The Hunt for Bryce Harper

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 10, 2009 1:39 PM EDT

Hooray for irrational win streaks in the middle of August. The Washington Nationals have done the improbable and made the Bryce Harper race an actual race. Here's how the three lowest teams stack up to date:

Team	W	GR
Nationals	40	50
Royals	43	51
Pirates	45	51

The Pirates are a long-shot, but the Royals have a real chance at this thing, especially if the Nationals continue to win. Perhaps the bigger question, rather than which team will ‘win' the first overall pick, is whether Stephen Strasburg will be on the board for that pick or not, or even if the Nationals can reselect Strasburg if he is. The signing period comes to a close next Monday, so we should know the answer to the first part relatively soon.

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

All I will say is the Royals will find a way to screw this up also

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Aug 10, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions

Somehow it will be Yuni's fault.

by Jed MC on Aug 10, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed

Carlos Guillen, the Latino Nick Punto

by The_Fan on Aug 10, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Yuni in season-ending sweep of the A's that knocked the M's out of the Race for Strasburg:

7-12, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB.
.583/.615/.916 (Season slash line was .279/.300/.392)

by Aaron Campeau on Aug 10, 2009 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions

hahaha

by daveh33 on Aug 22, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Well the Nationals would receive the #2 overall pick next year if they fail to sign Strasburg, right? So they’re effectively guaranteed at least one of the two.

by Tommy Bennett on Aug 10, 2009 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

No... if they fail to sign Strasburg and fail to get the #1 overall pick for next season,

and the team that gets the #1 overall choice picks Harper, they would be unable to reselect Strasburg (unless he consented to it).

Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving

by PaulThomas on Aug 10, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

You know, I wouldn't hand the consensus #1 pick to Harper just yet.

Still a lot to be happenin’.

by Daniel Berlyn on Aug 10, 2009 5:16 PM EDT reply actions

Why not?

Strasburg was the consensus #1 pick this time last year. Ken Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez were in the same position as Harper is this year. When a rare talent is discovered, whether in high school or college, you have to take them.

The only question about Harper is his eligibility next year. He is only beginning his junior year in high school and it remains to be seen if he will indeed graduate a year early.

by Wilder. on Aug 10, 2009 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I've heard that he isn't quite the prospect of those guys

Trey Griffin is a name to keep your eye on

by Daniel Berlyn on Aug 10, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Christian Colon. Hands down second pick.

by FlyByKnight on Aug 10, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions

That would be amazing if the Royals "won"

F*** Billy Beane... actually, I kinda like Holliday

by vivaelpujols on Aug 10, 2009 6:23 PM EDT reply actions

I remember an earlier post on this website sayin what the royals could do to get Harper

and it said
“Well the Royals are doing just fine”
You were right.
Correct me if that wasn’t this website

Carlos Guillen, the Latino Nick Punto

by The_Fan on Aug 10, 2009 7:31 PM EDT reply actions

Jim Riggleman loses teams Strasburgs and Harpers.

50!

by joof on Aug 11, 2009 3:09 AM EDT reply actions

The os have been awful lately

i hope they can maybe get harper

by Jordan Tuwiner on Aug 12, 2009 10:07 PM EDT reply actions

... Why? You have Wieters.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bdalebs on Aug 12, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Word is that Wieters might move to first base not too far into the future.

by FlyByKnight on Aug 13, 2009 5:09 AM EDT up reply actions

WOAH, hadn't heard this!

Link?

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bdalebs on Aug 13, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

uhh

Can’t just throw that out there, cause it’s not true.

by arzdb on Aug 13, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Wouldn’t that be something if Strasburg was the 4th pick next year. If the Royals got the 1st pick and took Harper, then the Nats couldn’t take him with the second and third pick, that would leave him for possibly the pirates at 4.

by McCann's the Man on Aug 14, 2009 3:31 AM EDT reply actions

Wieters to first

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/baseball-insider/2009/03/matt_wieters_future_first_base.html

They’ve actually been talking about it at the GM level for a while. He might be better suited at third though because of his arm.

by jgbaldwin10 on Aug 20, 2009 1:50 AM EDT reply actions

Mhm. I heard the discussion before this season. Wieters will wind up at first base not too far into the future. They don’t want his knees wearing down early on in his career much like Mauer’s have and they don’t want him to develop any type of back problems, much like Mauer has developed. The thing that saves Mauer and Wieters is that they both can DH since they’re both in the American League. Ultimately, both have to move to first. It’s inevitable.

http://twitter.com/FlyByKnite

by FlyByKnight on Aug 23, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions