Headlines

  • Orioles Promote DL Hall
  • Fernando Tatis Jr. Suspended 80 Games For Performance-Enhancing Drug Violation
  • Tarik Skubal Visiting Specialist With Elbow Issue; Expected To Miss Remainder Of Season
  • Mariners Designate Ken Giles For Assignment
  • Michael Brantley Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
  • Tigers Fire General Manager Al Avila
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Nationals Considering ‘A Handful’ For Top Pick

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 14, 2010 at 3:26pm CDT

The Nationals are considering 'a handful' of players in preparation for the draft, GM Mike Rizzo told MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Naturally Bryce Harper is one of the prospects the Nationals are watching, but they aren't committed to taking him.

"I wouldn't say we are leaning toward anybody." Rizzo said. "We are leaning toward a handful of people."

A baseball source told Ladson that the Nationals are also considering pitchers Drew Pomeranz and Jameson Taillon and shortstop Manny Machado. Some have questioned Harper's character, but Rizzo made it clear that he doesn't share those doubts.

"We have no problem with Bryce Harper's character," Rizzo said.

Harper has seemed like a likely selection for a while, but the Nationals have repeated that no decisions have been made, as much as they like Harper's ability and makeup.


Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Washington Nationals Bryce Harper Drew Pomeranz Jameson Taillon Manny Machado

July 2 Prospect Update: De La Cruz, Peguero, Romero
Main
Yankees Claim Shane Lindsay
View Comments (9)

Comments

  1. DarrenLittle

    12 years ago

    Does anyone have a link (or two) to sources that “question” Harper’s character?

    Reply
    • Ian_Smell

      12 years ago

      http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10611#commentMessage

      Towards the bottom of the article it talks about his make-up.

      Reply
      • DarrenLittle

        12 years ago

        Thanks Smelly. That’s the first I’ve heard about his character issues. I know he’s on record as saying he wants to be the greatest baseball player ever. Hopefully he’ll learn that he’ll never be crowned the greatest of his time until his time is over.

        Reply
  2. bjsguess

    12 years ago

    Nats fans can only hope this posturing. If Harper isn’t taken first what a huge mistake that will be.

    His current triple slash sits at 408/502/897. 23 HR’s in 56 games. 17 SB’s. He is just demolishing the baseball as a 17 YO, playing in a college league with a wood bat.

    This is why draft picks should be tradeable. The Nats could land an absolute HAUL from some team who sees Harper as the next Piazza. Instead, they are probably a little worried about his contract demands and the possibility of him going back into the draft next year as an 18YO.

    Reply
    • hisownfool

      12 years ago

      This is posturing. Of course, Rizzo isn’t going to say “it’s Harper or nothing!” Harper, as has been frequently noted, has all sorts of leverage already — he and Boras don’t need any more.

      Likewise, writing “Nationals set to do the stinking obvious on June 7” isn’t the stuff of interesting stories. So, people in baseball and the folks covering it start imagining scenarios where the Nats pass on Harper. The question is: “if not Harper, whom?” More to the point, how do you justify passing on this kid to your fans? You can’t. All MLB TV needs to do is show videos of Harper’s moonshots after he is drafted by someone else.

      Not going to happen.

      Reply
      • souldrummer

        12 years ago

        Nats are gonna take Harper. This is just negotiating stuff. The only way they don’t is if they feel that they don’t want to shell out the money for him and if they do that there will be a fan revolt. They simply do not have the credibility to go against the conventional baseball wisdom on this one.

        Reply
  3. orioles

    12 years ago

    The media needs to make up the Nationals’ mind. Are they drafting him or not? I’d love to see him drop to the Orioles, but that’s not happening.

    Reply
  4. squadwagon6

    12 years ago

    : This should not be underrated. It’s impossible to find any talent evaluator who isn’t blown away by Harper’s ability on the field, but it’s equally difficult to find one who doesn’t genuinely dislike the kid. One scout called him among the worst amateur players he’s ever seen from a makeup standpoint, with top-of-the-scale arrogance, a disturbingly large sense of entitlement, and on-field behavior that includes taunting opponents. “He’s just a bad, bad guy,” said one front-office official. “He’s basically the anti-Joe Mauer.” if so no thanks punk ass kid

    Reply
  5. squadwagon6

    12 years ago

    : This should not be underrated. It’s impossible to find any talent evaluator who isn’t blown away by Harper’s ability on the field, but it’s equally difficult to find one who doesn’t genuinely dislike the kid. One scout called him among the worst amateur players he’s ever seen from a makeup standpoint, with top-of-the-scale arrogance, a disturbingly large sense of entitlement, and on-field behavior that includes taunting opponents. “He’s just a bad, bad guy,” said one front-office official. “He’s basically the anti-Joe Mauer.” if so no thanks punk ass kid

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Orioles Promote DL Hall

    Fernando Tatis Jr. Suspended 80 Games For Performance-Enhancing Drug Violation

    Tarik Skubal Visiting Specialist With Elbow Issue; Expected To Miss Remainder Of Season

    Mariners Designate Ken Giles For Assignment

    Michael Brantley Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

    Tigers Fire General Manager Al Avila

    Matt Carpenter Expected To Miss 6-8 Weeks With Foot Fracture

    Braves Select Top Prospect Vaughn Grissom, Activate Kirby Yates

    2022-23 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: August Edition

    Tim Anderson Out 4-6 Weeks Due To Torn Ligament In Hand

    Blue Jays Sign Jackie Bradley Jr., Designate Matt Peacock

    Chris Sale Fractures Wrist, Will Miss Remainder Of Season

    Cubs To Release Jason Heyward At End Of Season

    Cubs Claim Franmil Reyes From Guardians

    Fernando Tatis Jr. To Begin Rehab Assignment

    Rockies Claim Dinelson Lamet, Designate Ashton Goudeau

    Cubs Release Andrelton Simmons

    Alex Kirilloff To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

    Guardians Designate Franmil Reyes For Assignment

    Justin Verlander Reaches 130 Innings Pitched, Vests 2023 Player Option

    Recent

    Elvis Andrus Frustrated By Reduced Playing Time

    Injury Notes: Colomé, Nance, Mets

    Astros Reinstate Lance McCullers Jr. From 60-Day Injured List

    Red Sox Select Jeurys Familia

    AL Central Notes: Robert, Guardians, Contreras, Tigers, Hinch

    Forecasting The 2022-23 Qualifying Offers: Position Players

    Orioles Promote DL Hall

    Marlins Select A.J. Ladwig

    Angels Notes: Trout, Lorenzen, Duffy, Bradley, Moniak, Iglesias

    Fernando Tatis Jr. Suspended 80 Games For Performance-Enhancing Drug Violation

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Cubs Decline To Trade Contreras, Happ
    • Giants Keep Rodon, Pederson
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version