Bryce Harper 2018 and beyond

[aBaltoNat]

Boras is a spin master and a shill, but that’s a big part of what he’s paid to do. This little tirade is nothing more than posturing. It’s like a defense attorney painting an unrealistically angelic picture of his client, the defendant.  99% of the time, the flowery language and big words don’t change a damn thing but he’s gonna try it anyway because 1% of the time, it works. Bird gotta fly, fish gotta swim, Boras gotta Boras.

You bring a lot of great info to the board but your statement on posturing is....obvious.

It still makes me sick.

[Baseball is Life]

The hate for Harper after he watched a fly ball that he thought was going out is weird. It happens a lot in MLB but you don't see people freaking out over others when they do it.

I don't think I've ever seen an athlete who has ever gotten as much scrutiny as Harper does.

[rileyn]

The hate for Harper after he watched a fly ball that he thought was going out is weird. It happens a lot in MLB but you don't see people freaking out over others when they do it.

I don't think I've ever seen an athlete who has ever gotten as much scrutiny as Harper does.

Because no other athlete has ever said, when asked about a future $400M contract, "Don't sell me short."

[rileyn]

"When the league doesn't want to participate in a way that's customary, we can't look at players in customary ways," Boras said. "There's no question that with the walk rates that Bryce Harper has, he's going to have less hits."

Yeah Scott the walk rate and shifts are why he's hitting .218 and is on pace for 170 Ks.

The Boras propaganda machine has no off switch.

No Mr. Boras, your client has an entire half of the field open to hit to. 

[Ray D]

The hate for Harper after he watched a fly ball that he thought was going out is weird. It happens a lot in MLB

What happens alot?  Watching it, or watching one that doesn't go out.  If it goes out, fine. If it doesn't then you're on my crap list.


 Don't watch it unless you are 100% sure.  Not 99%; 100%.

[spidernat]

"I look at metrics about how hard you're hitting the ball, and what you're doing with the pitches that you can hit. When the league doesn't want to participate in a way that's customary, we can't look at players in customary ways," Boras said.

At one point they are going to claim that he's been toughing it out and "injury" is another cause for his sucking ass.

[Ray D]

At one point they are going to claim that he's been toughing it out and "injury" is another cause for his sucking ass.

He may well be injured, we'll never find out.  Teams considering signing him are going to be much more concerned about his injury record than his poor season.

[UMDNats]

Bryce Harper wants $400 million to:

a) be inconsistent as freak year-to-year
b) half-ass most defense
c) show no leadership

[DPMOmaha]

Bryce Harper wants $400 million to:

a) be inconsistent as freak year-to-year
b) half-ass most defense
c) show no leadership

So do I.

[slhubic]

Bryce Harper wants $400 million to:

a) be inconsistent as freak year-to-year
b) half-ass most defense
c) show no leadership

and questionable fundamentals, not the least of which, is also questionable hustle.

[varoadking]

and questionable fundamentals, not the least of which, is also questionable hustle.

His hustle isn't questionable...it's non-existent...and has been for years...

[Cinqo de Mayo]

Bryce Harper wants $400 million to:

a) be inconsistent as freak year-to-year
b) half-ass most defense
c) show no leadership

You omitted terrible baserunner.

[PowerBoater69]

Start shopping him now, first good offer ship him out.

[varoadking]

Start shopping him now, first good offer ship him out.

FIFY

[hotshot]

If he can't be traded, just tell him starting now he's the Nat's new Catcher.  And that he should see the move as him adding value to his resume.

[PowerBoater69]

What a dope.

@chelsea_janes Harper: "We've never been in this position before, and I think it's an exciting  time for us. In years past, we've won the division by a lot of games and  we're able to be behind right now. I'm excited to get out there and test it."

[varoadking]

@chelsea_janes Harper: "We've never been in this position before, and I think it's an exciting  time for us. In years past, we've won the division by a lot of games and  we're able to be behind right now. I'm excited to get out there and test it."

I mean... 

[rileyn]

Would it have killed him to drop down a bunt in the 9th today to get the tie run to the plate?  We needed baserunners?  We needed to keep the line moving.  A home run in that situation does not help us.  This guy.  This team. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I don't think I've ever seen an athlete who has ever gotten as much scrutiny as Harper does.

Nomar Garicaparra in 2004, after he turned down a 4 year, $60MM contract and the team tried to trade him before the season for Magglio Ordonez in a 3 way deal to get A=Rod.  Almost a carbon copy, FWIW. Pouted, had an up and down year, and ended up getting moved of Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkeiwicz in a 4 way deal.  The rest is history.  And if anyone says, "but the jersey sales and the kids," Harper is nothing compared to the Nomar Cult in Boston.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Would it have killed him to drop down a bunt in the 9th today to get the tie run to the plate?  We needed baserunners?  We needed to keep the line moving.  A home run in that situation does not help us.  This guy.  This team. 

if this dude isn't working on bunting and hitting the opposite way in BP, then he's not trying.

[welch]

if this dude isn't working on bunting and hitting the opposite way in BP, then he's not trying.

This. I remember when Harper used to bunt to the wide-open left side (although people used to complain that a bunt is no better than a walk. An empty stat). He also used to hit to LF. Did he forget? Is he so out-of-practice that he cannot hit against a shift? Adam LaRoche used to pop out whenever he tried hitting to the opposite field, but Harper could do it, once. If he hit that way again, teams would stop shifting.

[Greg_SRT]

Harper isn't hitting much at all pull side. He is getting pitches today inside and still can't hit them. He needs to fix that before working on anything else.

I bet he wishes they would just walk him now 

[Ray D]

Used to be, Harper bunting was a misuse of his talent.  Not anymore.   Not only that; no matter who the batter is, could be Babe Ruth, if he comes up in the ninth, down three, with one man on, he needs to get on base and hitting a homerun doesn't really help much more than getting on base.  They desperately needed him to get on base in that situation, and he's swinging for the fences. That third strike was one of the worst swings I've seen in years. For christ sake, the pitch was about ear-level, and it even looked like he left his feet to try to reach it.  Damn right he should have bunted if that would have gotten him on base.

[Jeff in Gaithersburg]

Boras is a spin master and a shill, but that’s a big part of what he’s paid to do. This little tirade is nothing more than posturing. It’s like a defense attorney painting an unrealistically angelic picture of his client, the defendant.  99% of the time, the flowery language and big words don’t change a damn thing but he’s gonna try it anyway because 1% of the time, it works. Bird gotta fly, fish gotta swim, Boras gotta Boras.

I get exactly what Boras is doing, but it doesn't do Bryce or the team any good and won't put any extra $$$ in Bryce's pockets. Scouts and GMs can see for themselves what's going on with him and don't care what an agent who's trying to play an analytics expert has to say.

[welch]

Used to be, Harper bunting was a misuse of his talent.  Not anymore.   Not only that; no matter who the batter is, could be Babe Ruth, if he comes up in the ninth, down three, with one man on, he needs to get on base and hitting a homerun doesn't really help much more than getting on base.  They desperately needed him to get on base in that situation, and he's swinging for the fences. That third strike was one of the worst swings I've seen in years. For christ sake, the pitch was about ear-level, and it even looked like he left his feet to try to reach it.  Damn right he should have bunted if that would have gotten him on base.

Yes, and moved the runner to second. Once or twice against the Phillies, Turner led off the inning, got to first, the Phillies put the 3b almost standing on 2B, and Harper swung. Once hit into a DP, with the Nats down a run.

Maybe his bat is too heavy? Big swing, big whiff, but can't pull the bat tight enough to hit to left? How does Trout do it?