Nats Haven't Settled on Bryce Harper?

[Arthur_Bryant]

So says an article by Bill Ladson, posted on MLB.com.

Quoting GM Mike Rizzo:

We still have a month before the Draft. A lot of things can happen -- injuries, poor performance. Something else could happen.... We are just not prepared to commit to any player yet. We are scouting them up to June 7 and probably will not make a decision until soon before that. I wouldn't say we are leaning toward anybody. We are leaning toward a handful of people.

I am pretty sure that they had publicly thrown in on Strasburg at this time last year.

EDIT: BTW the page with the article also has a video of Jameson Taillon at last year's Aflac game. Those who are still on the fence about selecting a HS pitcher should have a look. Stuff like that can get MLB hitters right now. There was some criticism that his FB is too straight, but I see late hop on the 4-seamer.

He'll be killing High A at this time next year.

[Stotle]

So says an article by Bill Ladson, posted on MLB.com.

Quoting GM Mike Rizzo:

I am pretty sure that they had publicly thrown in on Strasburg at this time last year.

EDIT: BTW the page with the article also has a video of Jameson Taillon at last year's Aflac game. Those who are still on the fence about selecting a HS pitcher should have a look. Stuff like that can get MLB hitters right now. There was some criticism that his FB is too straight, but I see late hop on the 4-seamer.

He'll be killing High A at this time next year.

Has a pro media/evaluator written Taillon's FB is straight? If so, eww.......bi gaff.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Has a pro media/evaluator written Taillon's FB is straight? If so, eww.......bi gaff.

I think it was Law a couple of weeks ago.

[Stotle]

I think it was Law a couple of weeks ago.

That's disappointing -- Keith was sitting in the fifth row behind home at Wrigley and saw that FB up close. Maybe he didn't mean it was straight? I don't know; didn't see the quote.

[Greg Pappas]

Law said "Taillon < Beckett. He's not the slam-dunk number-two in this draft. I am consistently hearing from scouts and directors that they see Taillon up to 98 ... and hitters are squaring up his fastball. If you're taking a HS RHP in the top 5 picks, you want him to be pretty close to perfect, and he's not that."

I recall a line of his that also mentioned that hitters "see" his fastball.

[Arthur_Bryant]

That's disappointing -- Keith was sitting in the fifth row behind home at Wrigley and saw that FB up close. Maybe he didn't mean it was straight? I don't know; didn't see the quote.

From a Feb. 26 Insider article:

Taillon sat at 97 mph in the first inning on Thursday, touching 98 with nothing under 96 in the first two innings. He went five in total and was still working at 93-95 in his final inning of work. Most of his fastballs lack movement, but when he doesn't overthrow it he'll show 95-96 mph with tail and good downhill plane -- and he really should use his height to get that plane, as it's a competitive advantage for him against hitters and against other pitchers in this year's draft.

And then there was this on OH about a month ago:

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2097746&postcount=1

[Stotle]

From a Feb. 26 Insider article:

And then there was this on OH about a month ago:

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2097746&postcount=1

Okay, well it's a bit different to say he has a straight fastball and to say it straightens out in the upper-90s (but has life in the mid-90s). I've never seen him up to the 98 mph range, but it has always been an explosive 94-96 for me.

Either way, Keith's just one guy and there are plenty of evaluators in baseball who are extremely high on Jamo.