Bryce Harper

[tocchet92]

Shouldn't we have a Bryce Harper thread? I looked but I couldn't find one...

Some on field antics....

"Harper followed up his strong weekend from last week with another good weekend, although it wasn't without controversy. In a double header on Friday night, Harper hit a long home run towards the end of game two. Rather than run around the bases, Harper admired the homer, drawing the ire from the opposing team, and leading to the next CSN batter getting hit with a pitch.

Then, on Saturday, again in game two, Harper homered in his first at-bat, and not only rounded the bases at a slow pace, but also taunted the opposing dugout on his way to first. He was warned by the umpire, but after the half inning he continued bowing towards the opposing dugout from right field, and was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct. (Thanks to 81omar at OBN for the report from Sunday).

Harper is putting up excellent numbers, with a .413/.510/.850 line, and a homer every 10 at-bats. However, he is only 17, and while his behavior isn't excused for that, it is one of the downsides of giving a 17-year old kid this much hype. Maybe this was an isolated incident with one team. We've seen how a series in the majors can get out of hand (Dave Kerwin, anyone?), so it's not out of the question that this was a mini-rivalry in a weekend series. Then again, if this continues from Harper, it will look less like an isolated incident, and more like a concern with Harper's makeup."


Read more: http://www.buccofans.com/#ixzz0iLLaLVap

[BigBen2112]

Harper certainly is performing, and I am surprised as I did not think he would and the hype would prove to be completely hype. However, at the age of 17 playing against players 2 or 3 years older than him and hitting .420 with 8 HRs and 27 RBI all the while hitting 13 2B and 1 3B in accumulation of an .864 SLG%. Certainly the behavioral elements that you are talking about are troubling, but then again it is not like you do not see things, although often tempered, similar to this in the MLs...and this is 25-35+ year olds. Sosa did it his whole career...some have argued that Bonds and McGuire did it as well as ARod. One also does not know if the team did not say something to him that made him react in such a way.

I do not know if he can keep this up, but 22 extra base hits in 88 at bats? That's incredibly impressive...and despite the lower level of competition compared to players such as Bryce Brentz and Blake Dean one still has to be impressed that essentially a high school senior is being able to play at the level he is.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Harper sounds like a complete ******bag that will melt down and pick up a monstrous coke habit if he flounders at all.

If he is such a stud, after his early HS graduation why didn't he go play a year of D1 College baseball instead of playing for some community college? Afraid that if he didin't dominate he would hurt himself financially?

[BigBen2112]

Harper sounds like a complete ******bag that will melt down and pick up a monstrous coke habit if he flounders at all.

If he is such a stud, after his early HS graduation why didn't he go play a year of D1 College baseball instead of playing for some community college? Afraid that if he didin't dominate he would hurt himself financially?

I am not a Harper apologist or advocate, but I can take a stab at what you're asking/discussing.

1) I am not sure that you can say that he's a ******bag because of one story. Furthermore, there are/have been plenty of players who have been classified as "******bags" who have gone on to great careers (Manny Ramirez anyone? Or Barry Bonds?).

2) I do not think age is an appropriate excuse, but if people are going to use it against him from the standpoint of "he's so young he shouldn't be drafted and signed to that money b/c he's a bigger risk" I think that one should then be able to say that he should have a chance to mature as he is only 17 and clearly has ability

3) And the bigger question of why did he not go to a D1 school. I think the answer is multi-fold. First, I think that when he made his decision he made it late enough in the game that he could not have chosen anything other than a smaller community college type school as the D1 schools had already signed their prospects. Furthermore, going to a small, non D1 school, does not fully determine the status of a prospect--Evan Longoria. Finally, I think that he was only 16 when he made the decision to leave HS for the college ranks and so it might have been the best decision to stick closer to home, or at least to his brother. I do not think you can fault him for this.

[PittFaninVa]

Harper sounds like a complete ******bag that will melt down and pick up a monstrous coke habit if he flounders at all.

[HIGH-LIGHT]If he is such a stud, after his early HS graduation why didn't he go play a year of D1 College baseball instead of playing for some community college? Afraid that if he didin't dominate he would hurt himself financially[/HIGH-LIGHT]?

No....that's not the reason.

If he went to a D1 school he would not be eligible for the draft until his junior year....that would be 2 more years from now. He wants to turn pro now!

[just_ridin]

One also does not know if the team did not say something to him that made him react in such a way.

Nobody can MAKE you act in any way. Everything is a choice. Arguments about guns-to-heads in other situations aside, this certainly reeks of immaturity. What makes it worse is that this kid is trying to get better-than-Strasburg $$$.

He, more than all others, should be keeping a level head and going about his business. If this is how he wants to be, I want no part of him, regardless of talent level.

[PittFaninVa]

Nobody can MAKE you act in any way. Everything is a choice. Arguments about guns-to-heads in other situations aside, this certainly reeks of immaturity. What makes it worse is that this kid is trying to get better-than-Strasburg $$$.

He, more than all others, should be keeping a level head and going about his business. If this is how he wants to be, I want no part of him, regardless of talent level.

He got suspended for 1 game for his childishness.

[williamjpellas]

Sounds like he is just another typical insecure alpha-male meathead jock. Definitely too immature to be handed millions of dollars. I don't know about a cokehead in the making, but between this and being represented by satan, errrr, Scot Boras, no thank you. Last year's draft strategy works just fine for me.

[PittFaninVa]

[HIGH-LIGHT]Sounds like he is just another typical insecure alpha-male meathead jock.[/HIGH-LIGHT] Definitely too immature to be handed millions of dollars. I don't know about a cokehead in the making, but between this and being represented by satan, errrr, Scot Boras, no thank you. Last year's draft strategy works just fine for me.

Sounds like a typical 17 YO'er.

[Kipper]

Sounds like a typical 17 YO'er.

Yup and unfortunately it is going to take him possibly 4-8 more years to reach decent maturity IMO (21-25 age range). Kid needs to quit acting like a spoiled brat and a pampered *****. He really needs humbled in some way but the question is whether he can handle having his ego smacked at that age

[BigBen2112]

Sounds like a typical 17 YO'er.

Yep, that would be an appropriate response.

Manny Ramirez still must be 17 too though.

[BigBen2112]

Yup and unfortunately it is going to take him possibly 4-8 more years to reach decent maturity IMO (21-25 age range). Kid needs to quit acting like a spoiled brat and a pampered *****. He really needs humbled in some way but the question is whether he can handle having his ego smacked at that age

I guess for me the whole idea is that you still have to judge him on his ability to play the game. Certainly the childish behavior is troubling but he would not be the first athlete to act in such a way...and there are plenty athletes who act like that who are, in fact, much older and have had a chance to mature more than he has.

While it might take him 4-8 years to really round out his maturity, if he ever does, IF the hype is accurate (and I am not convinced completely that it is, although he's certainly playing well now, but even his current play doesnt make him Lebron James worthy LOL) he could be producing in the majors in 2 or 3 years.

[rbilak]

Harper sounds like a complete ******bag that will melt down and pick up a monstrous coke habit if he flounders at all.

If he is such a stud, after his early HS graduation why didn't he go play a year of D1 College baseball instead of playing for some community college? Afraid that if he didin't dominate he would hurt himself financially?

Does kinda sound like Josh Hamilton a bit doesn't it.

[Kipper]

I guess for me the whole idea is that you still have to judge him on his ability to play the game. Certainly the childish behavior is troubling but he would not be the first athlete to act in such a way...and there are plenty athletes who act like that who are, in fact, much older and have had a chance to mature more than he has.

While it might take him 4-8 years to really round out his maturity, if he ever does, IF the hype is accurate (and I am not convinced completely that it is, although he's certainly playing well now, but even his current play doesnt make him Lebron James worthy LOL) he could be producing in the majors in 2 or 3 years.

If he's a competitive hot head, I personally don't care. I like guys that are competitive and cocky. Cocky p[layers generally back it up even if they come across as *******s and who doesn't want someone that's competitive...

But the players that are pampered and spoiled are the ones that worry me. There's been SO many players in various sports that looked great and had hype and pampered and spoiled attitudes generally bury them...

Personality is a very important tool to evaluate. Very difficult one as well

[Jeremy]

3) And the bigger question of why did he not go to a D1 school. I think the answer is multi-fold. First, I think that when he made his decision he made it late enough in the game that he could not have chosen anything other than a smaller community college type school as the D1 schools had already signed their prospects. Furthermore, going to a small, non D1 school, does not fully determine the status of a prospect--Evan Longoria. Finally, I think that he was only 16 when he made the decision to leave HS for the college ranks and so it might have been the best decision to stick closer to home, or at least to his brother. I do not think you can fault him for this.

Longoria went to Long Beach State....which is in the Big West Conference. That's the conference of Cal State-Fullerton and UC-Irvine, both of whom have made CWS appearances in recent memory. Some other noteable "Dirt Bags" include Bobby Crosby, Jason Giambi, Troy Tulowitzki, and Jered Weaver.