Bryce Harper 2018 and beyond

[Slateman]

Are you even reading the things I say? You are literally agreeing with me now, that in THIS SEASON, we would be happy for Bryce to end up with Dunn number's.

Here's the quote.
 
As in I think most nationals fans would be happy if Harper began playing at his career average numbers, and ended up with a line similiar to Dunn's in his prime, because right now he probably won't even reach that. Beyond that all I said was his approach was the same, high SO, high BB, low contact, high power. How is that incorrect?

No one would be ecstatic, because that's literally the worst season of Harper. Ever. Like I said, Harper's floor is Dunn's ceiling.

[nfotiu]

At the end of April, it looked like Bryce was going to set the all time walks record.  I don't know if it was him, or his coaches, but he seemed to make a conscious effort to try to hit more balls out of the strike zone.   It is a clearly a strategy that isn't working.  And now, he gets even less balls in the strike zone because they know he'll chase.   Other years, the strategy was to get someone who could hit batting behind him, and he started getting more pitches.   He clearly needs someone to tell him to stop doing this, and go back to what made him a great player.   I am not thinking that Kevin Long is helping him much and could be hurting him.

[Ray D]

Bryce Harper averages 33 home runs per 162 games. He currently has played in 69 games (out of 70) and has 19 home runs. If he hit his career average for the rest of the season (.203 home runs per game), he would finish the season with 36 home runs (assuming 155 games played). 

Harper is in his 7th season and it is reasonable to assume that his body of work over that period represents who he is. He will likely be injured at least at the same rate (and most likely a higher rate) and in particular, he is probably going to average 145 games per season, not 155.  Which would mean an average 29.5 homeruns.

[aspenbubba]

Even I'm not that old. Carlos Paula was a legend when I became of baseball age.  He was the first black Senator.  I never knew he was a bad outfielder.  My favorite bad outfielder was Jim Lemon. Soto is better than Lemon.

Is Lemon still alive. I remember after his playing days that he had a grocery store in Hyattsville ( Queenstown area)

[Ray D]

Is Lemon still alive. I remember after his playing days that he had a grocery store in Hyattsville ( Queenstown area)

No he died, at least 10 years ago.  I remember the grocery store.

[trangert418]

You want to see what a bad outfielder is ? Look at Soto . Harper is an average fielder. Soto is the reincarnation of Carlos Paula (OK old timers weigh in).

I saw something wrong with Harper and posted it mid- April. Personally I believe it is in his head. The more he presses the worse he gets.

I had never heard of Carlos Paula so I looked him up and found this:

"Mickey Vernon once told me a funny story about Carlos Paula. Once at a game in Fenway Park Carlos was playing left field when a hard hit ball went right through his legs. He turned to retrieve the ball when the ball hit the Green Monster and rolled through his legs going in the opposite direction. An interesting scoring decision to say the least."

 

[hotshot]

I think he will sign with the Nats for a “hometown discount” with an opt out after two years. I don’t agree with it, but think that’s what will happen.

As long as it's a BIG discount.

[Ray D]

I had never heard of Carlos Paula so I looked him up and found this:

"Mickey Vernon once told me a funny story about Carlos Paula. Once at a game in Fenway Park Carlos was playing left field when a hard hit ball went right through his legs. He turned to retrieve the ball when the ball hit the Green Monster and rolled through his legs going in the opposite direction. An interesting scoring decision to say the least."

 

I think you could give him two errors (assuming each of the two times it rolled through his legs directly resulted in  advancing one base).  But I'm not sure. Interesting scoring decision indeed.

[hotshot]

I had never heard of Carlos Paula so I looked him up and found this:

"Mickey Vernon once told me a funny story about Carlos Paula. Once at a game in Fenway Park Carlos was playing left field when a hard hit ball went right through his legs. He turned to retrieve the ball when the ball hit the Green Monster and rolled through his legs going in the opposite direction. An interesting scoring decision to say the least."

 

I saw Carlos play and he defined lead-footed. Big guy, but little power.  He did hit close to .300 one year.  First Black player on Senators -- our Jackie Robinson. Like most Senators players of Hispanic origin, from Cuba.

[Smithian]

Boy, my Adam Dunn post sure did set this thread on fire.

[PowerBoater69]

Good to see Harper bust out of his slump. $400 million is back on track. For a while there he was looking into dropping out of baseball for a couple years of missionary work.

[mixedmutt]

No one would be ecstatic, because that's literally the worst season of Harper. Ever. Like I said, Harper's floor is Dunn's ceiling.

It's called hyperbole you tool, meant to draw attention to just how god awful Harper is playing and you'd have to be an even bigger tool than I already think you are to believe Harper is suddenly going to start putting up career numbers for the rest of this season. At this point, if not "ecstatic" we would be LUCKY for Harper's numbers at the end of the season to resemble Dunn's ceiling. Guess your just another fanboi detached from reality, who thinks Bryce is suddenly going to rise from the dead and start playing like Hank Aaron, with nothing but "faith" to fuel such delusions.

[bluestreak]

It's called hyperbole you tool, meant to draw attention to just how god awful Harper is playing and you'd have to be an even bigger tool than I already think you are to believe Harper is suddenly going to start putting up career numbers for the rest of this season. At this point, if not "ecstatic" we would be LUCKY for Harper's numbers at the end of the season to resemble Dunn's ceiling. Guess your just another fanboi detached from reality, who thinks Bryce is suddenly going to rise from the dead and start playing like Hank Aaron, with nothing but "faith" to fuel such delusions.

Slate is many, many things. I don’t ever think he’s been called a fanboi though.

[rileyn]

I think Tom Boswell hit on something in his live chat regarding Harper....there is something eating at him and he doesn't look like he is having any fun.  Boz seems to think it all has to do with the pressure of being Bryce Harper and trying to live up to what is expected to be a massive free agency deal this summer, while being "pushed" out of a place he has grown to like.  Bryce knows he is likely leaving DC, and so he feels less of a connection and now faces uncertainty for his future.  It's heady stuff and I think it's all a part of the funk Bryce is in.

Remember Bryce leading the "Make Baseball Fun Again," movement.  That is a totally different guy.

[aspenbubba]

I think Tom Boswell hit on something in his live chat regarding Harper....there is something eating at him and he doesn't look like he is having any fun.  Boz seems to think it all has to do with the pressure of being Bryce Harper and trying to live up to what is expected to be a massive free agency deal this summer, while being "pushed" out of a place he has grown to like.  Bryce knows he is likely leaving DC, and so he feels less of a connection and now faces uncertainty for his future.  It's heady stuff and I think it's all a part of the funk Bryce is in.

Remember Bryce leading the "Make Baseball Fun Again," movement.  That is a totally different guy.

I know it is a "hands-off " subject but maybe he is having issues at home.

[HalfSmokes]

I think Tom Boswell hit on something in his live chat regarding Harper....there is something eating at him and he doesn't look like he is having any fun.  Boz seems to think it all has to do with the pressure of being Bryce Harper and trying to live up to what is expected to be a massive free agency deal this summer, while being "pushed" out of a place he has grown to like.  Bryce knows he is likely leaving DC, and so he feels less of a connection and now faces uncertainty for his future.  It's heady stuff and I think it's all a part of the funk Bryce is in.

Remember Bryce leading the "Make Baseball Fun Again," movement.  That is a totally different guy.

That makes more sense than anything else I’ve read. The funny thing his, his pressure revolves around how many hundreds of millions his next deal will be for, but hundreds if not thousands of guys in the minors right through the majors have the pressure of preforming or selling cars next summer and most manage to do it because from little league on they’ve had to be the best to move to the next level.

[spidernat]

Slate is many, many things. I don’t ever think he’s been called a fanboi though.

You weren't here when Slate had throat fatigue from swallowing Espinosa's cock.

[UMDNats]

I know it is a "hands-off " subject but maybe he is having issues at home.

That's a pretty big leap of logic.

[Monarch]

I think Tom Boswell hit on something in his live chat regarding Harper....there is something eating at him and he doesn't look like he is having any fun.  Boz seems to think it all has to do with the pressure of being Bryce Harper and trying to live up to what is expected to be a massive free agency deal this summer, while being "pushed" out of a place he has grown to like.  Bryce knows he is likely leaving DC, and so he feels less of a connection and now faces uncertainty for his future.  It's heady stuff and I think it's all a part of the funk Bryce is in.

Remember Bryce leading the "Make Baseball Fun Again," movement.  That is a totally different guy.

I know this is kind of dumb and has been beaten to death, but I think rooting against the Caps in the SC finals wasn't a good look for him (regardless of the reason he was doing it) and he probably lost a lot of fans. "Screw him, he sucks anyway and is leaving" I've heard more people say. At the games and on twitter.

[UMDNats]

I think Tom Boswell hit on something in his live chat regarding Harper....there is something eating at him and he doesn't look like he is having any fun.  Boz seems to think it all has to do with the pressure of being Bryce Harper and trying to live up to what is expected to be a massive free agency deal this summer, while being "pushed" out of a place he has grown to like.  Bryce knows he is likely leaving DC, and so he feels less of a connection and now faces uncertainty for his future.  It's heady stuff and I think it's all a part of the funk Bryce is in.

Remember Bryce leading the "Make Baseball Fun Again," movement.  That is a totally different guy.

I pretty much agree with all of this.

[vernon337]

I heard Tim Kurkjian talking about this today on one of the local sportstalk shows.  He was saying that Harper has always had a tendency to be too intense and take failure too hard -- to the point where Davey Johnson once famously told him something about easing up on himself. 

I noticed a while back that he just looked grim whenever the cameras were on him -- and this was maybe even before he really started slumping.  He just may not have the kind of personality that's suited to carrying all that comes with being perceived as a superstar.

[NatsAllThe Way]

Anyone still think Bryce Harper is as good as Mike Trout?  I'm starting to have my doubts.

[Monarch]

Anyone still think Bryce Harper is as good as Mike Trout?  I'm starting to have my doubts.

Certainly not this year. Only the biggest Nats homer would make that claim at this point though.

[Ray D]

I know it is a "hands-off " subject but maybe he is having issues at home.

I don't know about issues at home but you may have something there with the hands-off part.

[rileyn]

My prediction for Harper is that he surprises everybody and signs a 2 year extension over the All Star break.  He will get showered with hometown love all week and a weight will be lifted off his shoulders.  He will then quiet all crazy talk about his 2020 free agency.

You heard it here first.  June 20, 2018.  rileyn