The 2012 MLB Amateur Draft begins today, and it’s a day that many baseball fans look forward to more than the actual season. It’s a chance to see your team’s future in a snapshot, and it gives even the worst teams hope for the future. This year, though, the draft is going to look very different.
The Washington Nationals spent the last five years picking in the top ten in the draft, and this year they aren’t even in the top half in the first round at 16th overall. In 2009 and 2010, the Nats were able to pick first overall because of atrocious records the season before, and they were able to land generational talent in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Both guys are now on the Nationals 25-man roster, and both are making a huge impact.
If the Nationals had a chance to pick either of those players this year, or even Anthony Rendon in 2011, it might have been a struggle based on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new agreement essentially tells teams what they can spend ...
Found June 04, 2012 on
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Stephen Strasburg is pretty good
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Yes, that heading is a bit of Twitter humor. Stephen Strasburg is pretty good like Lennon-McCartney were pretty good at writing songs. His latest Top Forty hit was a nine-strikeout, zero-walk dominance of the Atlanta Braves in a game where thirteen of his ninety pitches topped 98 MPH including two over 99 in his seventh inning of work. His change-up averaged 91 MPH. His change-up...
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Strasburg strikes out nine in 7 innings
Even though Stephen Strasburg is on a three-game winning streak, his most recent starts hadn't been especially smooth. On Saturday, he threw freely and easily, pitching four-hit ball for seven sharp innings to help lead the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves 2-0.
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Bryce Harper delivers first career walkoff hit in 12th, earns Gatorade shower
Via Nationals Enquirer
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Nationals 7, Mets 6 (12 innings): Weird game. And so, Bryce Harper delivered the first game winning hit of his career in the 12th inning Tuesday night; and Mike Morse delivered a bucket of Gatorade over Bryce Harper's head.
(Screencaps via MASN/TV)
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June 05, 2012
Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus on Harper’s Best AB’s
Via Diamond Hoggers
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June 05, 2012
My buddy M.J. Lloyd and I were talking one day about some of our favorite baseball writers. He tossed out a name about one of the guys who was ‘the next big thing’ in his mind, Sam Miller formerly of the OC Register Angels blog. I am starting to become a believer.
Miller produced one of my favorite posts of the year thus far at Baseball Prospectus yesterday. It’s called ...
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June 05, 2012
Rule changes, talent concerns mark baseball draft
There's no Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper in this year's baseball draft. There's not even a Gerrit Cole or Danny Hultzen, last year's top two players.
Without a clear-cut No. 1 prospect and several significant rule changes in place, teams face some intriguing decisions and an unpredictable first round in this year's draft that starts Monday night.
Allotted...
Braves held scoreless by Strasburg, Nationals
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Stephen Strasburg pitched four-hit ball for seven sharp innings and Jesus Flores homered, leading the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Saturday.
Strasburg (6-1) completed seven shutout innings for the first time in his major league career. He opened the game with a flourish, striking out the first four Braves batters.
Strasburg struck out nine...
In which Bryce Harper is compared to Obama, JFK, James Dean, Genghis Khan, and Fidel Castro
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Here's an interesting piece from the Financial Times in which the phenom that is Bryce Harper is lumped in with other historical phenoms, including Obama, JFK, James Dean, Amy Winehouse, JD Salinger, Genghis Khan, Fidel Castro, etc. Try this on for size:
Phenomenons, like comets, can streak across the sky and disappear without much trace. These past few weeks have seen...
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DMV: Bryce Harper’s Walk-Off
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Nats beat Mets in 12 on Harper’s walk-off BH, are alone in first. [WaPo, BLS]
More fun with the great early numbers Harper is posting. [Nats Insider]
A quick roundup of who the Nats picked in rounds 2-15. [Nats Journal]
Drew Storen school sports biz reporter Darren Rovell on Twitter. [Bog]
O’s win in 10 despite Johnson’s BS, move back to first. [Camden Chat]
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Mets Bullpen Blows Three Leads, Team Loses in 12
Via MetsZilla
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If you watch Sportscenter and see the highlights from this game you will probably be overwhelmed by how amazing Bryce Harper and his walk-off hit was. I’m sorry, but that’s not the story here. The story is the Mets bullpen once again letting a win get away from them. The worst part about tonight though, is that the win got away from them three times…
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BP Unfiltered: Baseball is Predictable, Unpredictable by Ben Lindbergh
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The three most recent press releases to appear at MLB.com:
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Nationals 7, Mets 6 (12 innings)
Via Pro Sports Daily
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WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper hit a bases-loaded single with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Washington Nationals a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Scott Hairston had given the Mets a 6-5 lead with a solo homer off Ross Detwiler (4-3) in the top of the 12th, but Washington scored twice in the bottom half to rally for the win. The Nationals...
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Everybody should feel lucky to live in the Bryce Harper and Mike Trout era
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I know its really cool to watch videos and hear stories about players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson and Ty Cobb, among other great players to ever play the game. At least I didn't have the pleasure of watching them play.
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Nats Talk On The Go: Episode 21
Via The Nats Blog
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June 05, 2012
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Name Brands
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