The Bryce Harper Compendium (2015)

[NatsAllThe Way]

Not sure if it's a mindfact but I thought I heard one time that somebody timed the "action" in a pro football game.    In an entire game it was around 11 minutes.    Rest of the time, they're pattin' each other on the arse.

Harper is going in healthy and with a fresh attitude.  He will have a monster year.

[Mathguy]

Matt Williams is a little too anal

QUOTE

Bryce Harper certainly has a flair for the dramatic, even in spring training.

The Nationals faced the Astros on Monday afternoon and in the fifth inning Houston outfielder Alex Presley hit a line drive toward Harper in right field.

Harper took a slow route to the ball, baiting Presley into thinking he had a chance at taking an extra base. When he made the turn toward second, Harper sprang into action and delivered a dart to nail Presley at second.

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After the game Harper admitted it was all part of his master plan.

"I came up slow on that on purpose, just to see if he’d round the bag or something like that," said Harper. "That’s something I want to play this year, something I really want to do this year. Coming up on the ball to try to take the extra bag, hopefully have a good throw to second base to get 'em out."

It was an exciting play but one that Nationals manager Matt Williams could do without. He would prefer his star right fielder take a more conventional approach in the outfield.

"I thought he shouldn’t have even attempted to go to second," said Williams. "[Harper] needs to get to that ball quicker, then the guy doesn’t even go. It’s a good throw, but if he pounces on that baseball, he doesn’t attempt to go."

[Vega]

Matt Williams is a little too anal

QUOTE

Bryce Harper certainly has a flair for the dramatic, even in spring training.

The Nationals faced the Astros on Monday afternoon and in the fifth inning Houston outfielder Alex Presley hit a line drive toward Harper in right field.

Harper took a slow route to the ball, baiting Presley into thinking he had a chance at taking an extra base. When he made the turn toward second, Harper sprang into action and delivered a dart to nail Presley at second.

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball: Sign up and join a league today!]

After the game Harper admitted it was all part of his master plan.

"I came up slow on that on purpose, just to see if he’d round the bag or something like that," said Harper. "That’s something I want to play this year, something I really want to do this year. Coming up on the ball to try to take the extra bag, hopefully have a good throw to second base to get 'em out."

It was an exciting play but one that Nationals manager Matt Williams could do without. He would prefer his star right fielder take a more conventional approach in the outfield.

"I thought he shouldn’t have even attempted to go to second," said Williams. "[Harper] needs to get to that ball quicker, then the guy doesn’t even go. It’s a good throw, but if he pounces on that baseball, he doesn’t attempt to go."

Bryce did well in baiting Presley. That is a wise move. I've seen Gerardo Parra do the same thing and he was praised for it.

[mitlen]

Matt Williams is a little too anal

QUOTE

Bryce Harper certainly has a flair for the dramatic, even in spring training.

The Nationals faced the Astros on Monday afternoon and in the fifth inning Houston outfielder Alex Presley hit a line drive toward Harper in right field.

Harper took a slow route to the ball, baiting Presley into thinking he had a chance at taking an extra base. When he made the turn toward second, Harper sprang into action and delivered a dart to nail Presley at second.

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball: Sign up and join a league today!]

After the game Harper admitted it was all part of his master plan.

"I came up slow on that on purpose, just to see if he’d round the bag or something like that," said Harper. "That’s something I want to play this year, something I really want to do this year. Coming up on the ball to try to take the extra bag, hopefully have a good throw to second base to get 'em out."

It was an exciting play but one that Nationals manager Matt Williams could do without. He would prefer his star right fielder take a more conventional approach in the outfield.

"I thought he shouldn’t have even attempted to go to second," said Williams. "[Harper] needs to get to that ball quicker, then the guy doesn’t even go. It’s a good throw, but if he pounces on that baseball, he doesn’t attempt to go."

Chuck Noll wondered what Franco Harris was doing chasing Fuqua down the field.
Miller Huggins wondered what Babe Ruth was pointing at.
Roosevelt wondered where Patton went.
Williams wondered what Harper was doing.

It's all good.

[Slateman]

Bryce did well in baiting Presley. That is a wise move. I've seen Gerardo Parra do the same thing and he was praised for it.

Parra has a history of being one of the best defensive OFers in baseball. Harper has not. Harper needs to stick to the basics when it comes to outfield defense and baserunning.

[tomterp]

Parra has a history of being one of the best defensive OFers in baseball. Harper has not. Harper needs to stick to the basics when it comes to outfield defense and baserunning.

Well it's kind of hard to be one of the best if you are being coached to be average.

[Slateman]

Well it's kind of hard to be one of the best if you are being coached to be average.

Right now, Harper just needs to prove he can be average

[Ray D]

Harper is not known for his intellect.  Overthinking will always get him in trouble.

[tomterp]

Right now, Harper just needs to prove he can be average

Aside from yourself, I doubt anyone thinks he's below average.  He just needs to be healthy and play, the rest will come. 

[Mr Clean]

Aside from yourself, I doubt anyone thinks he's below average.  He just needs to be healthy and play, the rest will come. 

Does he even like the Nationals? I see no evidence.

[Mathguy]

Oh c'mon now Clean - why should Bryce have to show you he likes the Nationals ?

Does he even like the Nationals? I see no evidence.

[Slateman]

Aside from yourself, I doubt anyone thinks he's below average.  He just needs to be healthy and play, the rest will come. 

The numbers say he's a below average defender. The eyes show it too. He neds to work on simply being average and not running in to walls.

[mmzznnxx]

I hope that outfield assist he got a few days ago doesn't make him go all gung-ho this season. His arm is strong but his aim not so much. Plus that throw required a nice tag where the defender barely got the runner's shoulder. I could easily see that turning into a lot of failed bait attempts this season.

[Ray D]

Aside from yourself, I doubt anyone thinks he's below average.

I think he meant below average defensively.  And I think so too.

[tomterp]

I think he meant below average defensively.  And I think so too.

He didn't say defensively.  But even still, he seems average to me.  Poor breaks, but decent speed and the best outfield arm in baseball.

[Slateman]

Parra has a history of being one of the best defensive OFers in baseball. Harper has not. Harper needs to stick to the basics when it comes to outfield defense and baserunning.

Well it's kind of hard to be one of the best if you are being coached to be average.

He didn't say defensively.  But even still, he seems average to me.  Poor breaks, but decent speed and the best outfield arm in baseball.

That's all we've been talking about for over a day.

His arm isn't the best. I'd take Heyward and Cain's over his every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[ZimW1N]

That's all we've been talking about for over a day.

His arm isn't the best. I'd take Heyward and Cain's over his every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

His arm might not be the best but its still easily top 5-10 (if there's even an accurate way to judge such things)

[houston-nat]

His arm might not be the best but its still easily top 5-10 (if there's even an accurate way to judge such things)

Line everyone up in CF Rick Ankiel-depth and have them throw one home.

[PC]

Players again vote Bryce Harper MLB’s most overrated player

[tomterp]

That's all we've been talking about for over a day.

His arm isn't the best. I'd take Heyward and Cain's over his every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BP had it as a clear #1.

[Ray D]

He didn't say defensively.  But even still, he seems average to me.  Poor breaks, but decent speed and the best outfield arm in baseball.

If you want to rate Harper as a leftfielder, ok, he's average, because most leftfielders are not good.  Rightfielders are better defensively.  If you rate Harper as a rightfielder - which is what he is supposed to be now - I think he's below average.

[NJ Ave]

BP had it as a clear #1.

FG has Alex Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes 1-2 in OF arm runs over the past three years. Leonys Martin looks really strong as well, albeit more recently and in a smaller sample. Bryce is up there though.

Heyward's arm loses runs, or is average, according to the 2 metrics they use. So is Cain's.

[NJ Ave]

Heyward, over the past three years, is basically neutral in arm but has been worth 54-68 runs in range alone! (5.4-6.8 wins, about).

[UMDNats]

Players again vote Bryce Harper MLB’s most overrated player

Harper is younger than Kris Bryant and has a career 125 OPS+. freak off, everyone.

[NJ Ave]

Harper is younger than Kris Bryant and has a career 125 OPS+. freak off, everyone.

I think there's room for both points of view, to be honest. I don't think he's a bust or anything, but last year weren't some national media people putting him out there as an MVP candidate? He's nowhere close to that. He needs to make like a 50% jump to get to that level, so I can see players thinking he's overrated as an MVP-type player.