Kevin Goldstein on Bryce Harper

[Leitch]

Kevin Goldstein has some interesting things to say about wünderkind Bryce Harper in a recent chat:

BL (Bozeman): What type of performance do you expect from the Harper kid at Southern Nevada next spring?

Kevin Goldstein: I imagine he'll be pretty damn good. Here's the thing, he's WAY overrated. He's not the greatest thing since sliced bread. He's probably the best player in next year's draft, but he's not a historic talent. The hype machine is just way out of control.

Doug (Flushing): Kevin, no offense but that Harper statement you made is ridiculous. Why? Simply because you did nothing but make a statement. Care to back it up with actual analysis? I'm sure you know much more about the situation then most of us do, but c'mon, don't be that guy.

Kevin Goldstein: Didn't mean to be that guy. I've talked to a lot of scouts, scouting directors and front office people who have seen Harper. His power is absolutely friggin' unreal, no doubt about it, but there are questions about his barrel control, the length of his swing, and his ability to be anything more than a 1B down the road. Again, top player in the draft next year, but not a once-a-generation type.

Conjunction (Dallas): On Harper- Isn't he supposed to have top notch speed and a superb arm? Why would he be confined to first base?

Kevin Goldstein: He can also leap tall buildings in a single bound and his tears cure cancer. He's also big now and going to grow for 2-3 more years, he's going to end up huge.

[QBsILLEST1]

Kevin Goldstein has some interesting things to say about wünderkind Bryce Harper in a recent chat:

Hmmmm...Interesting...Goldstein is the only one I have heard say this. Any guys we hear say anything about the situation more than likely arent using 1st hand experience. Id love to myself talk to a real scout about the kid. One of these beat writer guys actually said if harper were in this year's draft class(09) he would have chosen Harper over Stras. The hype may be a bit over rated, but we shall see.

One thing I am a bit concerned about is unless scouts have seen Harper face really tough competition, how do they know he will fare against it. A quick bat with power does not automatically make you the best pro catcher in decades...This is what corncerns me for all HS bats, kind of the reason Rowell hasnt shaken out. Sure he has some tools but how will they transfer over to pro pitching?

And it sounds like he wont stick behind the plate which is fine and dandy, but why would Goldstein limit him to 1B? I think he just wants to be the 1st to be"that guy" that the blogger wrote about in response to the blog. Goldstein seems to be cutting him short, atleast defensively. An athletic kid with a monster arm and speed doesnt get limited to 1st base. If he outgrows 3rd, then he could man an OF spot.

[Orioles1954]

As someone who lived in Nevada, I can confirm the quality of youth baseball there is beyond terrible. Perhaps Junior College was the right move for him.

[Pruke]

Tears that cure cancer? Not bad, not bad at all......

[allstar1579]

Hmmmm...Interesting...Goldstein is the only one I have heard say this. Any guys we hear say anything about the situation more than likely arent using 1st hand experience. Id love to myself talk to a real scout about the kid. One of these beat writer guys actually said if harper were in this year's draft class(09) he would have chosen Harper over Stras. The hype may be a bit over rated, but we shall see.

One thing I am a bit concerned about is unless scouts have seen Harper face really tough competition, how do they know he will fare against it. A quick bat with power does not automatically make you the best pro catcher in decades...This is what corncerns me for all HS bats, kind of the reason Rowell hasnt shaken out. Sure he has some tools but how will they transfer over to pro pitching?

And it sounds like he wont stick behind the plate which is fine and dandy, but why would Goldstein limit him to 1B? I think he just wants to be the 1st to be"that guy" that the blogger wrote about in response to the blog. Goldstein seems to be cutting him short, atleast defensively. An athletic kid with a monster arm and speed doesnt get limited to 1st base. If he outgrows 3rd, then he could man an OF spot.

I actually saw him, but only for a little while (I was on vacation, and didn't have that much time to spare.) From what I saw, he's the real deal. It's hard to say how he'll rise against an actual challenge and guys that know how to pitch, but the power is legit, the arm is legit, the speed is there. Contact is hard to say because that really depends on the level of pitching you face, and the defense...I don't know. I think his future lies somewhere else, and I think it creates more questions than raises his stock behind the plate. He's big, and really agile, but when he grows, who knows if he can still make that work. I'd rather see him at 1B/3B and see if he can handle it now so you know what you can do with him.

[thundercleetz]

With his athleticism, I do not see how Harper would be too big to move off of third. He is 6'2" around 200 pounds now, it is not like he will grow to 6'7" 250 pounds. Even if he gets to 6'3"/6'4" 230, he should still be agile enough to play third. I think third base is where Harper's talent truely lies.

[allstar1579]

With his athleticism, I do not see how Harper would be too big to move off of third. He is 6'2" around 200 pounds now, it is not like he will grow to 6'7" 250 pounds. Even if he gets to 6'3"/6'4" 230, he should still be agile enough to play third. I think third base is where Harper's talent truely lies.

But not all big agile guys have the hands to play corner INF. I'd think if he were able he would have been playing SS, not C. I want to see him try some other positions, but it's not like I get to work him out

[crawdad]

But not all big agile guys have the hands to play corner INF. I'd think if he were able he would have been playing SS, not C. I want to see him try some other positions, but it's not like I get to work him out

I kind of figured he would be a LF/RF with a shot at third. So, I guess I am not as bearish as Goldstein. I certainly do not think he is Wieters incarnate.

[allstar1579]

I kind of figured he would be a LF/RF with a shot at third. So, I guess I am not as bearish as Goldstein. I certainly do not think he is Wieters incarnate.

Yeah, I figure he ends up on a corner after looking at him, but I didn't get to see him work out much, so I have no clue if he has the hands or footwork for the INF. His bat is special though. Like Pujols special, as long as he can recognize and hit advanced pitching, which we won't know til he sees some

[QBsILLEST1]

Yeah, I figure he ends up on a corner after looking at him, but I didn't get to see him work out much, so I have no clue if he has the hands or footwork for the INF. His bat is special though. Like Pujols special, as long as he can recognize and hit advanced pitching, which we won't know til he sees some

As someone who does their own scouting, have you ever seen a kid who has tools galore in HS, like Harper, and gets drafted and once finally facing true competition, fails and flops hard. And I dont mean Rowell, him being labeled as having great bat speed, I dont see where this came from.....

[allstar1579]

As someone who does their own scouting, have you ever seen a kid who has tools galore in HS, like Harper, and gets drafted and once finally facing true competition, fails and flops hard. And I dont mean Rowell, him being labeled as having great bat speed, I dont see where this came from.....

Yeah, you see it every year unfortunately. As of right now you can really only say that Harper has 3 tools. The defense and the contact are TBD, so if you think that kids with 3 tools get into a situation where they face tougher competition and they plateau.

There is a ton of hype on Harper right now because he hits for a ton of power, but there is a lot more to being a baseball player, than hitting mammoth home runs off of little league-esque pitching. I think he's a great talent and I don't have too much doubt that he will pan out, I just have questions I want answered before I'm ponying up $30mil.

[mark_beckens]

But not all big agile guys have the hands to play corner INF. I'd think if he were able he would have been playing SS, not C. I want to see him try some other positions, but it's not like I get to work him out

Troy Glaus is 6'5 240

Chipper Jones is 6'4" 210

Arod is 6'3" 230

Scott Rolen is 6'4" 250

Ryan Zimmerman is 6'3" 230

So I guess that kind of says all you need to know about his opinion about him being a 1st baseman only.

[Stotle]

Video I've seen of him catching -- advanced footwork. I think it would be a long shot for him to be limited to 1B where a 65/70 arm, and a fair amount of athleticism, would go to waste.

[allstar1579]

Troy Glaus is 6'5 240

Chipper Jones is 6'4" 210

Arod is 6'3" 230

Scott Rolen is 6'4" 250

Ryan Zimmerman is 6'3" 230

So I guess that kind of says all you need to know about his opinion about him being a 1st baseman only.

Yeah, I'd go for 3rd first, and if not try LF/RF, he should be able to play one average at worse, but until you actually see it you know. Just bothered me that I haven't even see him work out anywhere else. I mean it's in the realm that he could stick at C, I just wasn't totally impressed by him back there, if he loses a bit of agility, it could be a problem.

[baltimoriole]

Troy Glaus is 6'5 240

Chipper Jones is 6'4" 210

Arod is 6'3" 230

Scott Rolen is 6'4" 250

Ryan Zimmerman is 6'3" 230

So I guess that kind of says all you need to know about his opinion about him being a 1st baseman only.

I'm pretty sure you can add Billy Rowell to that list, at 6'5'' 215....oh wait...