What else could Bryce Harper, the College of Southern Nevada's 17-year-old freshman catcher and preternaturally gifted power hitting future no.1 overall pick, do to impress in a year that's seen him post a ridiculous .415/.504/.891 slash line with 19 doubles, 2 triples, 23 HR's and 68 RBI's in 58 games? How about hit for the cycle in a 22-8 NJCAA Western District Tournament win over Lamar Community College? According to Las Vegas Journal-Review writer Matt Youman's report from yesterday's game, Harper, "...On his seventh trip to the plate...hit a triple to complete the cycle and cap a six-hit, six-RBI performance."
The Coyotes' win sets up an 11:00 am Championship game with Central Arizona this afternoon in Merchants Park in Lamar, Colorado to determine which team advances to the NJCAA College World Series on May 29-June 5th in Grand Junction Colorado.
In a recent Fangraphs.com article by Erik Manning entitled, "Is Bryce Harper Worth The Money", Mr. Manning examined the Top 5 no.1 overall picks in the history of the First-Year Player Draft, and determined that, "...when you glance at the overall picture," and look at what players like Ken Griffey, Jr., Chipper Jones, Joe Mauer and the Yankees' 3B have earned and produced, "...the #1 overall picks on an average have been worth their scratch,":
" If Bryce Harper is worth only a fraction of the hype he’s received, he’ll be well worth whatever the record signing money he receives."
On June 7th, or more likely in the middle of August, we'll find out if the Washington Nationals are once again willing to set a precedent like they did last season when they signed no.1 overall pick, pitcher Stephen Strasburg to a 4-year major league deal worth $15.1M...