POLL: UPDATED: Bryce's team in 2019 will be.....

[NJ Ave]

Bryce Harper hit 154 groundballs last year. Let's say, somewhat unfavorably, that an average infielder has a fielding percentage of .970 and they are equally likely to make errors on "routine" groundballs as other plays (untrue). So we can expect about 5 errors on Bryce Harper groundballs last year.

In the most unfavorable scenario - making an out failing to hustle while leading off, instead of getting to first base - he costs the team .6 runs per failed hustle. So 3 runs per year.

Of course, most players including Bryce would be hustling on more difficult plays anyways, so I'd say its more like a run a year if you never ran out two hoppers to second base.

As Mark McGwire once said (paraphrasing), y'all wanna see me run out some routine groundballs? Or y'all wanna see me sock a few dingers?!?

[Greg_SRT]

I am not asking him to sprint to 1st. But you got to get out of the box. You got to drop your bat and do more than fast walk like a fat man. You can't just walk back to the dugout before the Umpire says out.

[Baseball is Life]

Strangely enough, yeah.  His making a habit of having his helmet come off on the base paths then making a show of flipping his hair rather annoys me.  If he had a different hair cut, it probably would annoy me less and make me think more of him.  Probably very unfair on my part but it is what it is.
Doesn't mean I think he is a clubhouse cancer and I would be thrilled if he resigned with us. 

I give you credit for coming clean. Frankly, all the hair cuts and long beards bother the crap out of me but that's just the modern player doing his thing. I remember my dad getting all upset about the players back in the day who wore pants that were too tight.

[Baseball is Life]

I am not asking him to sprint to 1st. But you got to get out of the box. You got to drop your bat and do more than fast walk like a fat man. You can't just walk back to the dugout before the Umpire says out.

He doesn't do that more than any other player. Frankly, if I had to single out one player who was really bad about that, it was Werth. This is just the eye test from seeing about 25-30 games a year where I can watch the players run down the line.

[blue911]

last season Harper reached base 3 times via error, 23 times for his career.

[nfotiu]

I am not asking him to sprint to 1st. But you got to get out of the box. You got to drop your bat and do more than fast walk like a fat man. You can't just walk back to the dugout before the Umpire says out.

I only recall one time 2 or 3 years ago, where he went to the dugout without running through first base.  He got called out on it, talked to by managers, and that was that.   

[Greg_SRT]

I only recall one time 2 or 3 years ago, where he went to the dugout without running through first base.  He got called out on it, talked to by managers, and that was that.

Happened a number of times in 2018

[nfotiu]

Happened a number of times in 2018

You'll have to back that up.  I don't believe that he turned the dug out before being called out in 2018.

[bluestreak]

Bryce Harper hit 154 groundballs last year. Let's say, somewhat unfavorably, that an average infielder has a fielding percentage of .970 and they are equally likely to make errors on "routine" groundballs as other plays (untrue). So we can expect about 5 errors on Bryce Harper groundballs last year.

In the most unfavorable scenario - making an out failing to hustle while leading off, instead of getting to first base - he costs the team .6 runs per failed hustle. So 3 runs per year.

Of course, most players including Bryce would be hustling on more difficult plays anyways, so I'd say its more like a run a year if you never ran out two hoppers to second base.

As Mark McGwire once said (paraphrasing), y'all wanna see me run out some routine groundballs? Or y'all wanna see me sock a few dingers?!?

If it were 3 runs per year, that would be significant. As you say, though it’s likely not nearly that much. I think the talk of him hustling to first is tiresome.

[Squab]

You'll have to back that up.  I don't believe that he turned the dug out before being called out in 2018.

regardless of whether it is true, it is the perception. The Boswell character assassination article made it clear that's how Scherzer (and thus probably his other teammates) view him.

my favorite part of this completely pointless argument is that when he came up, he did exactly what everyone wants him to do now, except everyone beat it out of him by telling him he would get hurt and that he shouldn't play that way. he let off the gas and tried to protect himself from injury after he had a couple seasons torpedoed by playing that way, and now everyone wants him to go back to playing the way he did before. he can't win. whether he sprints to 1st base on routine groundballs has so little relation to if he "really cares" or "is trying" but it is an unwritten rule that you have to do that. it is all so stupid.

[bluestreak]

I hate when his helmet comes off. I think it’s purposeful and I don’t see any utility in it. In fact I think it even cost him an out once because he tripped on it.

I dont think Bryce is a bad guy, but he reminds me a lot of the bro type that I dont like. It actually annoys me when he tries to tweak the fans who adore him by posting pics with cryptic messages intimating that he’s leaving, knowing full well what he’s doing. 

And I do think it’s probably tiresome for Harper to be the focus, if you’re say, Anthony Rendon, who has outperformed him over the past three years to be referred to as Bryce’s teammate. I don’t think he is a cancer, but could the atmosphere be lighter if he doesn’t come back? Possibly.

[Greg_SRT]

You'll have to back that up.  I don't believe that he turned the dug out before being called out in 2018.

I will try to find it.

Iirc, it was just before Trea had his moment. And I'm surprised this is even being question on WNFF, since it was talked about many times in the GDT and other threads.

[miller10]

I hate when his helmet comes off. I think it’s purposeful and I don’t see any utility in it. In fact I think it even cost him an out once because he tripped on it.

I dont think Bryce is a bad guy, but he reminds me a lot of the bro type that I dont like. It actually annoys me when he tries to tweak the fans who adore him by posting pics with cryptic messages intimating that he’s leaving, knowing full well what he’s doing. 

And I do think it’s probably tiresome for Harper to be the focus, if you’re say, Anthony Rendon, who has outperformed him over the past three years to be referred to as Bryce’s teammate. I don’t think he is a cancer, but could the atmosphere be lighter if he doesn’t come back? Possibly.

I agree 100% with all of that.

[NJ Ave]

I dont think Bryce is a bad guy, but he reminds me a lot of the bro type that I dont like.

My biggest problem with Bryce is that he seems to want to pretend to be a "super serious ballplayer" more than he seems to have interest in actually being a "super serious ballplayer".

Like instead of fake hustling so hard your helmet flies off, how about just hitting the cutoff man, throwing to the right base, not getting caught making baserunning errors, etc?

[UMDNats]

And I do think it’s probably tiresome for Harper to be the focus, if you’re say, Anthony Rendon, who has outperformed him over the past three years to be referred to as Bryce’s teammate. I don’t think he is a cancer, but could the atmosphere be lighter if he doesn’t come back? Possibly.

i agree with this

[Baseball is Life]

I hate when his helmet comes off. I think it’s purposeful and I don’t see any utility in it. In fact I think it even cost him an out once because he tripped on it.

I dont think Bryce is a bad guy, but he reminds me a lot of the bro type that I dont like. It actually annoys me when he tries to tweak the fans who adore him by posting pics with cryptic messages intimating that he’s leaving, knowing full well what he’s doing. 

And I do think it’s probably tiresome for Harper to be the focus, if you’re say, Anthony Rendon, who has outperformed him over the past three years to be referred to as Bryce’s teammate. I don’t think he is a cancer, but could the atmosphere be lighter if he doesn’t come back? Possibly.

On the other hand, a quiet guy like Rendon or Stras might like the spotlight being on somebody else so they can quietly go about their business.

I get why his on field personality (the hair flip, the bat helmet, etc.) makes him irritating to some people. But, you know what, that's what makes him an attractive player to follow for others. It could be a generational thing, too. Younger fans love the colorful players and the older fans don't. A bit of a generalization, I know, but a sport that has been accused of being too bland for today's generation could use all the personalities it can get.

[NJ Ave]

Like my problem is that I think Bryce thinks that its a valuable play when he dives and catches a flyball at full speed, even if the reason he was sprinting was because he ignored where the defensive coach was telling him to position himself (right where the ball would have landed).

[Baseball is Life]

Like my problem is that I think Bryce thinks that its a valuable play when he dives and catches a flyball at full speed, even if the reason he was sprinting was because he ignored where the defensive coach was telling him to position himself (right where the ball would have landed).

 Now we're accusing him of not listening to his defensive coaches? Okay.

[PowerBoater69]

I will try to find it.

Iirc, it was just before Trea had his moment. And I'm surprised this is even being question on WNFF, since it was talked about many times in the GDT and other threads.

Check the video from the game on 9/20. Quite a night for Harper, caught stealing, stood at the plate and watched a fly ball caught five feet short of the fence, and tossed for arguing a strike call. The best video is the last one, they have the audio up so you can hear him cussing the ump while waiving a bat in his face.

Corrected the date to 9/20. On 7/20 Scherzer and Strasburg argued in the dugout and Harper went 1-4 with a single to raise his average to .215.

[hotshot]

Phillies just might be getting Jayson Werth back in signing Harper, just at a much higher salary.

[Kevrock]

Werth and Harper don't have much in common aside from contract

[Greg_SRT]

Check the video from the game on 9/20. Quite a night for Harper, caught stealing, stood at the plate and watched a fly ball caught five feet short of the fence, and tossed for arguing a strike call. The best video is the last one, they have the audio up so you can hear him cussing the ump while waiving a bat in his face.

Corrected the date to 9/20. On 7/20 Scherzer and Strasburg argued in the dugout and Harper went 1-4 with a single to raise his average to .215.

Talking about this?
https://youtu.be/3uCsgMvembM?t=7110

September 20, 2018. And yes... he doesn't go down the line nor drop his bat.

Edit: I knew you meant 9/20 since it was Harpers first ejection of 2018

[NJ Ave]

Now we're accusing him of not listening to his defensive coaches? Okay.

It was a hypothetical. The guy makes a bunch of dumb plays, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe he was unlucky, maybe he got worse, maybe he just has more brain farts than the average player.

https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2018/11/20/18104199/bryce-harper-free-agency-defense

He also does a lot of great things.

[imref]

Yeah Harper is not perfect, but I still think he makes us a better team.

I'd rather trot out:
1. Robles
2. Turner
3. Harper
4. Soto
5. Rendon
6. Zimmerman
7. Gomes
8. Dozier

than a lineup without Harper.

[Greg_SRT]

Yeah Harper is not perfect, but I still think he makes us a better team.

I'd rather trot out:
1. Robles
2. Turner
3. Harper
4. Soto
5. Rendon
6. Zimmerman
7. Gomes
8. Dozier

than a lineup without Harper.

100%

I'm not saying Harper is crap. I still think our Nats and Harper should work it out.

Just saying if one wishes to be the foundation of a franchise, he needs to set the example. I remember WNFF and Natsland in general saying "How can they bench Turner but not Harper". I made Dave and everyone in charge look weak. You can't bench Turner for it, trade Kelley for it, and then go Harper gonna Harper. A united team that does not make.