tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post5891346058382188557..comments2024-02-15T05:42:18.307-05:00Comments on Nats Insider: Harper will play in exhibition openerMark Zuckermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13525315258889435961noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-17014628193271525412011-02-24T22:35:01.086-05:002011-02-24T22:35:01.086-05:00Boz didn't mention him in the Harper piece, bu...Boz didn't mention him in the Harper piece, but Henry Aaron is another all-time great who needed time to reach his power potential.<br /><br />Aaron hit 13 at age 20; 27 at age 21 and 26 at age 22.<br /><br />Then No. 44 cracked 44 at age 23.Drew8noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-1069535035559096592011-02-24T19:53:21.528-05:002011-02-24T19:53:21.528-05:00This is for PAY TO PLAY
I really hope the Nats NE...This is for PAY TO PLAY<br /><br />I really hope the Nats NEVER sell the naming rights to the ballpark. I absolutely HATE that modern stadiums have turned into giant billboards. Teams like the Angels and Rangers understand what's important---they actually bought BACK the naming rights of their stadiums to rename them after the teams themselves---Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Rangers Ballpark.<br /><br />If the Mets' management were smart, they would have reasoned "The Yankees feel they don't need to sell the name of their ballpark. Therefore, we won't either---the new stadium will be called Mets Ballpark so Mets fans can say 'we're going to the Ballpark' just as Yankee fans have said 'we're going to the Stadium.'"<br /><br />In our case, the Orioles haven't sold the naming rights to OPACY. Should we really be ROOTING for the Nats to sell out?Edward J. Cunninghamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11925008506185290162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-28127634667422060142011-02-24T17:01:54.711-05:002011-02-24T17:01:54.711-05:00Radio -- call me old school on this: I can't ...Radio -- call me old school on this: I can't get used to the sound of baseball on FM, without the background hiss of AM. [Of course, if it's xM, FM, or nothing, I'll take xM and FM.] Anybody else find baseball on FM sounds just not quite right?Another_Samnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-44352157670842841772011-02-24T15:52:32.571-05:002011-02-24T15:52:32.571-05:00Apropos Heyward and Stanton (and Stanton still str...Apropos Heyward and Stanton (and Stanton still struck out like a windmill last season) -- Matt Wieters had about two months of minor league ball and hasn't come within leagues -- literally -- of his potential.Theophilusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-51260921562392887292011-02-24T15:34:52.753-05:002011-02-24T15:34:52.753-05:006) Success at spring training does not by any stre...<b><i>6) Success at spring training does not by any stretch translate into success during the regular season.</i></b><br /><br />thisMMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05560985840752640072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-39272707482676470762011-02-24T15:31:02.907-05:002011-02-24T15:31:02.907-05:00Here's the link for all of this spring's M...Here's the link for all of this spring's MLB Network exhibition broadcasts:<br /><br />http://mlb.mlb.com/network/schedule/live_games.jsphondo69noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-8313629295997500172011-02-24T14:44:36.386-05:002011-02-24T14:44:36.386-05:00Bottom line is take a look at the last two rookie ...Bottom line is take a look at the last two rookie stars that had emerged in the minors, Heyward and Posey. Both got at least 600AB's in the minors before getting called up.<br /><br />Heyward even struggled towards the latter half of last season, he was fighting off injuries, but it shows it is a grind for these young players.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00616855563210757915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-19003000735172230092011-02-24T14:15:35.039-05:002011-02-24T14:15:35.039-05:00P2P - let's hope he isn't going after the ...P2P - let's hope he isn't going after the "pitchers junk"Mark'dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-27147019132097728922011-02-24T14:13:40.098-05:002011-02-24T14:13:40.098-05:00Ironically, there's a very good chance Rigglem...<i>Ironically, there's a very good chance Riggleman will never manage Harper unless Harper receives a September call-up.</i><br /><br />I would be a great present to fans to see Randy Knorr come along with Harper to the major leagues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-69788604627541771972011-02-24T14:12:50.796-05:002011-02-24T14:12:50.796-05:00My only negative observation seeing a very small s...My only negative observation seeing a very small sample of Bryce Harper is plate discipline.<br /><br />He will be most successful in the MLB when he takes his walks and isn't going after the pitchers junk.PAY TO PLAYnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-54761941468363441842011-02-24T14:12:01.653-05:002011-02-24T14:12:01.653-05:00Ironically, there's a very good chance Rigglem...Ironically, there's a very good chance Riggleman will never manage Harper unless Harper receives a September call-up.DFLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-37438558332673874672011-02-24T14:11:22.045-05:002011-02-24T14:11:22.045-05:00I think Harper will handle Potomac just fine and w...I think Harper will handle Potomac just fine and will be rapidly promoted. <br /><br />Its in Harrisburg and especially Syracuse where Harper will be regularly challenged. There you will find major league pitchers (some with years of major league experience) not afraid to work backwards, not afraid to use breaking balls as their strike out pitch. 1-2 years mostly in Syracuse should be enough to even satisfy old man Riggleman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-54858385988001465742011-02-24T14:03:44.750-05:002011-02-24T14:03:44.750-05:00And what JD said.....and I've seen him play fo...And what JD said.....and I've seen him play for a three week period in the Fall Instructional League where he was successful but not overly so.NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-74768415195289537842011-02-24T13:57:33.750-05:002011-02-24T13:57:33.750-05:00Harper does not need to simmer down nor does he ne...Harper does not need to simmer down nor does he need to keep his mouth shut. All he said was he wants to make the major league team this season. It's perfectly reasonable for him to set that goal and to tell people that's what his goal is.<br />I suspect he's fully aware and accepting that he will be starting the season in the minors.N. Cognitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-35671744824641110352011-02-24T13:52:48.754-05:002011-02-24T13:52:48.754-05:00Ken,
Just a few thoughts:
1) Harper's AFL ...Ken,<br /><br /> Just a few thoughts:<br /><br /> 1) Harper's AFL stint was considered very succsesful but he swung and missed at all breaking balls away.<br /><br /> 2) Harper almost always swung at the first pitch; no working the pitch count; no plate discipline.<br /><br /> 3) Young pitchers in the AFL were all trying to throw the ball through a wall; they were not MLB veterans who will mix their pitches.<br /><br /> 4) MLB pitchers will discover Harper's weaknesses in a week and he will see nothing but breaking balls away until he lays off or is able to hit it.<br /><br /> 5) I predict that Harper will be succsesful at low 'A' ball but will take his lumps at Potomac ; it's a big leap forward (Burgess, Marrero killed at Hagerstown but were seriously challenged at Potomac.<br /><br /> 6) Success at spring training does not by any stretch translate into success during the regular season.<br /><br /> 7) You do not want your best prospect to be over matched; it takes a long time to recover one's confidence (check out Justin Smoak).<br /><br /> None of this is an indictment of Harper but I applaud the Nats for having a plan in place and to avoid letting a small sample change their plan; there is nothing wrong with a 2 year apprenticeship in the minors; he will still only be 20 in 2 years.JDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-7870293330758778702011-02-24T13:49:34.198-05:002011-02-24T13:49:34.198-05:00Ditto to what N. Cognito said about Harper and tim...Ditto to what N. Cognito said about Harper and timing and what MGG said about Harper paying his dues and simmering down.<br />fpcsteveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-56834557062792698372011-02-24T13:46:33.393-05:002011-02-24T13:46:33.393-05:00DCRTV raises an excellent question today: how come...DCRTV raises an excellent question today: how come there's no official news yet on the WJFK radio deal? The Nats website still lists WFED as the flagship, and the first games are only days away. Please don't tell me this deal isn't going to happen!Rob Dibble's Ghostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-49570657957126003782011-02-24T13:45:35.152-05:002011-02-24T13:45:35.152-05:00Mark,
Once all the minor leaguers arive would i...Mark,<br /><br /> Once all the minor leaguers arive would it be possible to make a list of new players and players who did not return.<br />Thanks<br />RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-80807700736990113572011-02-24T13:45:17.477-05:002011-02-24T13:45:17.477-05:00Feel Wood said:
And of course had Harper signed im...Feel Wood said:<br />And of course had Harper signed immediately after being drafted last June instead of waiting until the absolute last second, he would have gone to A ball immediately and by now might be ready for AA or even AAA. Had he followed Ryan Zimmerman's lead and signed right away, he might even have earned a September callup last year and a chance to show his stuff then instead of now in spring training. But he didn't do that - and that was his own choice, nobody else's.<br /><br />That's the big point, I think, and where Boras actually didn't serve the needs of his client as well as he could have.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-47060031133572258742011-02-24T13:43:18.445-05:002011-02-24T13:43:18.445-05:00What N. Cognito said.....What N. Cognito said.....NatsJack in Floridanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-32976222239050852622011-02-24T13:42:33.533-05:002011-02-24T13:42:33.533-05:00I don't see why people call for Harper to stay...I don't see why people call for Harper to stay in Major league camp, he did live BP the other day and didn't do so well from what I recall, and that was against the scrubs of our system, let alone a legit #1 or #2.<br /><br />Please, Harper needs to shut his mouth and pay his dues in the minors like everyone else. Did Strasburg bitch and moan like this? No, and Harper shouldn't either.MGGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16581106754276546456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-91977117131422597572011-02-24T13:41:33.909-05:002011-02-24T13:41:33.909-05:00Ken -
I really don't think you get it. Sure...Ken - <br /><br />I really don't think you get it. Sure he may be one of the best 25 guys already, but do you want a average major leaguer or a stud after he was seasoned in the minors and is ready to be a stud. I don't want to waste one to two years of major league service time while Harper gets his feet wet in the majors. I want him ready to dominate once he gets here.Tcostantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-43297113969476113972011-02-24T13:37:29.171-05:002011-02-24T13:37:29.171-05:00Steve M. said...
"ome on, why are we even di...Steve M. said... <br />"ome on, why are we even discussing whether or not BHarper should make the 25 man. He needs Minor League time for maturing."<br /><br />Because when you have a blog or message board, there's always a good number of posters that think they should be GMs or field managers.<br /><br />Harper will get to the major leagues when he belongs in the major leagues.N. Cognitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-64658738956072018842011-02-24T13:31:15.591-05:002011-02-24T13:31:15.591-05:00Come on, why are we even discussing whether or not...Come on, why are we even discussing whether or not BHarper should make the 25 man. He needs Minor League time for maturing.<br /><br />Let's have a serious discussion when we see how he does against someone's #1 or #2 pitcher.<br />We know he can play as we saw in the AFL but until we see how he does against the better half of MLB pitching we are arguing without full knowledge and way too many "ifs".<br /><br />I think Riggs is trying to downplay all of this and protect Harper from himself in a typical "Father Knows Best" scenario.Steve M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442809928829881676.post-32909348945787353982011-02-24T13:11:36.317-05:002011-02-24T13:11:36.317-05:00Give me Harper's money and start feeling bad f...Give me Harper's money and start feeling bad for me.<br />Geeeessh!N. Cognitonoreply@blogger.com