Meet Bryce Harper, #1 pick in 2010 Draft? -- Now also the 2010 MLB Draft Thread

[DeToxRox]

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Kid is 16 and is trying to get eligible for the 2010 MLB Draft. Scouts say he'd go #1 in 2010 if he was eligible. He hit a 502 foot HR at the Trop, longest ever there and at 16 he was clocked at 93 mph. Not bad for a catcher. Obviously he has to show he can hit MLB offspeed stuff, but he is a franchise catcher who if he gets locked in with Boras might make Strasburgs contract pale in comparison.

He was featured in SI this week as well.

[claphamsa]

Word is he already has a house on the potomac....

[DeToxRox]

The Baseball Analysts: Revisiting Bryce Harper (http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2009/01/revisiting_bryc.php)

Last August, I wrote an article entitled "Remember This Name," whereby I opened with the following paragraph:

Let me introduce you to the No. 1 pick in the 2011 amateur draft . . . Bryce Harper. I know, that particular draft won't take place for three more years. As such, how in the world could I make this type of a prediction now? Well, if you watched the 15-year-old, lefthanded-hitting catcher take batting practice, infield, and two plate appearances on Tuesday at the Area Code Games, as I did, then I have no doubt that you would be as enthusiastic about this phenom as I am.

Harper made some more noise earlier this month at the third annual International Power Showcase High School Home Run Derby at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field. Although Harper didn't win the contest, according to Baseball America's Nathan Rode, the tenth grader "played the part of Josh Hamilton" while Christian Walker, a third baseman from Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High in Norristown, Pennsylvania "served the role of Justin Morneau."

Greg Rybarczyk, who maintains the indispensable site Hit Tracker Online, which logs and calculates the trajectory of every major league home run, covered Harper's exploits at the Home Run Derby contest:

Over the next 60 seconds, Harper unleashed an awe-inspiring series of hits to areas of Tropicana Field few major leaguers have reached:

• 460 feet to the top edge of the Jumbotron in right field; 119 mph off the bat
• 484 feet to the back wall of the stadium, 15 feet above the Jumbotron; 122 mph
• 485 feet to the back wall, just below the orange Bright House “target” sign; 123 mph
• 405 feet on a blistering line drive around the RF pole; 118 mph
• 502 feet to the back wall, in the vicinity of the first “A” in the Tropicana Field sign, 20 feet above the top of the Jumbotron; 124.5 mph
• 477 feet to right-center field, halfway up and a few feet to the left of the Jumbotron; 119 mph.

Harper cranked six home runs with a metal bat, averaging 469 feet with an exit velocity of 121 mph. Photographer Jeff Horton captured Harper's longest homer below (with Rybarcyzk providing location and distance for each of his dozen home runs).


Harper_photo_scatter_pic2_2-1.jpg


Notice the white ball toward the top, left-center of the photo. It traveled 502 feet, the longest of the event and on record at Tropicana. According to Rybarczyk, the ball would have exited Yankee Stadium. Greg told Baseball America's Rode, "It was hit at precisely the right direction to get just to the left of the upper deck in Yankee Stadium, but to the right of the bleachers and back bleacher wall. It would have cleared the back wall of Yankee Stadium with probably about 15 to 20 feet to spare."

Rode added, "Another one of his shots traveled 484 feet and at its angle would have landed in the right field Upper Deck of Fenway Park, which has never been done."

Harper hit 12 home runs overall — enough to make the top five — but slugged only one in the final round. Rybarczyk said the 16-year-old high school sophomore "looked worn out, understandably so since he had the misfortune to have hit 67th out of 69 batters, and had only a few minutes to recover before the finals."

Walker won the title by going yard nine times in the final round. Ryan Gunhouse (Clear Creek HS, League City, Texas), Randal Grichuk (Lamar Consolidated HS, Rosenburg, Texas), and Dante Bichette (Orangewood Christian, Maitland, Florida) joined Harper (Las Vegas HS, Las Vegas, Nevada) in the finals. Bichette, the son of the former Colorado Rockies slugger, is a sophomore as well.

The following video of Harper is worth wa

[Lathum]

There has been alot of talk about him on the radio this week, more of it was centered around whether or not he should have been featured on the cover or not.

[JediKooter]

Metal bat...not impressed.

The kid is big for 16 and looks like he has a lot of potential for sure. Should be interesting to see his career progress.

[DeToxRox]

Reporting from the Area Code Games, Rich Lederer introduces us to Bryce Harper, perhaps the best 15-year-old baseball player in America …

I'm not the only one who feels this way about the 6-foot-2, 197-pound sophomore-to-be from Las Vegas. I spoke to a handful of the more than 300 scouts in attendance on the first day of the tournament about Harper and the responses -- from those who have followed him closely to others who had seen him for the first time that day -- ranged from "wow" to shaking head in disbelief to "the best high school hitter I've ever seen."

Using a wood bat, Harper put on a hitting clinic toward the end of BP, blasting one shot after another. Several hours later, the prized prospect hit the two hardest balls during the opening day of the six-day tournament in which pitchers dominated the action. In his first at-bat, Harper, serving as the designated hitter for the Cincinnati Reds, lined out to center field. He hit the ball about as squarely as possible, directly up the middle but straight into the glove of Washington Nationals center fielder Kyrell Hudson.

In Harper's second trip to the plate, he jacked a towering shot off the right-field wall for a stand-up triple to open the sixth inning.

...

Harper has a power bat and a plus throwing arm that "already grades out to 70 on the 20 to 80 scouting scale," according to Dave Perkin of Baseball America. During infield prior to the game, Harper, in full gear, rifled the ball out of a crouch to second and third base with precision. Upon seeing him in action, I marked down "+ + arm" next to his name in my program. Although the rap on him is that he's not all that fast, I thought he ran very well from home to third on that triple, especially considering his age, size, and power. The kid is nothing if not impressive.

There's a long time between now and Draft Day 2011, but the last tyro who got these sorts of reviews at the Area Code Games was probably Justin Upton, who's done pretty well for himself since. I don't pay much attention to amateur players because I have a hard enough time keeping the professionals straight. But every so often, some kid simply demands your attention, and apparently this kid is one of those.

[DeToxRox]

People are already calling him the Lebron James of baseball. He is probably a better prospect then Josh Hamilton was, which is disgusting.

[Lathum]

People are already calling him the Lebron James of baseball. He is probably a better prospect then Josh Hamilton was, which is disgusting.

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

[DeToxRox]

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

Baseball prospects are becoming easier to spot as being the real deal now though. It's still not nearly an exact science but it's obvious that the top guys are much easier to determine these days.

[Sun Tzu]

Agreed...it's not a wooden bat. Give Josh Hamilton that bat and he'll smash that record in 2 swings.

[Lathum]

Baseball prospects are becoming easier to spot as being the real deal now though. It's still not nearly an exact science but it's obvious that the top guys are much easier to determine these days.

True, but in today's day and age I am curious to see what kind of bonus a guy who may not help you until 2-3 years down the road gets.

[Logan]

Does anyone know if there's a list out there or analysis of guys who have slipped in drafts because of signability concerns, at least supposed top 5 picks who have dropped to maybe the 15 or later range in the first? I know it's going to be fairly subjective, but I'm curious about something...

[DeToxRox]

Agreed...it's not a wooden bat. Give Josh Hamilton that bat and he'll smash that record in 2 swings.

But one is already a pro, and one is 16. Now tell me if Hamilton at 16 could do it then we'll talk.

[DeToxRox]

True, but in today's day and age I am curious to see what kind of bonus a guy who may not help you until 2-3 years down the road gets.

Really just depends who drafts them. If a team who spends money struggles in 2010, like lets say the Rangers implode. Even though they have two young catchers, they would take a kid like this and pay him what he wants I am sure.

Hell the Nats are going to cough up 15-20 mil in bonus this year for Strasburg and this is the same team that let Aaron Crow walk last year for wanting too much money.

[lordscarlet]

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

Aww, Lathum.. you're so nice! The Pirates or Royals!

I wish I had that kind of faith.

[claphamsa]

well, strasbough is better than crow... and the nats suck ass!

[lungs]

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

[claphamsa]

Aww, Lathum.. you're so nice! The Pirates or Royals!

I wish I had that kind of faith.
especially since hes DCs to lose, it would take an epic run for us not to pick #1 next year as well!

[DaddyTorgo]

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

+1

[lordscarlet]

well, strasbough is better than crow... and the nats suck ass!

Are you aware that there is talk of drafting Crow with the #10 this year?

[claphamsa]

Ive heard that, and anyone who thinks crow will make it to #10 is smoking crack.

That being said, he could get picked #2 and be no where near as good as Strasbough

[claphamsa]

yay baseball draft! im pumped!

[Atocep]

So how many high school catchers drafted in the top 10 have worked out?

[DaddyTorgo]

So how many high school players drafted in the top 10 have worked out?

:hand:

fixed it for you

[stevew]

How many pitchers drafted #1 overall have panned out? Basically nobody of any merit.

[molson]

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

[lordscarlet]

Of the 43 players selected with the first overall pick (one player was the No. 1 selection twice), only 13 have been pitchers.

Pitchers not a popular pick at No. 1 | MLB.com: News (http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090518&content_id=4799310&vkey=draft2009&fext=.jsp)

None of them have been stellar. However, look at the #1 list overall (List of MLB first overall draft choices) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MLB_first_overall_draft_choices)). Of those 43, 18 have been All-Stars. I don't know MLB well enough to tell you who has and has not been a HOFer (none of them?). There are a couple of possible future HOFers (ARod, Griffey, Chipper perhaps). But the #1 spot just doesn't have a long history of that level of success.

However, if you look at the top 10 picks, not a single top 10 pitcher has had a HOF career. The closest (according to an article in the Post http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2009/05/final_word_on_top-10_pick_pitc.html) are probably Dwight Gooden, Devin Broan and J.R. Richard. Only 14 of them have even won 125 games.

Non pitchers taken in the top 10: Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Frank Thomas, Mark McGwire, Joe Carter, Barry Larkin, Harold Baines, Will Clark, Matt Williams, Troy Glaus, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Todd Helton, Darryl Strawberry and Ted Simmons.

Pitching talent just seems to be way too hard to predict.

[DaddyTorgo]

ARoid in the HoF? God I hope not!

[claphamsa]

roids or not he is the best player of our generation, that and if 50% of the players are on roids.......

eras need to be judged with their contempraries.

i assume you are a sox fan... so you say no on manny and papi too?

[claphamsa]

So how many high school catchers drafted in the top 10 have worked out?
im sure the twins are hating having drafted mauer......

[JeeberD]

I hope to god Bichette Jr is sporting dad's mullet...

[lungs]

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

I was just reading about this a few weeks ago somewhere that I can't remember. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that spending a year in a country not subject to the Rule IV draft (amateur draft) would be eligible for free agency. Let me do some digging....

[RainMaker]

Catchers are still a tough position to judge. Wouldn't he be better off learning 3B or something? A catcher only gets 125 games and is much more prone to short careers and injuries while developing.

He'll definitely be a high pick but I don't think he's a guarantee at all. Too much can go wrong in baseball. And while he can crush the ball, his swing is pretty long and I don't think that catches up to major league pitching at all.

[stevew]

Bryce Harper to be eligible for 2010 MLB draft

Sunday, June 14, 2009 | Print Entry


Posted by Jason A. Churchill

In Keith Law's look at the Class of 2010, the wild-card name was Las Vegas High School star Bryce Harper, a 16-year-old catcher who just completed his sophomore year.

Harper and his family told the Las Vegas Review-Journal yesterday that he's going to take his GED test this fall and has already enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada. These steps make Harper eligible for the 2010 Major League Baseball draft, greatly strengthening a rather average class.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Harper hit .626 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and 36 stolen bases this season for LVHS; he will play on the same CSN team as his older brother, Bryan, a left-handed pitcher transferring from Cal State Northridge for the 2010 season.

[Mustang]

Guess he wants to play for the Nats.

[Logan]

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

I was just reading about this a few weeks ago somewhere that I can't remember. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that spending a year in a country not subject to the Rule IV draft (amateur draft) would be eligible for free agency. Let me do some digging....

Rumblings and Grumblings -- What if Washington Nationals could trade Stephen Strasburg? - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page=rumblings090611)

The Far Eastern League: For all of you out there who loved the spectacle of Scott Boras driving No. 1 picks to the Northern League, get ready for his next draft-negotiation gambit -- the new and unprecedented I'll-send-this-kid-to-Japan trick. And if he takes that one far enough, the United Nations might have to resolve Stephen Strasburg's future.

"There's nothing prohibiting a team in Japan from signing a kid like Strasburg," says one longtime baseball man. "For years, we've had a tacit understanding that we'd never sign an amateur from Japan and they'd never sign an amateur from America. But once the Red Sox went after [Junichi] Tazawa, all bets were off. So if he can't get a deal done with Washington, he signs a one-year deal over there, there's no reserve clause, and he's out on the market [as a free agent] the next year."

But that, of course, isn't how Major League Baseball sees this. We're told MLB would not consider Strasburg a free agent, or a guy available for a Dice-K-ish posting fee, if he spent a year in Japan. The ruling would be that if he attempted to return, he'd have to go back into the draft. Wouldn't matter if he'd just played in Tokyo or St. Paul.

But Boras would have other ideas, obviously. So cue the law clerks. Once again this week, we forgot to graduate from law school, so we have no idea how that would turn out. All we know is that, once the negotiating smog lifts, the Washington Nationals have to sign this guy -- or now it's an international incident waiting to happen.

[DeToxRox]

And from Rivals, Harper is skipping his final two years by taking his GED test and enrolling in community college to play college ball.

LAS VEGAS -- A 16-year-old baseball phenom dubbed the game's "Chosen One" by Sports Illustrated plans to skip his final two years of high school in hopes of entering the Major League Baseball draft earlier, his father said.


Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper has registered at a community college where he plans to attend classes in the fall and play next season, his father Ron Harper said.

"People question your parenting and what you're doing. Honestly, we don't think it's that big a deal," Ron Harper said. "He's not leaving school to go work in a fast food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He's smart and he's going to get his education."

Ron Harper announced his son's decision on Saturday in Oklahoma City.

Harper, a 6-foot-3-inch catcher whom experts say could be a top draft pick when he becomes eligible, recently signed enrollment forms and a letter of intent to play for the College of Southern Nevada.

Harper plans to take a high school equivalency test and enter the draft in 2010 or 2011, Ron Harper said.

"Bryce is always looking for his next challenge," Ron Harper said. He's going to pursue his education, too. He's going to get pushed academically and athletically."

Harper hit .626 with 14 homers, 55 RBIs and 36 steals last season for Las Vegas High School.

His photo is on the cover of the June 8 issue of Sports Illustrated, along with a headline that compares him to LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star who received superstar hype in high school before getting picked first in the 2003 NBA draft.

Ron Harper said his son pushed to leave high school early.

"He was thinking about it, he initiated it," the father said. "He said, 'Dad, why can't I take my GED and do this?"'

Players become eligible for the draft at age 16 if they have completed high school.

[JediKooter]

What's the over/under on him pulling a Ryan Leaf?

[DaddyTorgo]

given that it's baseball...decent. but positional-players who are top-5 picks in baseball actually tend to do alright in terms of superstar/bust IIRC

[DeToxRox]

Honestly, it's no different then some of these 16 year olds from the Dominican teams are signing. The problem Harper will have is that unlike those kids he'll be in the limelight from the get go. It's just different here because we hear about it.

[JediKooter]

given that it's baseball...decent. but positional-players who are top-5 picks in baseball actually tend to do alright in terms of superstar/bust IIRC

Ah ok. Well, at 16 I'm sure he's got it all figured out anyway.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

[DeToxRox]

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

White High School, maybe?

[DaddyTorgo]

Ah ok. Well, at 16 I'm sure he's got it all figured out anyway.

i didn't say that. i was just answering the general inquiry about how likely he was to flame out.

[Pumpy Tudors]

White High School, maybe?
maybe i can just die

[DeToxRox]

Dola,

Miguel Angel Santo is a 16 year old from the Dominican who can be signed starting July 2nd is looking at getting around a 5 million dollar signing bonus. That won't cause people to bat an eyebrow. I don't think this should either.

[Logan]

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

Jesus, how easy must it be for seniors to bang freshman chicks in THAT school?

[JediKooter]

i didn't say that. i was just answering the general inquiry about how likely he was to flame out.

DT, sorry that was not meant to be at you, I was just being a smart ass and poking at his age. :)

[DeToxRox]

An update:

Bryce Harper showing his potential for Southern Nevada
QUICKREAD

JUCO singer auditions

By Allen Gemaehlich
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

This season has been anything but normal for the College of Southern Nevada.

There were 120 scouts for the season-opening weekend and hundreds of media requests for 17-year-old phenom Bryce Harper.

Harper, who quit high school and passed a GED course so he could prepare himself for a professional baseball career, is projected to be the first junior college player to be the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. Harper has lived up to the hype.

“I’ve known him since he was 5, 6 years old,” Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers said. “With us being in a wood-bat league and pitching rich teams, I knew he would have to make some adjustments, but I didn’t expect him to do what he’s doing.”

Harper has hit eight of the team’s 18 home runs and only needs five more to tie the individual single-season school record, Chambers said.

“The home runs he hits, I can’t believe he would be a junior in high school,” Chambers said. “He hit one over the lights last weekend.”

That’s not all.

Harper, who is hitting .413, has 70 total bases and an .875 slugging percentage. The next closest player has 45 total bases and a .564 slugging percentage.

Despite all the attention Harper is getting, it hasn’t distracted the Coyotes from winning.

[lighthousekeeper]

wow

[k0ruptr]

dayum. crazy. Yea I think he's going to be pretty good. Until they find out hes 19 and not 17... lol jk.

[Young Drachma]

So are they gonna DH him? I mean, no one talks about whether he can catch or not and they rarely talk about his position when they mention him. I guess it doesn't matter, if he can rake, just wondering...

[DeToxRox]

So are they gonna DH him? I mean, no one talks about whether he can catch or not and they rarely talk about his position when they mention him. I guess it doesn't matter, if he can rake, just wondering...

He's a catcher but I would be shocked if he ends up there. I bet 1B/3B/RF in his future. Apparently his arm is tremendous so I can see RF.

[CrimsonFox]

Meet the next server for your order at McDonald's in 2012.

[Shkspr]

I hadn't realized that it was at the Power Showcase that Harper hit the 502 footer. It would be kind of neat to see that event become more established as a pro bellwether because my cousin actually won the damn thing this year. At this point he's probably a low round pick because he's committed to ASU, but it'll be fun to go back in about ten years and see if any finalists other than Harper and maybe the Bichette kid wind up with a pro career.

[Philliesfan980]

Meet the next server for your order at McDonald's in 2012.

Nah, with money that will be thrown at him, some team will give him until about 2015 - 2016 until they give up on him (assuming he can't hack it).

Also, maybe I haven't done enough research, but can the kid hit a curveball/other offspeed pitches? What kind of competition is in the league that he's playing in now?

[claphamsa]

we see a lot of scouting of him.. from what I see he can legit catch. and more importantly that matters to him. I already know someone with a harper jersey....

[Blade6119]

At this point he's probably a low round pick because he's committed to ASU,

Do you mean Arizona State, becuase I havent heard that we landed a commitment from him and cant find the link anywhere after a quick search. And even if true, it shouldnt effect his draft stock. Last year ASU lost over 12 million dollars in recruit value to the draft, including 3 first rounders. Committing is just a backup plan in case the draft doesnt work out, which it sounds like wont be a problem here.

[DeToxRox]

Nah, with money that will be thrown at him, some team will give him until about 2015 - 2016 until they give up on him (assuming he can't hack it).

Also, maybe I haven't done enough research, but can the kid hit a curveball/other offspeed pitches? What kind of competition is in the league that he's playing in now?

He's 17 playing in a wood bat JUCO league. so he's facing 18-23 year olds, some of whom will end up at D-1 schools and some will be drafted. I am sure if he is that much better then everyone else in the league stat wise he can.

[BishopMVP]

Committing is just a backup plan in case the draft doesnt work out, which it sounds like wont be a problem here.It depends on the player/school. Stanford and Vanderbilt commits have the reputation for going to school to name two. A lot of good players fall low and sometimes the team gets lucky - Boston got Lars Anderson in the 19th round because no one thought he would sign, and we almost had Pedro Alvarez signed away from Vanderbilt in the 10th round (rumor was Boston offered 875k and he wanted 1m).

[Young Drachma]

Do you mean Arizona State, becuase I havent heard that we landed a commitment from him and cant find the link anywhere after a quick search. And even if true, it shouldnt effect his draft stock. Last year ASU lost over 12 million dollars in recruit value to the draft, including 3 first rounders. Committing is just a backup plan in case the draft doesnt work out, which it sounds like wont be a problem here.

http://baseballdeworld.com/2010/01/22/travis-flores-wins-2010-power-showcase-crown/

UNITED STATES – Arizona State signee Travis Flores edged Orangewood Christian slugger Dante Bichette Jr. on Jan. 10 to win the 2010 International High School Power Showcase Home Run Derby at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

[Blade6119]

Ahh, I thought he was referring to Harper, my mistake. And pretty cool for Flores actually, I had heard some good things about him from a friend.

[lungs]

Dante Bichette Jr...... wicked. Do I remember him being in the LLWS in the recent past?

[Young Drachma]

Dante Bichette Jr...... wicked. Do I remember him being in the LLWS in the recent past?

Yup in 2005.

[Young Drachma]

From Jayson Stark's latest column:

Jayson Stark: Rumblings and Grumblings -- Splitting up New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox a bad idea - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page=rumblings100408)

Feel a draft? Ten months after Bryce Harper showed up on the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 16, we're getting the mounting sense that clubs at the top of this June's draft are almost beginning to look for reasons not to take this guy.


Harper
"Don't get me wrong. This kid projects as a starting catcher in the big leagues," said an executive of one of those teams. "But he's not the type of guy you want to pay three times the going rate for -- which is what Scott [Boras] is going to be looking for.

"I'll put it this way," the same exec went on. "With Alex Rodriguez, when you walked in to see him against high school competition, he separated himself. Ken Griffey separated himself. This kid is a good player. But he's not in a class with A-Rod and those guys. Not even close. … And with all the hype Scott has generated around him, he's going to walk in the door with a monkey on his back, and it's not going to ever go away."

No one disputes Harper's staggering raw power or arm strength. But the same exec said Harper's crazy numbers at the College of Southern Nevada (.426 average, .521 on-base percentage, 12 homers in 115 at-bats) should be taken with an entire shaker of salt.

"Yeah, he's got great numbers," the exec said. "But to be honest, I've seen better high school pitchers in the top programs than the guys he faced when I saw him. Every weekend, he's basically going against one decent pitcher and three stiffs. So his numbers are a little inflated."

Nevertheless, with no clear alternative, it's going to take some serious guts for the Nationals not to take Harper No. 1, considering all the buzz that has built up around him. But of course, that's exactly what Boras had in mind when he unleashed that buzz.

[NewIdentity]

Funny, am I the only one that remembered another great High School Baseball player that batted around .491 and could also probably throw the ball 96 mph?

Hall of Famer John Elway.

I wonder if Bryce has ever picked up a football, or if his dad has never even allowed him anywhere near a football field.

[Subby]

From Jayson Stark's latest column:

Jayson Stark: Rumblings and Grumblings -- Splitting up New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox a bad idea - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page=rumblings100408)
Keith Law did a pretty good job of crushing this.

[DeToxRox]

Just saw this about Harper elsewhere:

Went 6-6 with 4 HR and 9 RBI tonight to get his team into the JUCO World Series.

Last night he went 6-7 with a HR and hit for the cycle.

I know it's JUCO but he should be a HS Junior and is playing in a wood bat league. So sick.

[MizzouRah]

roids or not he is the best player of our generation, that and if 50% of the players are on roids.......

eras need to be judged with their contempraries.

i assume you are a sox fan... so you say no on manny and papi too?

I'd take Pujols over A-Rod 100 out of 100 times.

[JPhillips]

BAt alone I agree, but A-Rod being a quality SS swings it in his favor.

[Blade6119]

Count me in the Pujols crowd, any day of the week I would take him over A-Rod...alex is a great player, pujols is on a whole other level. And yes, he is also a top notch fielder, as evidenced by his golden gloves.

[Chief Rum]

Count me in the Pujols crowd, any day of the week I would take him over A-Rod...alex is a great player, pujols is on a whole other level. And yes, he is also a top notch fielder, as evidenced by his golden gloves.

Two errors today in one inning for that GGer. (Just giving you a hard time, I agree with the Pujols peeps).

[Easy Mac]

How bout that Bryce Harper.

Bryce Harper ejected, and suspended, perhaps ending amateur career - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/06/bryce-harper-ejected-and-suspended-perhaps-ending-amateur-career/1)

edit:
Youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXccEtfmerE

The call was horrible, but it is clear harper was being an ass.

[spleen1015]

Sounds like any other umpire/batter argument to me.

[stevew]

Haven't seen any of the guys play.

That being said, I lean towards wanting the Pirates to take Pomeranz. I'd take a college lefty with good velocity, as he should hopefully be up within 2 years and above average.

I don't think the team is going to want to sign and pay a HS player, so I think Machado and Tallion are out.

[DeToxRox]

Apparently Yasmani Grandal, probably the top catcher is this draft, is demanding Buster Posey money. Interesting to see how the bonus situation plays itself out this year with Harper and guys like Grandal.

[Sun Tzu]

A ball leaving a high performance metal bat on a solid hit is traveling upwards of 106-107 mph, while the same ball will leave a wood bat traveling 98-99 mph. That equates to about a 60-70 foot differential in distance traveled. It's simple science, and it's been proven many times over in studies. 502 feet with an aluminum bat equates to about 410-420 with a wood bat, taking into account the unusual bat speed of this kid. It's a long ways for a youngster to hit a ball, but it's not unheard of. What you're seeing here is an immense talent, but I'm just wondering what would happen if he faced some half-way decent pitching.

Some interesting reading...http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/bats-new/alumwood.html

[NewIdentity]

A ball leaving a high performance metal bat on a solid hit is traveling upwards of 106-107 mph, while the same ball will leave a wood bat traveling 98-99 mph. That equates to about a 60-70 foot differential in distance traveled. It's simple science, and it's been proven many times over in studies. 502 feet with an aluminum bat equates to about 410-420 with a wood bat, taking into account the unusual bat speed of this kid. It's a long ways for a youngster to hit a ball, but it's not unheard of. What you're seeing here is an immense talent, but I'm just wondering what would happen if he faced some half-way decent pitching.

Some interesting reading...http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/bats-new/alumwood.html (http://paws.kettering.edu/%7Edrussell/bats-new/alumwood.html)
That is all interesting, but Bryce Harper plays for SNCC, which is in a Wooden Bat League

[Sun Tzu]

That is all interesting, but Bryce Harper plays for SNCC, which is in a Wooden Bat League

I was referring to the moon shots he was hitting when he was in high school, which is an Aluminum Bat League. He's hitting a lot of dingers in College, oh excuse me Community College, but they aren't moonshots.

[DeToxRox]

I was referring to the moon shots he was hitting when he was in high school, which is an Aluminum Bat League. He's hitting a lot of dingers in College, oh excuse me Community College, but they aren't moonshots.

Kid is 17 playing against some guys who will play pro ball one day. Maybe not MLB but for sure minors. I think he has an incredibly high bust factor but I also think his ceiling is unlimited which is why I am so intrigued by watching him develop.

[illinifan999]

Even if they won't play pro ball, a lot of them will be playing D-1 in a year.

[NewIdentity]

By the way, here is the article from the local Grand Junction Paper, written by someone that was actually at the game.

2nd-fiddle win: Harper's ejection overshadows Gators' victory | GJSentinel.com (http://www.gjsentinel.com/sports/articles/2ndfiddle_win_harpers_ejection/)
Although the Gators did a lot of things right to win the game, the turning point came in the top of the fifth inning when Harper struck out looking, then was ejected by home plate umpire Don Gilmore. Harper’s coach, Tim Chambers, said his catcher didn’t say anything after the strikeout, but he clearly drew a line in the right-hand batter’s box with his bat, apparently suggesting where he thought the pitch was, as he headed to the dugout.
This is a little different than the above article about him throwing his bat down and having a meltdown.

[stevew]

Looks like it's a toss up between Taillon, Machado and a "college arm" for the Pirates. I'd assume that doesn't mean Pomeranz. So either Deck Mcguire or Chris Sale could go #2 if they are willing to take slot money(or close). I think anyways.

I'd like Taillon i think, but HS pitchers are risky.

[sterlingice]

If you'd like to let Machado fall to the Royals at 4, we'd be greatly appreciative ;)

SI

[Swaggs]

I'm hoping for Machado. We need more high end bats. Well, we need another high end bat to team with Alvarez. :)

I'll be disappointed if we go with the college arm. I liked the strategy of getting a signable guy last season and using the money on prep arms, but this season there Machado and Taillon seem to be a cut above the non-Harper prospects. Last season, there was no consensus guy for the Bucs, so it didn't hurt to reach a little. And, I suspect that Tony Sanchez's performance to this point, along with the reports of his defense, have made the pick look a lot stronger than it did at the time.

[stevew]

If you'd like to let Machado fall to the Royals at 4, we'd be greatly appreciative ;)

SI

You guys already reached a deal with that Catcher I thought. Grandal?

[stevew]

I really wish they would think about fast tracking Sanchez. Doumit's defense is so miserable. And with the lack of production in our lineup, he could easily move to first and be an upgrade for us.

I'd imagine they'll call Tony up to Altoona within the next month, hopefully he will still hit.

[sterlingice]

You guys already reached a deal with that Catcher I thought. Grandal?

Supposedly that report was denied today. But no one's really sure if that's because it's not true or if that's just to avoid tampering

SI

[larrymcg421]

Here's video of the Bryce Harper ejection. I think the umpire thought Bryce was trying to throw dirt at him with the bat.

I can see why he was upset, though. The call is absolutely abysmal.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OXccEtfmerE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OXccEtfmerE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[fantom1979]

That is a horrible call. I think he was just trying to draw a line on where he thought the ball crossed. Either the ump thought he was trying to fling dirt, or Harper said a magic word.

[Logan]

Everytime I see that video, I hope that it's some sort of mash-up put together by somebody, and not that there's a production crew somewhere who thinks it's a good idea to switch the camera FIVE different times in the course of one pitch.

[spleen1015]

Everytime I see that video, I hope that it's some sort of mash-up put together by somebody, and not that there's a production crew somewhere who thinks it's a good idea to switch the camera FIVE different times in the course of one pitch.

Bloody hell. I feel the same way.

Is anyone gonna watch the draft tonight? I am just to see what its like.

Can't wait to hear my wife's first comment when she sees what it is.

[Logan]

I caught it last year when I was first realizing how cool MLB Network can be. Pretty uneventful for this though.

[TroyF]

Good lord that was a bad call. That wouldn't pass mustard in a little league game.

[Sun Tzu]

Yeah I saw that vid of Harper getting tossed last week. If Harper were batting right handed he would have gotten beaned. Just terrible.

I've never paid much attention to MLB drafts in years past, but I think this year I'm going to give it a go. It's on at what, 7pm EST?

[spleen1015]

Yeah I saw that vid of Harper getting tossed last week. If Harper were batting right handed he would have gotten beaned. Just terrible.

I've never paid much attention to MLB drafts in years past, but I think this year I'm going to give it a go. It's on at what, 7pm EST?

Yeah, 7pm EST

[Sun Tzu]

danke

[DeToxRox]

This is what makes the MLB Draft so laughable:

The Indians have topped the Royals' predraft offer of $2.9MM to Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal, reports Frankie Piliere of AOL Fanhouse. Piliere still believes the Royals will take Grandal at #4, but the original agreement is off. ESPN's Keith Law, meanwhile, heard that the Royals and Grandal had not even discussed money as of Saturday evening. Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star tweets that the Royals prefer Grandal but are "taking a hard look" at Florida Gulf Coast lefty Chris Sale.

Teams have agreements with kids when they pick #4, and now another team behind KC has a deal with him? I love it.

Also, apparently Harper wants 20 mil or he will play for Clemson or LSU next season.

[DeToxRox]

Dola, I do not expect to see Harper anywhere but with the Nats organization next year. Just the rumor mongering. I bet he gets like 13-15 mil some time in August.

[Swaggs]

If Harper goest to a 4-year school after this season, how long does he have to wait to be draft eligible again?

[Chubby]

Dola, I do not expect to see Harper anywhere but with the Nats organization next year. Just the rumor mongering. I bet he gets like 13-15 mil some time in August.

This.

Don't forget borASS is his agent

[Chubby]

we got Strausburg this year and Harper next? not too shabby for the Chiefs and dividends paying off already for switching to the Nats AAA team

[Tigercat]

If Harper goest to a 4-year school after this season, how long does he have to wait to be draft eligible again?

2012 draft. If you were enrolled in 4 year school for the current school year, you can't be drafted until after your third year of eligibility runs out or until you are 21, whichever comes first. That is why it seems highly unlikely that Harper's LSU/Clemson talk means anything.

[JPhillips]

Yeah, there's no way a guy that got his GED so he could cash in a year earlier is going to go to college for three years.

[bhlloy]

I hear Selig introduced him as an OF, which is presumably the position the team listed him at.

[NewIdentity]

Why is ESPN putting a spin on this? From the bottom of ESPN "... Harper who graduated from High School a year early..."
A. He came out after his sophomore year, '09-'10 should have been his High School Junior year.

B. Harper took his GED; he didn't graduate a year early.

[BishopMVP]

I've literally never heard of the guy the Cubs just picked - and neither had most of the MLBN guys. Johnathan Mayo was holding back laughter. MLB network doesn't have a scouting report on him.

Grandal was finally taken by the Reds, but Cox, Vitek and Stetson Allie could still be around at 20 for the Red Sox.

[DeToxRox]

I've literally never heard of the guy the Cubs just picked - and neither had most of the MLBN guys. Johnathan Mayo was holding back laughter. MLB network doesn't have a scouting report on him.

Grandal was finally taken by the Reds, but Cox, Vitek and Stetson Allie could still be around at 20 for the Red Sox.

Yeah, a D2 fireballer where the Cubs took him? Yeesh.

[stevew]

assuming Harper signs.....

2010-signs major league deal. Basically only way to get him 12M. Uses first option
2011-uses 2nd option
2012-uses 3rd option which triggers bonus option
2013- uses 4th option. In majors by june if he is ready.
2014-has to stick on roster?


doesn't seem to be much development time.

[TroyF]

2012 draft. If you were enrolled in 4 year school for the current school year, you can't be drafted until after your third year of eligibility runs out or until you are 21, whichever comes first. That is why it seems highly unlikely that Harper's LSU/Clemson talk means anything.


Exactly. Not sure why Boras is even going through with the threat. This is a case like Srasburg, the team AND the player have everything to lose. Harper isn't going to turn down over 10 million to go to LSU. This entire thing was orchestrated by him and his family to cash in as quickly as possible. He goes to college, he could lose everything.

[BishopMVP]

assuming Harper signs.....

2010-signs major league deal. Basically only way to get him 12M. Uses first option
2011-uses 2nd option
2012-uses 3rd option which triggers bonus option
2013- uses 4th option. In majors by june if he is ready.
2014-has to stick on roster?


doesn't seem to be much development time.If he doesn't sign until August 15th I think you can get away with not using an option for 2010.

Kolbrin Vitek is the typical Red Sox pick at 20.Fairly polished college player, up the middle (2B/SS/CF) athlete. Sox have 2 supplemental picks at 36 and 39 - here's hoping for one of Austin Wilson, Ranaudo or Cox (although reports are saying Cox is asking for 6m - I wager he'll be lucky to get 3m).

[DeToxRox]

Dodgers just copped another 1st for next year because no way they dish out a big enough bonus to sign Lee away from LSU.

[cuervo72]

If Harper is THAT good, couldn't he debut in 2012? He'll be 19...Jr. was 19. Other players were in the bigs at 19.

[BishopMVP]

Not a bad move with the McCourt divorce going through. And the Giants pick a guy with 8 walks in over 200 plate appearances... he'll fit right into Sabean's plans. Nick Castellanos is another guy still on the board I'd like for the Sox. Although knowing their style, at least one of the next 2 will be a college power reliever that they convert to starting in the low minors.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Among the first rounders, Delino DeShields, Jr to Houston #8 overall, Karsten Whitson (nephew of Ed) 9th overall to the Padres & Cam Bedrosian (son of Steve) 29th overall to the Angels.

I also noticed that the Angels had 3 picks in R1, all three were HS'ers from Georgia.

[Atocep]

I've literally never heard of the guy the Cubs just picked - and neither had most of the MLBN guys. Johnathan Mayo was holding back laughter. MLB network doesn't have a scouting report on him.

Grandal was finally taken by the Reds, but Cox, Vitek and Stetson Allie could still be around at 20 for the Red Sox.

I was looking over the 1st round and saw who the Cubs picked and came over here to see if there was any discussion about it.

WTF? Seriously? They just took a kid in the middle of the 1st round that would have very likely been sitting there in at least the 3rd.

[BishopMVP]

Yankees tried to match it with the CJ Henry-esque pick of Cito Culver. Red Sox go with Bryce Brentz (high-upside power hitting OF) and Anthony Ranaudo (consensus #2 coming into the year, major injury problems and concerns, but I love it with the number of picks we had). Stetson Allie and Austin Wilson still around for tomorrow - although Brandon Workman or Chad Bettis would also be nice at 57.

[bhlloy]

Among the first rounders, Delino DeShields, Jr to Houston #8 overall, Karsten Whitson (nephew of Ed) 9th overall to the Padres & Cam Bedrosian (son of Steve) 29th overall to the Angels.

I also noticed that the Angels had 3 picks in R1, all three were HS'ers from Georgia.

Excited about Bedrosian, he's a hard thrower and he should have the pedigree and know a thing or two about pitching. Clarke seems like a typical Angels outfielder with speed and raw athleticism, and seems like another decent pick at the end of the first.

Cowart is the big question mark as we're probably going to have to throw a ton of cash at him and he may choose to go to FSU anyhow, but as the national player of the year I think that's probably not a bad roll of the dice. Worst comes to worst we end up with another first rounder next year.

[bhlloy]

DOLA - I see we got 2 more HS kids in the supplemental round which I guess is pretty surprising. I actually like this a lot, the minor league system is pretty bare and needs a huge influx of talent from the bottom up.

[MrBug708]

Dylan Covey goes to my old HS. I know his pitching coach personally so I'll have to get his opinion on the kid

[stevew]

allie and taillon would be an awesome haul.

[Vince, Pt. II]

The pick by the Giants is laughable, by the way. A kid with no plate discipline who is extremely raw as a hitter. Sigh.

[SackAttack]

Right field, Nationals? Really?

[Swaggs]

Among the first rounders, Delino DeShields, Jr to Houston #8 overall, Karsten Whitson (nephew of Ed) 9th overall to the Padres & Cam Bedrosian (son of Steve) 29th overall to the Angels.

I also noticed that the Angels had 3 picks in R1, all three were HS'ers from Georgia.

The Pirates continue along with the legacy picks by taking Mel Rojas Jr. in the 3rd.

I saw this quote on a Pirates' messageboard and thought it was funny (although most people probably don't care about the Pirates enough to realize how awful they have been at throwing out base stealers this season):

Mel Rojas Jr. Led nation in JUCO with 61 steals in 64 attempts; .398 w/ 12 HR and 71 RBI

He is either really fast or played a lot of games against Doumit

[Subby]

Right field, Nationals? Really?
What's wrong with that, Professor?

[Galaril]

People are already calling him the Lebron James of baseball. He is probably a better prospect then Josh Hamilton was, which is disgusting.

He could turn out to be baseball's Freddy Adu.

[DaddyTorgo]

wake me up when these guys actually reach the majors. until then...meh.

[lordscarlet]

Right field, Nationals? Really?

Quicker development plan, longer career, more AB's.

[stevew]

The Pirates continue along with the legacy picks by taking Mel Rojas Jr. in the 3rd.

I saw this quote on a Pirates' messageboard and thought it was funny (although most people probably don't care about the Pirates enough to realize how awful they have been at throwing out base stealers this season):

I hope they can sign that Allie guy they took in the 2nd. He supposedly has a huge arm.
Although he's probably thinking that if he can pitch well in 3 years of college, that he'll be a top 5 pick the 2nd go around.

[Thomkal]

The Pirates continue along with the legacy picks by taking Mel Rojas Jr. in the 3rd.

I saw this quote on a Pirates' messageboard and thought it was funny (although most people probably don't care about the Pirates enough to realize how awful they have been at throwing out base stealers this season):

And there's another in Chance Ruffin, son of Bruce Ruffin, selected by the Tigers

[MikeVic]

Jays have drafted like 20 pitchers so far.

[Swaggs]

I hope they can sign that Allie guy they took in the 2nd. He supposedly has a huge arm.
Although he's probably thinking that if he can pitch well in 3 years of college, that he'll be a top 5 pick the 2nd go around.

Someone (I think it was Keith Law) said that he turned down $2-million from someone last night, so they did not draft him. The Pirates really need to break the bank for guys like Allie. They have been nothing but supporting cast (maybe Giles and Bay, aside) for close 17+ years.

Right now, they have a lot of solid to above average prospects in the minors and one stud in Alvarez. Adding Taillon is another good piece (he is obviously their number 1 pitching prospect immediately), but after blowing things with Sano last season, if they need to overpay to get impact players into the system, they have absolutely must.

[SunDevil]

John Sickels gives his thoughts on the first day of the draft.

Early Thoughts - Minor League Ball (http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/6/8/1506899/early-thoughts)

[Swaggs]

I can't find the link now, but yesterday I read that the sons of Bruce Bochy, Jim Tracey, Ozzie Guillen, and Jim Leyland were all drafted by the teams that their fathers manage. :)

[DeToxRox]

I can't find the link now, but yesterday I read that the sons of Bruce Bochy, Jim Tracey, Ozzie Guillen, and Jim Leyland were all drafted by the teams that their fathers manage. :)

I can't believe we took Patrick Leyland in the 8th round since it sounds like even with his dad who he is he will enroll at Maryland anyway.

I guess we'll see but I am not counting on him signing.

[Swaggs]

What is sad is that I can actually remember when Leyland was the Pirates' manager and he and his wife had Patrick. Even more sad: that was around the last time the Pirates had a winning record.

[illinifan999]

Heh, the Twins took an old teammate of mine in the 5th round. Hell of a player, but was quite the prima donna.

[DeToxRox]

Bryce Harper’s eyesight « Nats Noodles (http://natsnoodles.com/2011/05/15/bryce-harpers-eyesight/)

On the day Bryce Harper walked into the eye doctor***8217;s office, he was, he would say later, ***8220;blind as a bat.***8221; Keith Smithson, the Washington Nationals***8217; team optometrist, asked Harper to read an eye chart, then looked at him with astonishment and said, according to Harper: ***8220;I don***8217;t know how you ever hit before. You have some of the worst eyes I***8217;ve ever seen.***8221;

That was on April 19. The next night, fitted with a new pair of contact lenses, Harper, batting just .231 at the time for the low-Class A Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League, had a double and a single against the visiting Hickory Crawdads. The next night, he homered. And the night after that, he singled, doubled, homered and drove in six runs.

***8220;It was like I was seeing in HD,***8221; Harper said.

Suffice it to say Harper***8217;s hi-def vision is a huge upgrade over standard-def. In 20 games since his visit to the eye doctor, Harper is hitting .480 (36 for 75) with a .547 on-base percentage and an .893 slugging percentage ***8212; with 7 homers, 10 doubles and 23 RBI.

[gstelmack]

What is the deal with all the news stories posted with "***8220;" junk embedded in them?

[Scoobz0202]

I had an article do that to me. It did that stuff whenever there was an apostrophe or quotation marks or something. Not sure why.

[DeToxRox]

What is the deal with all the news stories posted with "***8220;" junk embedded in them?

Yeah, no clue. Looks like it started a week or so ago. At least as far as I have noticed.

[stevew]

Somewhere there's a joke about Mormons being able to see amazing things while wearing glasses.

[Butter]

Read an article somewhere... BP maybe... that Harper is having a start at A ball maybe only matched by Alex Rodriguez in the past 30 years.

We'll see I guess, but it sounds like he is off to a good start.

[Logan]

Bryce Harper Homered, Admired His Feat, Then Blew a Kiss to the Pitcher [Video] | The Big Lead (http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/06/07/bryce-harper-homered-admired-his-feat-then-blew-a-kiss-to-the-pitcher-video/)

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

This guy is going to be a lot of fun when he gets to the majors.

[Radii]

This guy is going to be a lot of fun when he gets to the majors.

a lot of fun to watch opposing pitchers take target practice at his head you mean?

[OldGiants]

You can't tell from the video, but the opposing pitcher yakked at Harper all the way round the bases--hence the smootch as he got to the plate.

[Logan]

Probably something to do with him taking 5 seconds admiring the home run in the batters box.

[MizzouRah]

Where is Bob Gibson when you need him. :)

[Crapshoot]

Big deal. The kid's got a target on his back from a bunch of people, and while he's no saint, the outrage is as always, overblown. An 18 year old doing what he's doing is mind-blowingly ridiculous.

[mauchow]

What's with his pornstar stache?

[Young Drachma]

Shrug.

[Drake]

It's time for the pornstar stache to make a return to the majors.

I'm getting tired of the circa-2004 grubby Boston beard.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Classy move by the Rangers

Rangers draft paralyzed UGA player || OnlineAthens.com (http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/060811/bre_841486154.shtml)

[Pumpy Tudors]

I don't have a problem with Bryce Harper taunting pitchers (or whatever you want to call it), but I also won't have a problem if a pitcher chucks a fastball into his face. If you don't want someone to bite you, don't put your hand in his mouth. Pretty simple stuff.

[DaddyTorgo]

I don't have a problem with Bryce Harper taunting pitchers (or whatever you want to call it), but I also won't have a problem if a pitcher chucks a fastball into his face. If you don't want someone to bite you, don't put your hand in his mouth. Pretty simple stuff.

I see what you did there ;)

[Pumpy Tudors]

I see what you did there ;)
It applies to all sports and, indeed, all of life. For instance, a guy stuck his hand into my mouth about 10 minutes ago, and I bit it. He wanted it, though.

[BYU 14]

Classy move by the Rangers

Rangers draft paralyzed UGA player || OnlineAthens.com (http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/060811/bre_841486154.shtml)

Just read this, very classy move, have to think Nolan Ryan played a big part in this. Can't help but root for the Rangers after this.

[Shkspr]

So it turns out that Harper's kiss was simply returning the favor (http://articles.herald-mail.com/2011-06-07/sports/29632321_1_bryce-harper-teaching-moment-zach-neal) and it's the other guy who was the classless boob that started the whole thing:

Monday’s drama started in the first inning when Neal struck out Harper on a borderline call Harper didn’t care for to end the first inning.

Some observers said Tuesday that the groundwork for the incident started there, with Neal sending a kiss in Harper’s direction after the whiff.

I remember watching a AAA game in '94 where the hometown fans decided to give a little shit to Tracy Woodson, who was in the White Sox organization at the time. Woodson had a gut on him, and was hitting something like .350 at the time, so we amused ourselves by taunting him that he couldn't even hit his weight, and other highly sophisticated bon mots. In the 8th, he powered one over the center field fence and proceeded to trot the last 90 feet sideways while flipping double birds at our section of the stands. As far as I know, he was never fined or suspended, nor should he have been. We totally deserved the bird, and I love that he did it.

Also, check out the next part of the story:

Harper exacted his first measure of revenge in the fourth when he grounded a single off of Neal’s foot.

So the pitcher gets plunked after taunting the batter? Eighty years ago and in a major league and the entire three at-bat exchange between Harper and Neal is a fondly remembered page and a half in The Glory of Their Times, only with "Neal's foot" replaced by some other body part that makes the batted ball look like a more deliberate shot.

Society is hypocritical today in that we lament the loss of our sports heroes' passion and competitiveness as they "mail it in" or "forget it's a game" while at the same time excoriating players when they DO treat it like a game, with rivalry and passion and one-upsmanship and orneriness. What baseball really needs sometime is a good teabagging.

[stevew]

someone got back from a gun show.

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-xlarge/kvxznqapoa2lfg6co5vf.jpg

[stevew]

Dola-

Didn't realize Ed Whitson's son Karsten was drafted #9 in this draft and went in the 37th round in 2013. d'oh

Chris Sale at #13 is impressive value, Jameson Taillon is going to have to pitch his ass off to catch up to Sale and Harvey.

[sterlingice]

Thin mints and samoas. Good choices

SI

[sterlingice]

Christian Colon. *sigh*

SI

[stevew]

Christian Colon. *sigh*

SI

Looks like you got the makings of a solid utility infielder there.

Remember when Cito Culver was being talked up like the one day heir apparent to Jeter?

[lighthousekeeper]

Sorry for thread necromancy, but I thought it was interesting to go back and read this thread now that Harper is wrapping up an historic 2015 season. Harper's 9.2 WAR this season is already the 2nd best season of any 22 year old ever (Ted Williams was tops).

[Logan]

John Sickels gives his thoughts on the first day of the draft.

Early Thoughts - Minor League Ball (http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/6/8/1506899/early-thoughts)

Interesting read 5 years later.

New York Mets - Down
Harvey has a great arm, but mechanical issues and control problems make him a poor risk at seven overall.

[stevew]

Pittsburgh - Up
Can't beat Taillon, who would have been the definite number one guy most years.


Sigh. Hopefully he can have a bounce back 2016 but he won't pitch untill fall league after missing 2 seasons.