Bryce Harper 2018 and beyond

[Slateman]

Yeah. An outfield of Soto, Harper and Gimpy Eaton is a recipe for potential disaster.

Why? Harper has played pretty well in CF and Eaton was one of the best defenders in RF in 2016

[varoadking]

Why? Harper has played pretty well in CF and Eaton was one of the best defenders in RF in 2016

Agreed...I thought Royce always played a better Center Field than he did either of the corners...

[spidernat]

People like throwing out tired platitudes.

[Slateman]

Agreed...I thought Royce always played a better Center Field than he did either of the corners...

CF is easier if you have speed. It's a lot easier to track the ball because you have a better angle. You still have to deal with the line drive at you, but you have a better view of the angles and trajectory of the ball

[bluestreak]

Why? Harper has played pretty well in CF and Eaton was one of the best defenders in RF in 2016

Eaton blew out his knee and we have not seen him run normally since he came back. He may return to form but it’s not a given.

Harper played CF, what 4 years ago? By almost all metrics he is bad this year in RF. Why would you expect him to be better in Center?

[spidernat]

[Ray D]

CF is easier if you have speed. It's a lot easier to track the ball because you have a better angle. You still have to deal with the line drive at you, but you have a better view of the angles and trajectory of the ball

Not for me.  It depends on the player. For me, toughest was left field with a righthanded batter, or right field with a lefthander (i.e a ball pulled to me).  Easiest was left field with a lefthander or right field with a right hander  (slice to me). Centerfield in general was between those two in terms of difficulty.  I don't know why, but  that was me.  But as far as a ball hit straight at me, center was tougher than either corner because there was least perspective.   So, your theory might apply to some or even most, but by no means all outfielders.

[bluestreak]

This I don’t even understand. What are you laughing at. I’m not sure what Of what I said is controversial.

[Slateman]

Eaton blew out his knee and we have not seen him run normally since he came back. He may return to form but it’s not a given.

Harper played CF, what 4 years ago? By almost all metrics he is bad this year in RF. Why would you expect him to be better in Center?

See my post above. If you have speed, CF is easier than the corners.  Particularly if you struggle with identifying the best route to the ball.

[tomterp]

Eaton just MUST be in the lineup.  Sure, Harper's not hitting his best, give him a game off every 5 or so, but the team has not been scoring well at all and having Eaton, Soto and Harper together is the best lineup we can put out there. Taylor is 4th and will spell the other guys.  Eaton in particular should be paced.

[imref]

Eaton just MUST be in the lineup.  Sure, Harper's not hitting his best, give him a game off every 5 or so, but the team has not been scoring well at all and having Eaton, Soto and Harper together is the best lineup we can put out there. Taylor is 4th and will spell the other guys.  Eaton in particular should be paced.

that also may be the worst defensive OF in baseball.

[Mathguy]

Huh ?  What's so bad about Soto, Eaton, & Harper as defensive outfielders ?

that also may be the worst defensive OF in baseball.

[NatsAllThe Way]

Huh ?  What's so bad about Soto, Eaton, & Harper as defensive outfielders ?

One gimp, one overpaid superstar who lost a lot on his arm and can't hit a cutoff man, and one 19 year old.

[DCFan]

One gimp, one overpaid superstar who lost a lot on his arm and can't hit a cutoff man, and one 19 year old.

The 19 year old looks average at best out in the field.  But hey, you can't have everything. 

[GburgNatsFan]

I added emphasis.

The 19 year old looks average at best out in the field.  But hey, you can't have everything. 

[Ray D]

Eaton, Soto and Harper together is the best lineup we can put out there.

Almost.  Add Murphy and it's near perfect.   It would make sense to have him DH the next five games (after today).

[LoveAngelos]

I am tired of seeing Harper swing just for his own stats. If he wants to play this selfish then he needs to go join the NBA. Some idiot out there is going to get them four hundred million dollars next year. Let's find that same idiot now and get a bunch of prospects

[tomterp]

Almost.  Add Murphy and it's near perfect.   It would make sense to have him DH the next five games (after today).

I was referring to outfield alone, should have been more clear.  But yeah, let Murphy DH for sure. 

[PowerBoater69]

I am tired of seeing Harper swing just for his own stats. If he wants to play this selfish then he needs to go join the NBA. Some idiot out there is going to get them four hundred million dollars next year. Let's find that same idiot now and get a bunch of prospects

No strike outs today, broke a nine game streak. (14 games without a double or triple.)

[bluestreak]

I am tired of seeing Harper swing just for his own stats. If he wants to play this selfish then he needs to go join the NBA. Some idiot out there is going to get them four hundred million dollars next year. Let's find that same idiot now and get a bunch of prospects

Just for my education, how would a non-selfish Bryce Harper play?

[LoveAngelos]

No KS today but he did wiff at balls 3 an d 4 in the dirt before making coach with another ball 4 in the dirt for a weak ground out. He is a hole in the line up and like the James Taylor  song; in his mind he is going to......Fort Knox

[Smithian]

I am tired of seeing Harper swing just for his own stats. If he wants to play this selfish then he needs to go join the NBA. Some idiot out there is going to get them four hundred million dollars next year. Let's find that same idiot now and get a bunch of prospects

*sportsfan-on-Dunn-bat-signal*

[Ray D]

Just for my education, how would a non-selfish Bryce Harper play?

I don't know if I'd call him selfish (and if he is, he's no more selfish than most other players).  But I suspect there is both a selfish and a selfless side, and he's torn between the two.  Part of him wants to do anything possible to help his team win.  The other part wants to do anything possible to maximize his value as a free agent. And in this day and age, that means above all else hit as many homeruns as you can.  He's trying a bit too hard to hit homeruns, particularly with two strikes.  That's the selfish side.  But as I said it doesn't make him any different that many other players.

[Slateman]

I don't know if I'd call him selfish (and if he is, he's no more selfish than most other players).  But I suspect there is both a selfish and a selfless side, and he's torn between the two.  Part of him wants to do anything possible to help his team win.  The other part wants to do anything possible to maximize his value as a free agent. And in this day and age, that means above all else hit as many homeruns as you can.  He's trying a bit too hard to hit homeruns, particularly with two strikes.  That's the selfish side.  But as I said it doesn't make him any different that many other players.

I think you're reading way too much into it.

I've talked about this before my ban on ES, but Harper is his own best friend and his own worst enemy. He lives inside his own head. So when things are going great, he's amazing. 2015 is a great example. Locked in and focused at the plate. The first half of last season was like that.

But when he scuffles, he simply can't get out of the funk like a lot of guys do. And they are truly bad funks. Then he starts to try and overcompensate by hitting big home runs.

Add to that a rather complicated swing, and he seems like the type that will always struggle with consistency.

[bluestreak]

The question is, do we think this is his floor? Because if it is being able to pencil in a worst case scenario  OPS of .900 is pretty valuable.