Bryce! Call him Bryce! That's unique!

I have some thoughts about Harper... which is me... but not me, the other Harper. (I sound like Mojo Jojo here - anyone else miss the Powerpuff Girls?)

I'm not nearly as excited about Bryce Harper as other people seem to be. It's not that I think he shouldn't be the pick. He should. I don't care about the attitude or the agent or the setting himself up to look best for this draft. (Although I do care about seeing my name over and over again if he ever makes the majors. That will be the worst. Now I know how Obama Johnson feels) Everyone thinks he's the best talent. The Nats should take him.

However, the feeling I've gotten reading one thing after another is that he's a default pick, that in another year with more talent he might be a second pick or a third pick. That may not seem like a lot but it is. We're not dealing with that special "Oh my God!" player like Steven Strasburg. We're dealing with a "run of the mill" great talent who will be saddled with all the expectations of being the bestest hitter eva, and who may or may not develop. For as well as he's done at his age in the league that he's in, the Scenic West Junior College Conference is really no mid-major NCAA Division I conference which in turn is no major NCAA DI conference which in turn is really no low A-ball league league which in turn is no A-ball league which in turn is no AA-ball league which in turn is kinda no AAA-ball league which in turn is really no Major league. That's three reallys in there - three major jumps in talent that Bryce will have to deal with. Three hurdles that he'll have to jump over, the same for any high-school talent.

It's the right pick. You should get excited about it. Just not Strasburg excited.


Side Note on Stammen - it may seem like it's unfair to Stammen to send him down after a very decent start but it's never been an issue with getting a good start from Stammen. It's been about getting consistent good starts. Look at his game log for this year. He's been bouncing between decent and horrible starts all season. If he can show consistency in AAA he might get another chance. Until then, enjoy Syracuse.