Bryce Harper

Leonardfan

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I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in my 20+ years of watching baseball. Harper has absolutely assaulted the league and opposing pitchers over the last 11 games. I wonder how long he can keep this up?

Baseball is a game of streaks - a true combination of mental focus and physical ability. I imagine me and you are around the same age - I cant recall anything like this either. This is total domination. Typically as the weather gets warmer the bats heat up but what Harper is doing is unprecedented.

Rizzo is having a quietly dominant start to the season as well. Both Rizzo and Harper seem to have refined their plate discipline as opposed to years past.

Kris Bryant has been pretty amazing as well. He has a great eye and discipline at the plate as a rookie. I think he is the most natural pure hitter I have seen.
 

Freethinker

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Baseball is a game of streaks - a true combination of mental focus and physical ability. I imagine me and you are around the same age - I cant recall anything like this either. This is total domination. Typically as the weather gets warmer the bats heat up but what Harper is doing is unprecedented.

Rizzo is having a quietly dominant start to the season as well. Both Rizzo and Harper seem to have refined their plate discipline as opposed to years past.

Kris Bryant has been pretty amazing as well. He has a great eye and discipline at the plate as a rookie. I think he is the most natural pure hitter I have seen.
Yea we're probably not far off in age. I'm 30 and my first baseball memories were watching the Reds win the World Series in 1990.

To further quantify how hot Harper has been since the May 6th game, in which he hit 3 homers, I'll refer to my fantasy baseball league. It's a points league and Harper is the leading hitter by a wide margin over the number 2 guy, Paul Goldschmidt. Harper has 521 points on the season, of which 322 have come since the 6th. So in 2 weeks he's accounted for over 60% of his total season production (about 6 weeks in the season so far). So that's a nerdy, numbers based way of saying he's been ridiculously hot at the plate.

Also, Harper has already exceeded his homerun and RBI totals from last year. And he's done it in 219 less at bats. It seems like the only thing that can stop Bryce is an injury so fingers crossed he can stay healthy all year.
 

Carolina Speed

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Harper already leading the league in 5 categories is 2/2 tonight with his league tying 38th HR!

It would be nice to see him go on season ending tear!
 

Carolina Speed

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Harper already leading the league in 5 categories is 2/2 tonight with his league tying 38th HR!

It would be nice to see him go on season ending tear!

Harper now leading the NL in HR's with his second of the night and number 39 on the year!

He's 3/3, 2 HR's, 4 RBI's and 2 runs scored!
 

PHillisFan

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I hope his hot streak continues. I would be happy if either he or Crush Davis won the HR Title.
 
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Harper set a new MLB record earlier this year for reaching base:

http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/05/08/chicago-cubs-start-washington-nationals-bryce-harper-walks

The Cubs put Bryce Harper in the record books via a Windy City walk-a-thon, but it proved to be the right call. On Sunday, they walked reigning NL MVP six times—three of them intentionally—in a 13-inning marathon

Harper’s six walks tied the major league record. Via the Baseball-Reference Play Index, since 1913, three other players received a half-dozen free passes in the same game: the Red Sox’s Jimmie Foxx (June 16, 1938 against the St. Louis Browns), the Indians’ Andre Thornton (May 2, 1984 against the Orioles) and the Astros’ Jeff Bagwell

Harper actually reached base a seventh time on Sunday, as he was hit by a Trevor Cahill pitch in the sixth inning. With that and his walks, he became the first player since at least 1913 to reach base seven times without an official at-bat. What's more, it was the second game in a row that Harper did not record an official at-bat, as he walked three times (once intentionally) on Saturday and hit a sacrifice fly in an 8–5 loss. He was also walked in the final plate appearance of Friday's 8–6 loss, so he’s now gone 12 straight plate appearances without an official at-bat. Including his three walks in Thursday’s 5–2 loss, his 13 walks set a record for a four-game series, according to Stats Inc.
 
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Harper has been in a funk ever since the series where they kept walking him. But he still leads the league in walks and Intentional walks. This is a career adjustment that he's going through at such a young age. Pitchers are going to pitch around him and he is learning he's only going to get 1 or 2 decent pitches to hit per game.

Bases on Balls s c a p y
1. Harper (WSN) 87
2. Goldschmidt (ARI) 86
Votto (CIN) 86
4. Belt (SFG) 78

Intentional Bases on Balls s c a p y
1. Harper (WSN) 16
2. Freeman (ATL) 13
3. Espinosa (WSN) 11
4. Goldschmidt (ARI) 10
 
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The media of course has taken an interest in demonizing Harper from the day he got to the majors. Yet everything I see about him shows him to be a good guy.

http://sports.nbcsports.com/2016/05...s-to-give-a-jar-of-money-to-a-homeless-woman/

In a since deleted Facebook post, a woman that was working visitor security spotted Harper getting off the bus with a glass jar full of money and handing it to a homeless woman who was with her dog.
 

PHillisFan

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The media of course has taken an interest in demonizing Harper from the day he got to the majors. Yet everything I see about him shows him to be a good guy.

http://sports.nbcsports.com/2016/05...s-to-give-a-jar-of-money-to-a-homeless-woman/

In a since deleted Facebook post, a woman that was working visitor security spotted Harper getting off the bus with a glass jar full of money and handing it to a homeless woman who was with her dog.

He seems like a good kid.
 

Leonardfan

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Harper having a great spring training with 4 HR's in 21 at bats, .333 BA., .417 OBP, and 1.369 OPS. Looking forward to baseball!

Me too! I do have to say that Trout is still a better player than Harper though. I am glad I am getting to witness them both dominating the sport!
 

Carolina Speed

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Bryce Harper sets the MLB record for runs scored in April with 32! The record was previously held by Colorado Rockies Larry Walker in 1997 with 29 runs.
Harper's stat line looks like this; .391, BA, .509 OBP, incredible he's reaching base on every other AB! and a .772 SLG%. He has 9 HR's and 26 RBI. He and Trout have been the MLB MVP's for the month of April!
 

icsept

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Very disappointed with Bryce Harper signing with the Phillies. Along with 1B Rhys Hoskins, and C JT Realmuto, will be the only Whites in the lineup. A far cry from the easy to root for, mostly White Nationals.
 
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Carolina Speed

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Very disappointed with Bryce Harper signing with the Phillies. Along with 1B Rhys Hoskins, and C JT Realmuto, will be the only Whites in the lineup. A far cry from the easy to root for, mostly White Nationals.
Yes icsept. I'm a little disappointed as well. I was kind of hoping he would stay with the Nationals or at least go to the Dodgers or Giants. However, going to Philadelphia will make it easier to watch him being on the east coast. Unlike Mike Trout. Being in California, I hardly get to see him play. There are rumors though that Philadelphia will try hard to get Trout when he's done with his current contract with the Angels. Trout grew up a Phillies/Eagles fan as a kid. Grew up in South Jersey not far from Philadelphia.
Trout, Harper, and Hoskins, not too shabby?
 

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Yes icsept. I'm a little disappointed as well. I was kind of hoping he would stay with the Nationals or at least go to the Dodgers or Giants. However, going to Philadelphia will make it easier to watch him being on the east coast. Unlike Mike Trout. Being in California, I hardly get to see him play. There are rumors though that Philadelphia will try hard to get Trout when he's done with his current contract with the Angels. Trout grew up a Phillies/Eagles fan as a kid. Grew up in South Jersey not far from Philadelphia.
Trout, Harper, and Hoskins, not too shabby?
How would Philly have the money to sign Trout too? I’d imagine he’d command a contract just as large or bigger than Harper.
 

Carolina Speed

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How would Philly have the money to sign Trout too? I’d imagine he’d command a contract just as large or bigger than Harper.
Supposedly, the Phillies could have signed both Harper and Machado, but were opting for just one of the two. Again, supposedly, Philadelphia spread out Harper's contract, 13 years, and could still sign another superstar, Trout, and still stay under the luxury tax which could make room for Trout. However, with Harper signing for 330 million, some are saying Trout should go in excess of 400 million. The Phillies would probably have to spread out Trout's contract as well. Say 400 million over 11-12 years making Trout 40-41 years old and close to retirement. That's 33 million to 36 million annually. That would get Philadelphia to where they need to be. I would think Trout would agree to something in that range, but sometimes these agents and players get really greedy and may try to get Trout to the first 500 million contract? Philadelphia probably couldn't handle that.
 

Carolina Speed

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I know this is late and don't know why no one has reported this, but Philadelphia Phillies OF, Bryce Harper wins his second MVP Award. The 29 year old hit .309/.429/.615. Had a 179 OPS+. Had 35 HR's, 42 doubles and stole 13 bases on 16 attempts.
He led the league in doubles, Slugging, OPS, and OPS+
Congratulations to Bryce Harper.
Los Angeles Angels DH/Pitcher Shohei Ohtani won the AL MVP. Ohtani led the league in triples, 8 and hit 46 HR's and had 100 RBI. He went 9-2 as a pitcher. Had a 9.1 WAR.
 

Carolina Speed

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Bryce Harper returned to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup last night a mere 160 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The fastest known return in MLB history! He was scheduled to return after the All Star break.
After going 0-4 last night, Harper was 3-3 with a double and two runs scored and 2 walks in today's loss to the Dodgers.
The Dodgers Max Muncy hit a walk off grand slam to beat the Phillies!
 

white lightning

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It's great to see him back. It's been said countless times but his swing is a work of art! "The Natural".
 
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