The Washington Nationals made Bryce Harper, the no.1 overall pick in the 2010 Draft, available to the DC baseball media on Tuesday afternoon while everyone was waiting for '09 no.1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg's first major league pitch. The interview was quick, but there were a few interesting things to pull from it, though the 17-year-old phenom was probably slightly limited in what he was allowed (advised) to say, it was clear he was excited to spend some time with his family and reflect upon the fact that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do "when he was a kid." (and I'm putting that in quotes cause he's 17.)
• Has it sunk in that you are a National now?
Bryce Harper: "No not really no. I'm just trying to enjoy it with my family right now, and just take things in for right now, and you know, it's been my dream since I was seven years old, and it came true and now I'm just trying to enjoy it with the family right now."
• Playing RF?
Bryce Harper: "I'm pretty excited, you know. I've played right field a couple times with USA and with my College of Southern Nevada, and I'm pretty stoked about that, but wherever they need me I'll play, I don't really care..."
• Do you anticipate signing quickly or waiting til next year?
Bryce Harper: "The business has to take its course with [Scott] Boras, and all the negotiations and stuff with Boras and everything like that, so just trying to see what happens there and whatever happens happens. "
• You've Taken Steps To Get Yourself In This Position, How Quickly Do You Want To Get To The Majors?
Bryce Harper: "It's been my dream, like I said ever since I was ten-years-old, to be the no.1 pick and stuff like that so, it's really cool and I'm just really trying to have fun right now with the family, like I said and whatever the team needs and whatever the team wants I'll do and the ultimate decision [is the team's] how they approach things, what they want to do with me and how they do it."
• How much interaction have you had with the Nationals?
Bryce Harper: "Mike Rizzo came and watched me play, in the middle of the year it was, and I met him for a couple seconds and just said hi, and things like that. Mike was great people and all the Nationals' people are just awesome people, and I talked to [Rizzo] today actually, right before the interview and he was chitchatting about things and talking about [Stephen] Strasburg, cause he has a big night tonight and just trying to keep the focus on Strasburg and things like that. He's just a great guy, and I just like to talk to him about things and just talking a lot about baseball and where I'm going to play and things like that and it just feels like a great fit right now and we'll see what happens."
• Have you met Strasburg?
Bryce Harper: "I haven't talked to Strasburg at all, I just know of him like him everybody else, you know everybody knows him, and he's great people, he's a great talent, it would be absolutely amazing to come in and play with him be on the same team as him and in the same organization, and try to build some winning season for the Nationals."
• Mike Rizzo told us last night that there's going to be no more eye black, is that okay with you?
Bryce Harper: "Yeah, that's totally fine. I wasn't going to bring that to the big leagues or wherever I go anyways, I don't wear it with Team USA, and that's part of the game, you just have to live with it and play without it I guess, so we'll see what happens. It's just a team thing at home, so we all just put it on, and there were some guys that wore it, that was it..."
Are you going to watch the game?
Bryce Harper: "Yeah probably, but I might be on a plane, so we'll see, but yeah, I'll be checking my phone and seeing how he's doing and hopefully I'll DVR it and be able to watch it after I get home."