[TimlinIn8th]

SuperManny, on Jun 6 2009, 01:14 AM, said:

Just like LeBron, every once in a while they get one right.

No doubt. I'm not damning the kid at all, he could honestly be a future Hall of Famer. The part of the article I find distressing is that his parents are looking for a loophole to get him into the draft without finishing high school. They're pretty much banking this kid's future on baseball. Granted, he's probably going to get some ridiculously huge signing bonus just from getting drafted, but what if he fails? History is littered with 'next big things' that never were. I only mentioned Beane because I am re-reading Moneyball right now.

They are buying into the kid's own hype, and really, its much too early to tell. He'll get his huge signing bonus regardless of when he gets drafted, so why not let him finish high school? It just sounds like everyone is out to take this kid and get everything they can out of him regardless of the consequences to him in his life.

(Except for the part where he wants to be a Yankee. This kid can go f**k himself for that one. :rolleyes: )

[RSJ]

Well, here's the thing, though.

If you're a casual baseball fan (or sports fan, for that matter), and you get your "upcoming phenom" reports once a year exclusively from SI, then yeah, that's kind of stupid. They've obviously missed way more than they've hit. But Bryce Harper has been known far, far beyond SI for a while now. BA has been covering him for a while now, and it's pretty much accepted at this point that he's going to be the first overall pick in 2011 (or 2010 if he gets himself eligible).

The kid is for real, and would be considered one of the top 5 prospects in all of baseball if he were in a system.

Edit: BA's Jim Callis ranks Strasburg, 2010 top pick Matt Harvey, and Harper in context of current prospects, March 16th (free content)
Callis says that Harvey is less talented than Harper, March 23rd (free content)
Callis on Harper, March 30th (free content)

This post has been edited by RSJ: 11 June 2009 - 04:40 PM

[Renton]

Are there people in this thread saying he's not a good player or something? You're right, everyone knows and has known about this kid for a while. He would be a top prospect. He's 16 and already awesome. We get it.

Does this make him the "chosen one?" Maybe, if by that they mean they think he will be chosen number one in the draft in a few years.

[Red Sox Fan2]

BigSlick, on Jun 6 2009, 01:37 PM, said:

His immense power is great, but I'm 42, 50lbs overweight and I can still drive the ball pretty well when it's lobbed in to me and that's all that video showed.

The kid was the only one to his an opposite field HR and hit a bomb 505 ft. If you were 15 and could do that, I'm sure you'd be making millions. I think any team would take a gamble on the power alone once he turned 18.

[Youuuuk!]

According to mlbtraderumors.com:

"According to Matt Youmans of The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 16-yr old phenom Bryce Harper has enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, and plans to attend classes this August. He will also get his GED this fall. Because CSN is a two-year institution, the move allows Harper to be eligible for the 2010 draft rather than waiting for 2011, when he would graduate high school."

[SuperManny]

Harper ready to give college try

Quote

Bryce Harper, the baseball phenom from Las Vegas High School, has no future in high school. An extraordinary player is ready to make an unusual move.

Harper, a 16-year-old who just completed his sophomore year, has registered at the College of Southern Nevada, where he plans to attend classes in August and play for the Coyotes next season.

His father, Ron Harper, announced the decision Saturday while in Oklahoma City for a baseball tournament.

"Bryce is always looking for his next challenge," Ron Harper said. "He's going to pursue his education, too. He's going to get pushed academically and athletically.

The minimum age for major league draft eligibility is 16, upon completion of high school.

"There are going to be critics. I can't worry about what people think. People are going to see what they want to see and say what they want to say," Ron Harper said. "I think this prepares him for life, playing the game of baseball.

"People question your parenting and what you're doing. Honestly, we don't think it's that big a deal. He's not leaving school to go work in a fast-food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He's smart, and he's going to get his education."

CSN coach Tim Chambers is a longtime friend of the Harper family.

"That's the only way this works out. I've known Tim for about 25 years," Ron Harper said. "Tim is going to take care of him. I couldn't send Bryce somewhere else. If I sent him across the country, I might second-guess myself and think I was crazy."

Bryan Harper, Bryce's brother, is transferring from Cal State Northridge to play for the Coyotes next season, so Bryce will have a strong support group at CSN. Bryan is a 6-5 left-handed pitcher.

"It's phenomenal because I get to play with my brother," Bryce said.

"I've always tried to keep him humble," Ron Harper said. "But Bryce has always made good decisions on his own. He needs to be a good role model.

"My son is going to live with us and still eat at the same table. His brother will be a mentor to him. Why can't it be a good story?"

The Nationals should get another good player in a year, back to back phenoms. I never knew you could be drafted at 16 into MLB if you graduated high school. I find it odd that foreign players are allowed to be signed younger than 18 without completing high school but US players can't. It's similar to the NBA being able to draft 18 year old foreigners but 19 year old Americans.

This post has been edited by SuperManny: 15 June 2009 - 04:35 PM

[The Ghost of Ned Martin]

SuperManny, on Jun 15 2009, 05:31 PM, said:

Harper ready to give college try



The Nationals should get another good player in a year, back to back phenoms. I never knew you could be drafted at 16 into MLB if you graduated high school. I find it odd that foreign players are allowed to be signed younger than 18 without completing high school but US players can't. It's similar to the NBA being able to draft 18 year old foreigners but 19 year old Americans.

Does anyone think the kid is making a mistake?

[chicowalker]

The Ghost of Ned Martin, on Jun 15 2009, 03:54 PM, said:

Does anyone think the kid is making a mistake?

If he is, it's not for the reasons that I've read where people have been criticizing him or his parents. I have no idea what the best thing for him in terms of his development as a player is, or in terms of his development as a person. But the folks saying he should "get an education" are delusional if this is going to help him make millions of dollars before he turns 18 -- particularly since graduating high school and attending college are by no means synonymous with getting an education.

[The Ghost of Ned Martin]

chicowalker, on Jun 15 2009, 07:51 PM, said:

If he is, it's not for the reasons that I've read where people have been criticizing him or his parents. I have no idea what the best thing for him in terms of his development as a player is, or in terms of his development as a person. But the folks saying he should "get an education" are delusional if this is going to help him make millions of dollars before he turns 18 -- particularly since graduating high school and attending college are by no means synonymous with getting an education.

Exactly. He isn't really risking anything since he will have to get his GED in order to be eligible for the draft anyway. So, as long as he doesn't get injured between now and next season's draft, he will earn millions of dollars even if he never pitches an inning in the majors.

If it doesn't work out he could just buy himself a college and pretty much guarantee himself a 4.0 GPA :rolleyes:

[TreeRol]

SuperManny, on Jun 15 2009, 05:31 PM, said:

The Nationals should get another good player in a year, back to back phenoms. I never knew you could be drafted at 16 into MLB if you graduated high school. I find it odd that foreign players are allowed to be signed younger than 18 without completing high school but US players can't. It's similar to the NBA being able to draft 18 year old foreigners but 19 year old Americans.

I wouldn't be so sure the Nationals will get him. Given the attitude he and his father have had thus far, imagine two things they might do:

a.) Only sign with a big-market team;
b.) Demand a $60M+ contract.

I wouldn't put either past them.

[Ralpho316]

The Ghost of Ned Martin, on Jun 15 2009, 08:36 PM, said:

Exactly. He isn't really risking anything since he will have to get his GED in order to be eligible for the draft anyway. So, as long as he doesn't get injured between now and next season's draft, he will earn millions of dollars even if he never pitches an inning in the majors.

If it doesn't work out he could just buy himself a college and pretty much guarantee himself a 4.0 GPA :rolleyes:

I hate to do this, but he is never going to pitch an inning in the majors... :mellow:

[Renton]

Ralpho316, on Jun 15 2009, 10:06 PM, said:

I hate to do this, but he is never going to pitch an inning in the majors... :mellow:

That's what they said about Mark Grace.

[Ralpho316]

I guess I meant to say, lets hope he never pitches an inning in the majors

[roidrage]

Harper may end amateur career suspended

Looked like a quick trigger from the ump given that you are in a national championship tournament, but nonetheless, his amateur career may end while serving a 2 game suspension after being ejected for 2nd time this year.