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So... how do you improve on a 2015 campaign which saw you lead the National League in On-Base Percentage (.460 OBP), Slugging Percentage (.649 SLG), Wins Above Replacement (9.5 fWAR), Weighted On-Base Average (.461 wOBA), Weighted Runs Created Plus (198 wRC+), Isolated Power (.319 ISO), Runs Scored (118) and Home Runs (42, tied for first), finish second in the NL in Walks (124) and Batting Average (.330), and win the NL's Most Valuable Player Award?
Bryce Harper was asked that question earlier this winter. His answer? Some variation of "there is always room for improvement." But what parts of his game, specifically can he improve?
"I mean all aspects," Harper told reporters. "I've always said every time I come into Spring Training or every time I come into the season, I can always get better, you can get better everywhere you play. [New first base coach] Davey Lopes definitely is going to help me on the bases, that's going to be a lot of fun. Being able to pick the mind of [new manager] Dusty [Baker] if that's outfield, if that's hitting, if that's with pitchers and things like that, and he's a very good hitter. So, to learn from a guy like that is very exciting, very fun and just makes the game that much better."
The stolen base question is an interesting one for Harper, who stole 29 bases total in 2012-13, but just eight total in the past two seasons after missing time with a knee injury which eventually required surgery in 2013.
In 2014, it was a thumb injury which required surgery that cost him time on the DL.
Though Harper returned from surgery and was healthy throughout the 2015 campaign, which he said was a key to his success, he stole just six bases total on the year, in ten attempts.
He joked this winter that he'd like to get back to running a little bit more... if...
"If I'm allowed to," Harper said with a laugh. "I think being able to come into this year, just trying to get better, I know I can score from first, I did a couple times this year, but it will be nice be able to score from second or third.
"Hopefully I can get a little bit better on the basepaths and hopefully Davey -- we'll sit down with Dusty and talk about that and see where that lies and that means we're going to score some more runs."
In accepting his NL MVP award this winter, Harper discussed the improvements he was able to make defensively as well in his first full season as the Nationals' right fielder.
"I think definitely being able to further myself in right field, trying to learn that every single day," was important, he explained.
"Being a catcher in college, trying to do everything I could throughout the minors to try to get better out there every single day. Having the help of Jayson Werth and Tony Tarasco, two guys that helped me every single day, day-in and day-out, I think it's huge. I want to be able to be good on both sides of the ball and being able to help out my pitchers and do the things I can out there for them, I think that's very big."
In an interview on 106.7 the FAN in D.C. last week, Harper talked at length about staying healthy and being able to stay on the field for a career-high 153 games in 2015, and how big a factor that was in his success.
"Being able to stay healthy and be able play [153] games or whatever I played and being able to do that and be good with my approach, and stay with my approach, stay within myself and just do whatever I needed to do to help my team win on a daily basis, that's huge as well," Harper said.
$400M player? "Don't sell me short."- Bryce Harper
Photo © Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports
So how can he possibly top or hope to reproduce what he did last season?
"You can never be satisfied with what you do," Harper said.
"I'm just looking forward to this year and looking forward to what we can do as a team and very excited about Dusty Baker and Davey Lopes and Mike Maddux and everybody around."
"Like I said, you can never be satisfied. I think last year, I wasn't satisfied with what we did. And it's never about personal accolades. It's always about trying to win a World Series, trying to come together and get into the playoffs and the postseason. I never play for the MVPs and all that kind of stuff."