re: What's the latest on Bryce Harper?

The sooner you promote a guy, the sooner he can file for free agency. You can manipulate the clock and call him up midseason to basically get an extra half year of service time.

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to follow one ridiculous post with another, babe ruth actually played in "AA" at the age of 19. b-ref isn't differentiating b/w his time with Providence and Baltimore, but that year he had 121 ABs and hit .231. Baltimore was not a major league team at the time either.

Granted the minor league structure is not the same today, but there ya go

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fricker couldn't even bat .260 in AA.

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238/.303/.325 in 80 July at-bats

286/.368/.510 in 14 August games


lets not forget he was 18 years old

Beltre also had over 1k plate appearances within his first 2 years.


Beltre saw AA in his 3rd professional season, 1,075 PA's later.

And what type of leagues was he playing in the Dominican before signing a MLB deal?



Harper had 305 plate appearances before moving to AA.


and he crushed A ball as an 18 year old.



His August splits could mean nothing. But it's more relevant than Adrian Beltre.

Harper could become a once in a lifetime player. Or he couldnt. It will have nothing to do with what Beltre did. Who played minor league ball into age 22, and we all know how his up and down career went.

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But the dude would be more valuable if he could hit and play catcher IMO

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They have Wilson Ramos already at Catcher. Smart to move Harper to get both bats in the lineup.

I think Beltre is incredibly relevant, as he's one of the most notable prospects to crush A ball as a teenager making his pro debut. He showed up as a 17 year old in A ball and hit 284/366/519 (a lot of that in the California League -- which is a notoriously tough league for hitters). He got promoted to high A at age 18 for his next full season, and he hit even better: 317/407/561.

Beltre was one of the most phenomenal prospects of our lifetime. He's also a perennial all-star and possibly the best 3rd baseman in the game (he was also awful in his debut for the Dodgers). If Harper turns into Beltre, which may be his worst case, he will have been a tremendous success. That's why I hate prospect mavens. Everyone has to be the next Babe Ruth. comparing a guy to Beltre isn't an insult.

Harper's ceiling is A-Rod or Griffey, two other of the best prospects of our lives, but let's not forget the guy who put him similar numbers at a younger age.


The big thing Harper has in common with Beltre is huge strikeout rates. Harper struck out 87 times in 457 PA's. Beltre, in his first season, struck out 90 times in 556 PA's. K rates are one of those things that derail even the best hitting prospects (SEE Davis, Chris).

I think Harper is going to be a terrific pro player. The odds are certainly in his favor. When your worst comp is Beltre, you are on the road to stardom. But I'm always wary of overhyping players. Manage expectations, is all I'm saying. Don't be pissed at the guy if he "only" turns into an all star.

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Harper's talented no doubt. But the dude would be more valuable if he could hit and play catcher IMO. The fact he's an outfielder doesn't separate or make him any better than Ryan Braun IMO. And that's not a slam against Braun, but people act like he's Babe Ruth. fricker couldn't even bat .260 in AA.

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Harper is much more of a Ryan Howard type of hitter, low average but MONSTER power. Also the fact that he is a douche bag is only going to make him that much more of a superstar.

He's a huge douche?

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238/.303/.325 in 80 July at-bats

286/.368/.510 in 14 August games


lets not forget he was 18 years old

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I'm not saying the dude won't be a perennial all-star. I'm just saying that let's slow the role on him being hyped as a HOFer just yet. Long way to fricking go.