper sounds like a Shiner.

[varoadking]

http://www.barstoolsports.com/newyork/bryce-harpers-excuse-for-the-nationals-sweep-they-had-to-face-the-mets-good-pitchers/

Bryce needs to put up or shut up

Loser talk... 

[GburgNatsFan]

Veiled reference to Scherzer not lining up against the Mets?

http://www.barstoolsports.com/newyork/bryce-harpers-excuse-for-the-nationals-sweep-they-had-to-face-the-mets-good-pitchers/

Bryce needs to put up or shut up

[Matugi]

I mean he also is the only one putting up soooo

[madj55]

Harper to NY in 2019.

[Slateman]

Veiled reference to Scherzer not lining up against the Mets?

Sounds like more crying.

[GburgNatsFan]

Quote: "We saw all three of their horses twice in a matter of two weeks. They haven't seen Scherzer since Day 1."

Doesn't sound like crying to me.

The rest of the article was the writer basically telling him that he's whining, but all he says are those two sentences.

Sounds like more crying.

[Baseball is Life]

Harper sounds like a Shiner.

All players are.

[PC]

From Zuckerman:

It was one thing when this happened against the never-ending string of aces that lined up to face the Nationals over the last two weeks, pitchers with names like Kershaw and Greinke and Cole and Fernandez and Harvey and deGrom and Syndergaard. But then came Monday’s game against Zack Godley, the Diamondbacks’ previously unknown rookie right-hander making his third career start after posting a 5.14 ERA at Class AA, who proceeded to shut out this star-laden lineup over six innings.

“What a plan we had up there today,” Bryce Harper said with a hint of sarcasm. “I don’t think we had one. Being able to go up there against a guy we’ve never faced, we were really just trying to have good at-bats. I don’t think we executed enough on that tonight. It just happens that way sometimes.”

[Matugi]

I do think Rick Schu is almost just as bad as Eckstein.  If I recall hitters in the minors were pretty bad under his watch.

[Ray D]

From Zuckerman:
“What a plan we had up there today,” Bryce Harper said with a hint of sarcasm. “I don’t think we had one. Being able to go up there against a guy we’ve never faced, we were really just trying to have good at-bats. I don’t think we executed enough on that tonight. It just happens that way sometimes.”

Which is it Bryce?  Didn't have a plan, or didn't execute?  I think he was saying "didn't have a plan" and then tried to back off.   If they didn't have a plan, someone needs to get fired.

[varoadking]

Which is it Bryce?  Didn't have a plan, or didn't execute?  I think he was saying "didn't have a plan" and then tried to back off.   If they didn't have a plan, someone needs to get fired.

I cut him some slack...he's a 22 year old baseball player...not a PhD.   

[Ray D]

I cut him some slack...he's a 22 year old baseball player...not a PhD.   

I was not criticizing Bryce there.  I was criticizing the coaching staff for not having a plan.

[varoadking]

I was not criticizing Bryce there.  I was criticizing the coaching staff for not having a plan.

But this came from his mouth, so...

Besides, I think we all know by now that there is no plan...