Fantasy Baseball: Is Bryce Harper still a first-rounder?

Just hours before the crazy, wonderful finale to the 2016 World Series, a dozen fantasy analysts and aficionados gathered online to take part in a 2017 fantasy baseball mock draft. I took part in the event, which was hosted by the fantasy editorial team at CBSSports.com, and had the 11th pick in this fictitious 12-team Head-to-Head points league. After the first 10 picks elapsed, I realized I already had an unexpected dilemma.

Bryce Harper, one of 2016’s consensus top three picks, was still available. And I was prepared to let him slip at least one more pick.

It was clear that Harper was not going to be a top-three pick. His 2015 MVP season was now sandwiched by campaigns in which he at least a cut below the elite. Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw further strengthened their cases to be the top pick overall, and Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Josh Donaldson, Kris Bryant and Jose Altuve solidified their status as potential early first-rounders. And Harper never even came through with that postseason “walk-off bomb” he kept hinting at with the guy at the laundromat.

Still, I didn’t expect he would fall to me at No. 11. Yet, instead of pouncing on him, I passed him up for Anthony Rizzo. Paul Goldschmidt was just taken with the 10th pick, and I didn’t want to miss out on Rizzo’s consistent power, on-base and run production. Then, as I expected, Harper was taken with the final pick in the first round.

I was surprised to have this dilemma and impressed by how difficult of a choice it was. I wondered if there was a consensus around this choice that I wasn’t privy to, so I went to Twitter to find out. It turned out that the majority of respondents in my poll agreed with my choice, but by no means was the result a runaway.

If Harper is a borderline option to take with the second-to-last pick in the first round, then we may be living in a world where he isn’t a bona fide first-rounder anymore. Superficially, that seems like a harsh correction for a player who rolled into this year’s All-Star break with 19 home runs, 52 RBI, 50 runs, 13 stolen bases and a .399 on-base percentage.

Harper wasn’t far off his 2015 home run and RBI pace, and if he hadn’t been typically hitting one or two spots ahead of Ryan Zimmerman (.169 batting average with runners in scoring position in the first half), he might have been on a more robust run-scoring pace. If Harper’s .252 BABIP was weighed down by bad luck, he might have deserved better than his .256 batting average and 11 doubles.

Even with the declines in his run-scoring and doubles pace and in his batting average, in this points format, Harper finished the first half as sixth-ranked outfielder. That still means he had underperformed, but he was in position to finish as one of the very top outfielders in fantasy.

As we now know, that didn’t happen. Instead, Harper increased his strikeout rate by nearly half and batted .226 with five home runs the rest of the way. If we take a closer look, it’s apparent that Harper’s struggles were not just limited to the second half. His first half numbers were strongly boosted by his work in April, when he was launching flyballs at a 52.3 percent rate and sending those flies 286 feet on average (per FanGraphs). By hitting nine home runs and six doubles in that month alone, Harper hit more than one-third of his homers and one-fourth of his doubles during that stretch. Over the rest of the season, Harper’s flyball rate was just 40.5 percent, and his average flyball distance was a modest 267 feet.

As to why Harper hit for so little power for so much of the season and why he struck out 22.8 percent of the time in the second half, we can’t be sure. He did deal with some neck issues at least briefly, and then there was the Sports Illustrated report of a persistent shoulder injury. It’s extremely plausible that Harper was hampered by injuries, but there is no definitive proof of it. Whether his struggles can be tied to a health concern or to just plain inconsistency, they are going to be a drag on his perceived value for 2017.

Yet we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss the factors that put Harper in the conversation for first overall pick this past spring. He displayed a slightly better skill set than Trout in 2015 and had a much better supporting cast to help with run production. After a season in which he played 153 games, I didn’t discount Harper’s injury risk enough, but no one, myself included, is likely to make that mistake in next spring’s drafts. Upside alone shouldn’t elevate Harper into the top three picks overall, but how far should his inconsistency and questionable health drop him?

One thing that Harper has working in his favor is the weakness of the outfield pool, even in the upper stratum. Even though Betts outproduced Trout in this particular format this year, the Angels’ center fielder is far and away in a class all his own. He has been producing at this level for five years running, is the superior power hitter to Betts and walks far more often. Once Trout is off the board, Harper is as viable as any remaining outfielder, including Betts.

When comparing Harper and Trout, consistency and health are tie-breakers between two outfielders with unparalleled skill sets. When comparing Harper with Betts or any other outfielder, there is no tie to break when it comes to upside. At his best, Harper is at least equal to Betts in batting average, not far behind in steals, and blows him away in regard to power and on-base percentage. One can make an argument for drafting Betts over Harper, but it’s argument based on privileging safety over potential. With a first-round pick, that’s a reasonable thing to do.

Harper is preferable to the rest of the outfield pool, and it’s a no-brainer. (I’m excluding Bryant here, as he is also eligible at third base. However, there is a case to be made to draft him over Harper, even if you plan to use him in an outfield slot.) Everyone else, from Giancarlo Stanton to George Springer to Charlie Blackmon to A.J. Pollock, has consistency and/or health concerns of their own and nowhere near the same upside.

But does being one of the three best outfielders make Harper a player who needs to be taken in the first round? I would not only argue that he should be, but that I actually made the wrong call in this mock draft. In this particular situation, I should have taken Harper with the 11th pick and risked losing Rizzo to the owner at the turn.

It’s practically a lock that he would not have taken two first basemen with his picks, but even if he did, one of Joey Votto or Miguel Cabrera would have been available for my next pick. I would have preferred, for example, the combination of Harper and Votto to the combination of Rizzo and Stanton that I actually drafted.

If I had been drafting a few spots earlier, I still would have taken Harper over someone like Max Scherzer or Manny Machado, as I would have had better fallback options at starting pitcher or shortstop than I would have had at outfield. In short, I don’t see a potential scenario where Harper should go undrafted within the first 12 picks, and he could reasonably go as early as eighth overall.

More games: friv

Bryce Harper led the Nationals to victory with a dinger and a truly righteous bat flip

Bryce Harper is less a baseball player than a destroyer of worlds. He hits dingers seemingly on command, he treats fans when they least expect it and he's coming off of one of the greatest hitting seasons of all time -- a season for which he took home NL MVP. Oh, and he turns 24 in October.

So when Harper goes yard, like he did in Washington's 3-0 win over the Phillies on Saturday, he flips his bat. But it's not just any bat flip -- it's a bat flip of calm disdain, as if he's offended that this piece of lumber is still in his presence after having done its duty:

Wait, hold on, we need several more looks at that to give it proper tribute. The flip:

The swagger:

It's this bat flip's world, and we're all just living in it. 

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Bryce Harper’s 451-foot home run could bring another red seat to Nats Park

Bryce Harper’s first-inning home run off of Dodgers starter Bud Norris on Wednesday traveled 451 feet and landed in the rarefied air of the third deck at Nationals Park. It was Harper’s longest home run of the season and the third-longest home run of his career, trailing only the 453- and 452-foot home runs he hit last season.

“All of us in the dugout were pretty in awe,” second baseman Trea Turner said. “I’ve never seen a ball land up there.”

According to CSN’s Daniel Shiferaw, Harper’s home run landed in the lap of Rev. Dr. Susan Moore of D.C.’s All Souls Church. The spot — Seat No. 13 in Row J of Section 236 — could one day be marked by a red seat.

The Nationals began marking historic and long (i.e., landing in the third deck or Red Porch) home runs before last season, similar to how the Senators commemorated Frank Howard’s 500-level home runs with white seats at RFK Stadium.

The following six home runs, including two third-deck shots by Harper, were marked before the 2015 season:

No home runs have been marked since, but a Nationals spokesperson said that Harper’s latest home run meets the criteria. No timetable has been set for adding another red seat to Section 236.

Nationals' Bryce Harper: Two hits in Friday's win

Harper went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in Friday's win over the Padres.

It's his second straight two-hit game, and after slumping through the latter part of May, Harper's now hitting .308/.393/.404 through 52 June at-bats. It's only a matter of time before his power re-emerges as well, so the Nats' slugger could be poised for a productive few weeks heading into the All-Star break.

Can 'baseball unicorn' Bryce Harper bring magic back to the game?

q's sports culture panel thinks beyond the play-by-play to weigh in on the societal impact of sports stories. Not a fan? Not a problem. Our panel watches much more than the scoreboard. 

Today the Toronto Star's Morgan Campbell, CBC host and reporter Sonali Karnick and Globe and Mail baseball columnist Stacey May Fowles join Shad to discuss the biggest and strangest stories in sports. Today: 
 

• Baseball's bad boy Bryce Harper was suspended for confronting an umpire. Is he baseball's fun saviour? Or kind of a jerk? Fowles certainly seems pro-Harper: "He's a fabulous baseball unicorn ... he's performing for himself." But Campbell is a bit more skeptical, noting that players of colour get a lot more flak for similarly colourful behaviour. 
   
• It's the 20th anniversary of the WNBA so why does women's basketball seem to be leaving America en masse? Can superstar player Skylar Diggins stem the tide? Campbell argues that every few years, the WNBA presents celebrates its own unicorn, presenting her as someone who will elevate the entire league. "It's a bit too much of a burden to put on one person," says Campbell. 
   
• And forget the hammer and sickle, the steroid seems to be this generation of Russian athletes symbol of choice, the country is once again under fire for doping. Campbell calls it "state sponsored doping". "Something has to be done but we should be very cautious about saying that a boycott is a good idea," adds Fowles.

The story behind Bryce Harper’s ‘Make Baseball Fun Again’ hat

Tom Rauen was positive Bryce Harper’s new hat would cause a stir. He just didn’t know when the reigning MVP would show it to the world.

About two weeks ago — after Harper’s comments to ESPN the Magazine about infusing his sport with joy sparked national headlines — Harper reached out to Rauen with a request: he wanted a “Make Baseball Fun Again” hat.

“Sure thing,” the owner of Envision Tees replied.

The next day, Rauen ordered the hats. Two days later, he sent a pair of models — one red, and one white — to Harper at spring training in Viera, Fla. Then he waited.

“I thought he was going to wear it right away,” Rauen said. “But he knows that if he would have wore it last week after a spring training game, it might have been picked up by a couple people. The fact that he timed it on Opening Day, after he hit a home run and he was already going to make some media headlines, it kind of just put together the perfect media storm.”

That’s why Harper, and his hat, were on every sports website Monday night. It’s why tweets about the hat were shared thousands and thousands of times. It’s why ESPN did a segment on the hat Tuesday morning. It’s why Rauen started receiving a flood of emails, asking why the hats were not for sale.

“I wasn’t planning on selling it,” he said. “I was lying in bed [Monday night], and I was like ‘All right, I’ve got to get this thing up.’ People were bombarding me with emails.”

So now you can buy the original model, from its maker. Envision sold dozens Monday night; during our 11-minute chat Tuesday morning, the company sold two more. But while the demand might have surprised Rauen, the interest didn’t.

“I knew for sure [it would cause a splash], just because of the timing, with the elections coming up and everything that’s going on,” Rauen said. “I knew as soon as he wore it that it would be a hit.”

Rauen’s Iowa apparel company — Envision Tees — has been making shirts for Nats giveaways for a decade, after submitting a bid from afar. He started traveling to Washington and forging relationships with players and agents, so that “if there was anything they wanted on a personal level, we could be their go-to guy.” The company made those wristbands Harper wore last season, featuring a caricature of his face. Envision once made Teenage Mutant Ninja Hurlers T-shirts for the Nats pitchers. Toward the end of the 2013 season, at Harper’s request, Envision made red-and-black camo T-shirts reading “To the last minute. To the last second. To the last man: We FIGHT!”

Of course, there’s a separate history to these Harper hats. Because after the ESPN the Magazine attention in early March, Brady Phelps was touched by inspiration:

Then it hit me. Trump’s stupid MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hats were everywhere. What if I made a hat for Bryce Harper that said MAKE BASEBALL FUN AGAIN? It was perfect. I’m not so hot at photoshop (super-hot at MS Paint though), so I hit up my buddy @nick_pants with the idea. Within hours, Nick came through like a champ with this.

I fired out the tweet, tagged Bryce, and said to myself, “This hat is awesome. I should actually make these. They’d sell like hotcakes. You could even change the colors around for your team. I should even send one to Bryce! How funny would that be?” Did I do any of that? No, of course not. I did nothing.

Phelps saw history pass him by. Others, though, spotted an opportunity more quickly. Barstool Sports, for example, is also selling the “Make Baseball Fun Again” hats.

So I like to think of this as a giant baseball collaboration: of an idea from Brady Phelps, and a Photoshop from @nick_pants that the outfielder might or might not have seen, and marketing savvy from Bryce Harper, and an apparel company from Dubuque, and a dramatic win from the Nats (thanks to several bungled plays by the Braves), and then all of us social-media-obsessed hat-and-slogan-loving weirdos agreeing that this was something the world needed to see.

“I was kind of sitting back and waiting, waiting, waiting. And I think he timed it perfectly,” Rauen said. “It was pretty cool to see the media just go crazy on it.”

Washington Nationals Editorial: Revisiting the Bryce Harper vs. Mike Trout Debate

After Bryce Harper’s historic 2015 season, let’s revisit the Bryce Harper vs. Mike Trout debate

In the 2012 season, Major League Baseball began its transformation from a veteran-dominated sport to a league headlined by young talent. The National League stepped back in awe as Washington Nationals 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick broke on to the MLB scene, leading his team to their first playoff series in team history while taking home Rookie of the Year honors.

Meanwhile, over in the American League the Los Angeles Angels were busy watching a young stud of their own take his first full season in the majors by storm, finishing second in MVP voting while receiving the AL Rookie of the Year Award.Bryce Harper and Mike Trout, both selected in the first round of their respective drafts, may just be the best two players in all of baseball, but who will be better in 2016?

Combined, the two phenoms have hit 236 homers, drove in 645 runs, and accumulated two MVP awards. In 2016, Trout will be entering his age-24 season while Harper, a year younger, will be looking defend his MVP title after his historic age-22 year. While the Angels’ center fielder has accumulated more accolades and accomplishments over the past four years, Harper has put together the more dominant single season.

In their careers, Trout leads the way in nearly every offensive statistic, from games played to home runs. No one in their reasonable minds will doubt that Trout has been the better player. In the field, Harper has more outfield assists (in less opportunities), but Trout avoids errors much more often.

Looking at single season totals, however, changes the game completely. In their best single-season efforts of their careers, Harper beats Trout in home runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks, and OPS, while Trout has the edge in hits, doubles, runs scored, RBIs, and stolen bases.

Heading into 2016, which player will have the better offensive season? Trout figures to be hitting third in the lineup, placed between Kole Calhoun (.308 OBP in 2015) and Albert Pujols(.480 SLG). Harper will most likely slot in at the number three spot as well, sandwiched between Anthony Rendon (.344 OBP) and Ryan Zimmerman(.465 SLG). Both players have teammates in front of them that can get on base and power hitters behind them that are capable of driving them in. So the question boils down to, who will be a better hitter?

If both players remain healthy, one could easily see either of them taking home their respective MVP honors in 2016. They have the chance to become the first duo to ever win Rookie of the Year and MVP Awards together. Harper is the flashier player, always playing with a high level of intensity unparalleled by the rest of the league. Trout, on the other hand, has been the most consistent player in all of baseball. The scary part? They’re both only getting better.

All right, all right, who do I think will be better in 2016? Call me biased, but here’s the case for Bryce Harper. The 23-year old is coming off one of the greatest single-season efforts in the history of the game, regardless of age. Staying healthy has been a problem for Harper in the past, but I expect that getting a full season under his belt will do wonders for the rest of his career.

Since August 1st of 2014, Harper has posted a 1.082 OPS, far and away the highest mark in all of baseball. That is eight months of regular season baseball in which he averaged a higher OPS than Hall of Famer Tris Speaker ever achieved in a single season. Trout has a pretty high ceiling, but it remains to be seen if he ever achieves numbers that historic.

With both players seemingly having their paths to Cooperstown cut out for them, all that’s left to do is sit back and watch the two studs compete at the highest level. They aren’t even 25 yet folks, so let’s sit back and enjoy the ride.

2016 Outlook: Bryce Harper

You know how a year ago it seemed unthinkable that Bryce Harper could have ever ranked higher than Mike Trout, even if just on some silly prospects list? When a player of Harper's caliber has his light bulb moment, it rocks the foundation of the baseball world. Now, probably most of us would rank Harper ahead of Trout for Fantasy purposes. It's nothing against Trout. It's just that Harper is coming off one of the all-time great seasons, delivering the sixth-highest OPS+ -- a number that's adjusted for era -- since 1970. It's fair to say he has as much home run and on-base potential as anyone, and since Trout doesn't run much anymore, it's at least a coin flip between the two for the first overall pick. Some Fantasy owners may opt for Trout since he has done it longer, but at least last year, Harper did it better.

Washington Nationals 2015 Player Review: Bryce Harper

Our roster review series continues with the player who got the highest grade of the season, Bryce Harper. 

As we continue our player reviews for the 2015 Washington Nationals’ season, we get to the player that continues to dominate the national headlines this week. Earlier this month, Bryce Harper was awarded the National League MVP, the first one in the history of the Nats. At age-22, Harper had a fantastic season for the Nats, even though the team failed to reach its goal of the postseason.

Yes, Harper didn’t get his ring, but he got a bunch of hardware this offseason. Whether it was a MVP, a silver slugger, the Hank Aaron Award, Most Outstanding Player in the NL (Players’ Association), or the two E-Surance MLB awards he won (best Major Leaguer and best everday player), Harper deserved each one of those accolades.

In 153 games this season, Harper had a slash line of .330/.460/.649 with 42 home runs, 99 RBI’s, 118 runs scored, 124 walks, a 1.109 .OPS, and a 9.9 WAR. He led the National League in runs, home runs, slugging, and .OPS, and was second in batting average and walks.

When I joined District On Deck in January, one of the players I was excited to write about on a daily basis was Harper. Even though injuries prevented him from reaching his potential in the past, he showed this season that his at-bats are something you have to stop what you are doing and watch what might happen next.

Back in spring training, I had a conversation with my fellow co-editor, Pablo Roa, about Harper and the plate discipline he was showing when he was one of the leaders in walks at the time. Back when I saw that, I knew it would be a special season for Harper if he stayed healthy, but I never imagined he would have this type of season in an All-Star year.

As you examine the right fielder’s numbers more closely, he did not hit lower than .286 in any given month (April). He drove in double digit runs in every month except August (nine RBI’s in 98 at-bats). Plus, he was an excellent hitter at Nats Park this year. He had a slash line of .345/.448/.682 with 23 home runs and 53 RBI’s.

There are so many memories to look back on about Harper’s year, but if I had to pick one moment, it would be that torrid stretch he had in the month of May. In a month where Harper hit .360 with 13 home runs and 28 RBI’s, it was a three-day stretch from May 6-May 8 that stole the show. He hit six home runs over that span, which included a three home run game against the Marlins and a walk-off home run against the Braves (one of his two walk-off hits in 2015).

While Harper did get thrown out a few times, including late in some games, and being involved in the Jonathan Papelbon incident in September, he did show a lot of maturity in his fourth year in the league. For me, he has come a long way from a player that was once voted the most overrated player in the game.

The main question for Harper going into the 2016 season is can he duplicate what he did in 2015? If you listen to what will soon be his former teammate, Ian Desmond, there might be more greatness to come from Harper in the future, especially if he gets aggressive on the bases:

Late surge lifts Blackhawks over Ducks in OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Chicago Blackhawks‘ visit to Honda Center on Black Friday for a meeting of Western Conference powers has become an annual NHL staple in recent years.

In another new tradition that isn’t limited to holidays, the Blackhawks always seem to find remarkable ways to ruin the Ducks’ day.

Artem Anisimov scored 1:53 into overtime, and the Blackhawks rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final moments of regulation for a 3-2 victory over the Ducks.

After 58 scoreless minutes in which the Blackhawks largely were dominated, the defending Stanley Cup champions roared from behind in their first trip to Anaheim since winning Game 7 of the conference finals here six months ago.

Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith scored man-advantage goals in the final 1:41 of regulation before Anisimov ended it with his 10th goal, delighting the usual hundreds of Blackhawks fans in the sellout crowd.

``Well, I don't think that is the way we'd like to draw it up, but we'll take the win,'' Keith said. ``I thought they outworked us most of the game. We just found a way at the end and snuck out with the two points.''

Brent Seabrook assisted on all three scores in Chicago's fourth straight win at Anaheim on Black Friday. Chicago won the final two games of the conference finals before claiming their third Stanley Cup title in six years.

``It's a good rivalry we have going with them,'' Patrick Kane said. ``It's fun when you kind of stick with it the whole game. No one really panics.''

With an assist on Keith's goal, Kane extended his points streak to 18 games, matching Phil Kessel and Eddie Olczyk for the longest streak by an American-born player in NHL history. He was moments away from losing the streak and the game, but Chicago and the streak survived.

``You look at the Americans that have played the game, and the two guys that are part of that record with Kessel and Olczyk, that's some pretty elite company,'' Kane said. ``Been a fun little ride here.''

Hossa ended John Gibson's shutout bid during a 6-on-4 power play with 1:41 to play after a debatable tripping call against Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf on Andrew Shaw. Keith got the tying goal with 26.6 seconds left after Kane and Seabrook kept the puck alive.

The Ducks have lost seven of 10 after this gut-punch defeat, but they avoided suggestions that Shaw took a dive.

``I touched him on the back of the leg, and obviously he went down,'' Getzlaf said. ``I don't know how easy it was or whatever it was, but there's 2 minutes left and we're trying to battle them. I don't think that's a necessary call. It had nothing to do with the play. I just think it's such a great hockey game. Both teams are playing so hard, and to end it like that, I didn't think it was necessary.''

Corey Crawford stopped 23 shots for the Blackhawks, who improved to 3-1-1 on their annual six-game trip while the circus takes over United Center.

Andrew Cogliano and Chris Stewart scored early goals for Anaheim, and Gibson stopped 29 shots.

``You knew they were going to come eventually,'' said Gibson, who got within moments of his second shutout of the Blackhawks in two seasons. ``They were going to get something. They found a way to do it.''

After Anaheim's season ended one victory shy of the Stanley Cup Final last spring, the clubs revived their rivalry last month in Chicago.

This rematch included plenty of after-the-whistle chippiness, particularly from Ducks centre Ryan Kesler and Chicago captain Jonathan Toews. They even dropped their gloves late in the first period, but the linesmen separated them before anybody could throw a punch.

NOTES: Anaheim hosted Chicago on Black Friday for the ninth time. ... NL MVP Bryce Harper was in the Blackhawks' dressing room after the game, chatting with Kane. ... Chicago F Teuvo Teravainen returned from a three-game absence with an upper-body injury. ... These teams' only remaining meeting of the regular season is Feb. 13 in Chicago.

How good is Bryce Harper's incredible season in context?

In slightly longer: Bryce Harper is not just the best hitter in the world in 2015 — leading the Majors in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging — but also only 22 years old, roughly the average age of hitters in the Class A Florida State League. And he plays his home games in a park that’s not typically great for batters.

Harper’s .338/.467/.670 line in 2015 looks quite a bit like one that might have been posted by Mickey Mantle at his best: The Mick rocked a .341/.469/.661 line from 1953-55, winning two AL MVP awards along the way. And Mantle, nearly 60 years ago now, was the last player anywhere near as young as Harper to be equally productive at the plate.

The stat OPS+ adjusts for a hitter’s park and league, which helps contextualize Harper’s feats in an era in which Major League Baseball is dominated by pitching. Harper’s 204 mark in that metric is not only the highest of any player in a single season since Barry Bonds retired, but it’s second best all-time among players age 22 or younger.

Ted Williams hits a double, as he would. (AP Photo/Peter J. Carroll)

The only player Harper’s age who ever hit better than Harper has in 2015 was some guy named Ted Williams. Williams, you may know, was quite good at hitting.

No player age 25 or younger has managed an OPS+ of 200 or above since Mantle did it in 1957, and all six guys who did it before Harper are inner-inner circle Hall of Famers: Mantle, Williams, Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.

That list comprises arguably six of the ten best hitters to ever play Major League Baseball — including the clear Nos. 1 and 2 in Ruth and Williams — and Bryce Harper. And, again, Harper’s on there with three seasons to spare.

And to think that people were still calling him “overrated” or “a bust” as of, like, March. Whoops! Bryce Harper is fully happening now.

Nationals' slugger Bryce Harper hits 41st home run in Nats' 5-2 win over Marlins

ler Moore's one-out home run in the fifth cut Miami's lead in half, making it 2-1, and it was all downhill from there for Marlins' lefty Brad Hand, who gave up a single and back-to-back walks in the next three at bats, loading the bases in front of Bryce Harper.

Harper entered the game on a tear, with 21 hits, four of them doubles and eight home runs in 50 September at bats, 16 walks and 13 Ks in 16 games this month, over which he had a .420/.552/.980 line.

"THAT'S THE EVOLUTION OF HIS GAME. SO, GRIND AT BATS, BASES LOADED, THE LEFTY ON LEFTY MATCHUP, STAYING ON BALLS, DOING WHAT HE CAN TO PUT THAT BALL IN PLAY."-MATT WILLIAMS ON BRYCE HARPER'S EVOLUTION

Harper grounded into a double play in the first, sent a fly to right in the third, then stepped in against Hand with the bases loaded in the fifth and battled the left-hander in an epic ten-pitch at bat, in which he fouled off five two-strike pitches before finally hitting a 2-2 slider to center field for a sac fly that brought Jordan Zimmermann in from third for the game-tying run.

Hand ended up throwing 41 pitches total in the fifth, walking in the go-ahead run before he was lifted.

In Harper's next at bat, in the seventh, he hit a 2-2 slider from right-hander Kyle Barraclough into the second deck in right for a two-run blast that gave Washington a three-run lead.

It was Harper's 41st home run of the season. His manager, Matt Williams, was just as impressed with the ten-pitch at bat as he was with the homer.

"That's the evolution. That's the evolution of his game," Williams said. "So, grind at bats, bases loaded, the lefty on lefty matchup, staying on balls, doing what he can to put that ball in play.

"Those are the steps that he's made this year and will continue to make that will allow him to do the things that he wants to do on the field. Pretty good at bat."

"I was trying to put the bat on the ball," Harper told reporters.

"Trying to definitely make something happen.

"LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT HE WAS CHASING STUFF OUT OF THE ZONE AND NOW HE'S A LOT MORE PATIENT AND KNOWS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE HIM STRIKES..."-JORDAN ZIMMERMANN ON BRYCE HARPER'S IMPROVED PATIENCE

"Didn't care what he was going to throw up there, I was just trying to battle and do the best I could to get something in the air or get something through a hole, and was able to enough to get Jordan in on that sac fly."

"That's an important moment," Williams said. "It's one thing to try to hit a homer there, it's another thing to grind an at bat and simply get one. That will allow him to have success throughout his career if he can have at bats like that."

Zimmermann, who scored the game-tying run and earned the win on Saturday, improving to (12-4) on the year, talked after game about the changes he's seen in Harper's approach this season.

"The biggest thing that I see is he's not chasing any pitches," Zimmermann said.

"Last year and the year before that he was chasing stuff out of the zone and now he's a lot more patient and knows that they're not going to give him strikes and he's going to have to take his walks when he can."

And when they do give him pitches to hit, or make mistakes, like Barraclough did, Harper's made them pay.

Asked about Harper's numbers down the stretch, Williams said they were another sign of the 22-year-old, 2010 no.1 overall pick's continued growth.

Harper hits 41st home run in Nats' 5-2 win over the Marlins

Photo © Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports

"It tells me that he's prepared," Williams said. "It tells me that he's thinking along with his at bats, and understanding what that situation is, whether it's a ten-pitch at bat against a lefty or understanding that he may get a breaking ball there and staying through it. Again, not big and strong, but short and quick and he can do those types of things."

Good as Harper has been, is he the NL's Most Valuable Player this season?

"I think so," Zimmermann said. "His numbers say he is and we'll see at the end of the season, but I'm pulling for him."

Harper didn't want to hear talk of awards.

"We've got [14] games left, so I'm not really worried about the MVP or anything like that, I've said that numerous times, just trying to win ballgames and just trying to do everything I can to help this team win."

What will he do to help the Nationals win the series finale with the Marlins?

Bryce Harper's sac fly, 41st HR help Nats beat Marlins 5-2

WASHINGTON (AP) When Bryce Harper stepped to the plate in the first inning Saturday, a small group of Washington Nationals fans tried to get an ''M-V-P!'' chant going, with little success. Harper grounded into a double play.

When Harper came up in the fifth with the bases loaded, a similarly small contingent greeted him with that three-letter chorus. His sacrifice fly capped a 10-pitch at-bat, tying the game.

And after Harper added insurance in the seventh inning by tacking on the final runs of Washington's 5-2 comeback victory over the Miami Marlins with his 41st homer - a no-doubt-about-it, two-run shot into the second deck in right field - it sounded as if nearly every throat in the announced crowd of 32,768 at Nationals Park was telling the world who deserves to be honored as the most valuable player in the NL.

''He's been doing it all year,'' said Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann(13-8), who allowed two runs in the first and none the rest of the way in his six-inning, seven-strikeout outing. ''He's fun to watch. And anytime we can get some guys on base while he's coming up, something good usually happens.''

As for whether Harper, still only 22, is the NL MVP?

''His numbers say he is,'' Zimmermann said. ''We'll see at the end of the season, but I'm pulling for him.''

Harper leads the NL in homers, batting average (.340) and runs (113), and his three RBIs raised his total to 95, putting him 17 behind Colorado's Nolan Arenado.

''Not really worried about the MVP or anything like that. I've said that numerous times. Just trying to win ballgames. And just trying to do everything I can to help this team win,'' Harper said. ''I definitely loved the support from the fans today.''

Coupled with the NL East-leading Mets' 5-0 loss to the Yankees, Washington's win moved it seven games out with 14 to play, giving it still only the faintest of hopes of making the playoffs.

''Just worry about ourselves and worry about us winning games,'' Harper said. ''If we don't win, it don't matter.''

Four relievers followed Zimmermann, with Jonathan Papelbon working around two singles in the ninth to earn his 24th save.

Brad Hand (4-7) gave up three runs and six walks in 4 2-3 innings. He is 0-8 in 12 appearances - 10 starts - against the Nationals.

Run-scoring hits by Christian Yelich and Justin Bour put Miami up 2-0 in the first. The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth, when Hand fell apart.

First, the lefty gave up Tyler Moore's homer with one out, on a drive just to the left of straightaway center. Then, after allowing a single to Zimmermann, Hand lost any semblance of control, walking two batters to load the bases for Harper, whose deep sinking liner made it 2-all.

''That's the evolution. That's the evolution of his game. Grind at-bats. Bases loaded. The lefty-on-lefty matchup. Staying on balls. Doing what he can to put that ball in play,'' Nationals manager Matt Williams said. ''Those are the steps he's made this year and will continue to make that will allow him to do the things he wants to do on the field. Pretty good at-bat.''

Two more walks by Hand, to Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond, forced in the go-ahead run, and Harper's homer off Kyle Barraclough padded the lead.

''That was just a slider that ran right back into Harper's swing,'' Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. ''He's having that MVP-type season for a reason.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: 3B Martin Prado had a black brace on his left wrist and sat out a second consecutive game.

Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman missed his 11th game in a row with a side muscle injury. Moore started at first base.

UP NEXT

In Sunday's series finale, the Nationals send RHP Stephen Strasburg (9-7, 3.98 ERA) - coming off a 14-strikeout game - to the mound against Marlins LHP Justin Nicolino (3-3, 3.81).

MILESTONES

Werth has reached base in a career-best 28 consecutive games. ... Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar's single in the first inning gave him 159 hits this season, a personal best.

Bryce Harper hits 41st home run as Nationals complete comeback, beat Marlins

When Bryce Harper stepped to the plate in the first inning Saturday, a small group of Washington Nationals fans tried to get an “M-V-P!” chant going with little success. Harper grounded into a double play.

When Harper walked up in the fifth with the bases loaded, a similarly small contingent greeted him with that three-letter chorus. His sacrifice fly capped a 10-pitch at-bat, tying the score.

And after Harper added insurance in the seventh inning by tacking on the final runs of Washington’s 5-2 comeback victory over the Miami Marlins with his 41st home run — a no-doubt-about-it, two-run shot into the second deck in right field — it sounded as if nearly every throat in the announced crowd of 32,768 at Nationals Park was telling the world who deserves to be honored as the most valuable player in the National League.

“He’s been doing it all year,” said Jordan Zimmermann (13-8), who allowed two runs in the first and none the rest of the way in his six-inning, seven-strikeout outing. “He’s fun to watch, and anytime we can get some guys on base while he’s coming up, something good usually happens.”

As for whether Harper, still only 22, is the NL MVP?

“His numbers say he is,” Zimmermann said. “We’ll see at the end of the season, but I’m pulling for him.”

Harper leads the NL in home runs, batting average (.340) and runs (113), and his three RBI raised his total to 95, putting him 17 behind the Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado.

“Not really worried about the MVP or anything like that. I’ve said that numerous times. Just trying to win ballgames, and just trying to do everything I can to help this team win,” Harper said. “I definitely loved the support from the fans today.”

Coupled with the NL East-leading New York Mets’ 5-0 loss to the New York Yankees, Washington’s win moved it seven games out with 14 games to play, giving it still only the faintest of hopes of making the playoffs.

“Just worry about ourselves and worry about us winning games,” Harper said. “If we don’t win, it don’t matter.”

Four relievers followed Zimmermann, with Jonathan Papelbon working around two singles in the ninth to earn his 24th save.

Brad Hand (4-7) gave up three runs and six walks in 4 2/3 innings. He is 0-8 in 12 appearances — 10 starts — against the Nationals.

Run-scoring hits by Christian Yelich and Justin Bour put Miami up, 2-0, in the first. The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth, when Hand fell apart.

First, the lefty gave up Tyler Moore’s home run with one out on a drive just to the left of straightaway center. Then, after allowing a single to Zimmermann, Hand lost any semblance of control, walking two batters to load the bases for Harper, whose deep sinking liner made it 2-2.

“That’s the evolution. That’s the evolution of his game. Grind at-bats. Bases loaded. The lefty-on-lefty matchup. Staying on balls. Doing what he can to put that ball in play,” Nationals manager Matt Williams said. “Those are the steps he’s made this year and will continue to make that will allow him to do the things he wants to do on the field. Pretty good at-bat.”