An established journalist like Verducci wouldn’t risk losing credibility by bringing up this injury story for a second time if he didn’t have a reputable source. All evidence points towards Harper being hurt. And if I’m a Nationals fan, I hope he’s playing hurt, cause that means he should return to his MVP April and May of this year form next year when healthy.
ib6ub9
If he was hurt wouldn’t they rest him, the Mets aren’t going to catch them. Get him ready for the playoffs
Ry.the.Stunner
Of course not. Dusty has to get maximum mileage out of all of his players.
ib6ub9
So he runs them into the ground and picks up the pieces later?
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Unless rest wasn’t going to help. Obviously he can’t seriously hurt it anymore or else he wouldn’t be playing. So if he is injured, he’s probably playing through the pain to get ready for the playoffs.
jkim319
So true.. Dusty burns out every team he has ever had…
cubsfan2489
Yes little tyke, that’s what he’s saying. If you were born before 2003, (obviously you weren’t.) you’d know what he’s talking about. Look up these players because they were before your time, Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Clement. (Yes I put the whole rotation with the exception of Estes, because all of them had surgery at some point after 03, and Z just decided to burn out at 30
ray_derek
That’s what history tells us ib6
hojostache
I see you are familiar with Dusty’s M.O.
tsolid 2
The other M.O. You should see is winning wherever he’s gone. You guys can always try and find a reason to Bash Dusty, but I guess that gives you some kind of satisfaction. If Harper was hurt, I’m sure he wouldn’t be playing against his will. Are you same idiots blaming Terry Collins for injuries to the Mets pitching staff??
tsolid 2
Cubsfan: You blaming Terry Collins for all of the Mets injuries? Bobby Cox/Fredi Gonzales for all of the Braves surgeries? Bud Black for all of the Padres surgeries when he was manager? I could on and on with pitchers and injuries. Quit making excuses for a terrible franchise. Cubs fans are as worse as Cowboys fans
Ry.the.Stunner
Yes….winning until the playoffs, which plays right into the “working them into the ground” theory. They play well enough during the regular season to win and make it into the playoffs, and then can’t shut the door.
Which of Dusty’s teams have won it all?
tsolid 2
NONE. Which teams have faired better after he left? Took the Giants awhile, Cubs even longer. What about the Reds? So what he hasn’t won it all, but he’s out together contending teams everywhere he went.
tsolid 2
BTW…. players get paid MILLIONS to play a game. The same hypocrites bash guys that don’t run full speed to 1B every time. Can’t have it both ways
amishthunderak
Is Harper getting paid millions to play right now?
krillin
I am curious as to if there is an injury why would they conceal it? On the flip side, an injury would also be a good cop out for his performance. Or if he is injured, why not rest him? The whole thing is just strange to me. Not fishy or anything. Just strange.
Deke
I have the same question. The only thing I can think of is that the injury is something that might prevent him being able to hit a particular pitch. Like say it’s painful for him to hit anything up and in. Other teams would be throwing the ball there all day.
But you’d also think eventually scouts or advanced metrics would figure out if he suddenly couldn’t hit a particular pitch?
Anyone else have any ideas why the injury would not be disclosed? Maybe HOW it was injured? Like maybe he injured it at a fetish club being whipped by another Preppy Hipster Fakerjack? I mean I’m not saying this happened, just saying IF something like that happened they might not want to address it?
mj-2
Here’s s crazy thought, maybe he’s not injured and just actually sucks?
1 phenomenal season last year vs 3 mediocre seasons prior to it and now he’s back to playing like he did in the 3 earlier seasons this year.
I mean….call me crazy…. But maybe this is just the kind of player he really is and last year was the anomaly.
Tough to wrap your head around given how hyped he is, I know.
Frank Richard
Dusty Baker wouldn’t rest him. Let me point you to Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Johnny Cueto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce.
I love when ppl blame Dusty for overusing Prior if Alex Gonzalez fields that Double Play I bet they’d have whole different view of Him
ray_derek
No we wouldn’t
cubsfan2489
If Gonzo makes that play, it still doesn’t excuse the fact that he kept Prior in game 2 when they were up 8-0. He overused him. As soon as he gave up the hit after the bartman play, he should’ve pulled him. Dusty doesn’t like to play rookies, and doesn’t know how to manage a rotation, period.
tsolid 2
Dusty can manage better than you. Funny how when Dusty left, the team went into the TANK, just like in Cincy. I guess that’s just coincidence, right? Blame Dusty for everything that went wrong in a city that hasn’t won in 100 yrs. can’t wait to see the CUBBIES flame out again. You gonna blame Maddon???
Deke
You think after all the grief that poor kid Bartman got, if the Cubbies make it to game 7 in the WS he should just show up in the stands… even in the same seat, dressed exactly the same and just intently stare at the hitters not saying a word… If I’m the team playing against them I offer him a million bucks and all the security he wants to do it…. just to creep them out. hehehehe
One Fan
How did the Cubs go in the tank when Dusty Left? Pinnella had then in the playoffs in back to back years and best record in baseball in one of them. If you do not know the facts. Then dont post
Ken M.
Sounds like Mr. Harper is trying to an excuse out there for why he is having a bad year. Bye bye 500M.
Cam
Quite the opposite – the issue seems to be that he’s NOT making any excuses, and just playing though the problem.
Sounds like you need to find a better way to take potshots at people you don’t like to begin with.
Ry.the.Stunner
If he was trying to excuse his bad performance, then he would say he was injured. How is denying being injured making an excuse?
Aaron Johnson
Read the story. He’s not denying he’s being injured.. Rizzo and Baker are the ones being clear here. He certainly isn’t trying very hard to clear the air. Harper seems to be conveniently ambiguous about the whole situation. Like he wants everyone to think he’s hurt but he doesn’t want to be the one to say he’s hurt, because he knows that would make people say “he’s making excuses”. So he’s just getting someone else to say it.
Aaron Johnson
I agree with Nine Livez. I think if there’s anyone here trying to “spin” the story based on a preexisting bias, it’s you Cam. The story being reported here is that there’s an under preforming star (Harper) and a leaked story about an injury that may or may not be true. Assuming this isn’t just completely incompetent reporting, there’s only really 2 scenarios that make sense here: 1 is that Harper is in fact hurt and it is in some way in his or the teams best interest to conceal the injury or to not let all the facts about the injury become known, but the story did get leaked and now they’re trying to pretend like they didn’t know the whole time. The other scenario is that Harper is having such a down year that leaking a story about an injury would help excuse his poor performance, and the team found this out, realizes it makes them look bad if there in fact has not been an injury reported to them or that they’ve been treating him for, and would like to clarify the issue publicly. Now, it’s clear that Rizzo is trying his best to figure out what’s going on and looks to be pretty transparent. Dusty Baker has openly denied that there is an injury. But reading the article above it says that while Harper told Rizzo behind closed doors that he has no injury, when asked about it and the report that he did have an injury Harper would “neither confirm nor deny”. That sounds to me like he is at very least OK with leaving some ambiguity to the situation. To me, that is also confirmed when he could very easily tell his agent to squash the rumor and Boras, who never shuts up, sites HIPPA and won’t talk about it. Now, I’m not saying Harper himself leaked the injury news, but it’s pretty clear that someone close to him did. It’s even stated outright by the reporter. It’s not hard to imagine a situation where Harper let’s his person close to him leak the info for his benefit, especially when he hasn’t publicly denied it since. The point is, I don’t think Nine Livez did anything here but connect the dots from the story he read, sounds like you got your feelings hurt.
Deke
@Aaron, I think you that’s a good summation of the situation and theories as to why.
My gut tells me that Harper is okay with leaving the ambiguity because he has to be “the best” (and there’s nothing wrong with that) but also he wants everyone else to see him that way and when he has a down year, at least there will be some that will say “yeah well he’s playing through an injury they won’t tell us about”. So he doesn’t seem like as big of a failure to everyone.
Bottom line is… as much as I dislike the guy… he’s a talented player and the league needs superstars like him, so I hope it’s a blip and he’s back to being a great player again… I just wish he didn’t have such a douchey attitude and carried himself more like a Posey or a Jeter. MAN… THEN… He would be one of my favorite players.
JaysFan19
Really hope he is injured… not to wish injury unpon a player, but he’s
JaysFan19
Really delined this season
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unsaturatedmatz
An established journalist like Verducci wouldn’t risk losing credibility by bringing up this injury story for a second time if he didn’t have a reputable source. All evidence points towards Harper being hurt. And if I’m a Nationals fan, I hope he’s playing hurt, cause that means he should return to his MVP April and May of this year form next year when healthy.
ib6ub9
If he was hurt wouldn’t they rest him, the Mets aren’t going to catch them. Get him ready for the playoffs
Ry.the.Stunner
Of course not. Dusty has to get maximum mileage out of all of his players.
ib6ub9
So he runs them into the ground and picks up the pieces later?
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Unless rest wasn’t going to help. Obviously he can’t seriously hurt it anymore or else he wouldn’t be playing. So if he is injured, he’s probably playing through the pain to get ready for the playoffs.
jkim319
So true.. Dusty burns out every team he has ever had…
cubsfan2489
Yes little tyke, that’s what he’s saying. If you were born before 2003, (obviously you weren’t.) you’d know what he’s talking about. Look up these players because they were before your time, Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Clement. (Yes I put the whole rotation with the exception of Estes, because all of them had surgery at some point after 03, and Z just decided to burn out at 30
ray_derek
That’s what history tells us ib6
hojostache
I see you are familiar with Dusty’s M.O.
tsolid 2
The other M.O. You should see is winning wherever he’s gone. You guys can always try and find a reason to Bash Dusty, but I guess that gives you some kind of satisfaction. If Harper was hurt, I’m sure he wouldn’t be playing against his will. Are you same idiots blaming Terry Collins for injuries to the Mets pitching staff??
tsolid 2
Cubsfan: You blaming Terry Collins for all of the Mets injuries? Bobby Cox/Fredi Gonzales for all of the Braves surgeries? Bud Black for all of the Padres surgeries when he was manager? I could on and on with pitchers and injuries. Quit making excuses for a terrible franchise. Cubs fans are as worse as Cowboys fans
Ry.the.Stunner
Yes….winning until the playoffs, which plays right into the “working them into the ground” theory. They play well enough during the regular season to win and make it into the playoffs, and then can’t shut the door.
Which of Dusty’s teams have won it all?
tsolid 2
NONE. Which teams have faired better after he left? Took the Giants awhile, Cubs even longer. What about the Reds? So what he hasn’t won it all, but he’s out together contending teams everywhere he went.
tsolid 2
BTW…. players get paid MILLIONS to play a game. The same hypocrites bash guys that don’t run full speed to 1B every time. Can’t have it both ways
amishthunderak
Is Harper getting paid millions to play right now?
krillin
I am curious as to if there is an injury why would they conceal it? On the flip side, an injury would also be a good cop out for his performance. Or if he is injured, why not rest him? The whole thing is just strange to me. Not fishy or anything. Just strange.
Deke
I have the same question. The only thing I can think of is that the injury is something that might prevent him being able to hit a particular pitch. Like say it’s painful for him to hit anything up and in. Other teams would be throwing the ball there all day.
But you’d also think eventually scouts or advanced metrics would figure out if he suddenly couldn’t hit a particular pitch?
Anyone else have any ideas why the injury would not be disclosed? Maybe HOW it was injured? Like maybe he injured it at a fetish club being whipped by another Preppy Hipster Fakerjack? I mean I’m not saying this happened, just saying IF something like that happened they might not want to address it?
mj-2
Here’s s crazy thought, maybe he’s not injured and just actually sucks?
1 phenomenal season last year vs 3 mediocre seasons prior to it and now he’s back to playing like he did in the 3 earlier seasons this year.
I mean….call me crazy…. But maybe this is just the kind of player he really is and last year was the anomaly.
Tough to wrap your head around given how hyped he is, I know.
Frank Richard
Dusty Baker wouldn’t rest him. Let me point you to Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Johnny Cueto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce.
krillin
Poor, poor, Prior
Kayrall
2026 Nationals’ fans: Dusty Baker ruined Bryce Harper’s career.
willi
Rest the Boy !
comebacktrail28
I love when ppl blame Dusty for overusing Prior if Alex Gonzalez fields that Double Play I bet they’d have whole different view of Him
ray_derek
No we wouldn’t
cubsfan2489
If Gonzo makes that play, it still doesn’t excuse the fact that he kept Prior in game 2 when they were up 8-0. He overused him. As soon as he gave up the hit after the bartman play, he should’ve pulled him. Dusty doesn’t like to play rookies, and doesn’t know how to manage a rotation, period.
tsolid 2
Dusty can manage better than you. Funny how when Dusty left, the team went into the TANK, just like in Cincy. I guess that’s just coincidence, right? Blame Dusty for everything that went wrong in a city that hasn’t won in 100 yrs. can’t wait to see the CUBBIES flame out again. You gonna blame Maddon???
Deke
You think after all the grief that poor kid Bartman got, if the Cubbies make it to game 7 in the WS he should just show up in the stands… even in the same seat, dressed exactly the same and just intently stare at the hitters not saying a word… If I’m the team playing against them I offer him a million bucks and all the security he wants to do it…. just to creep them out. hehehehe
One Fan
How did the Cubs go in the tank when Dusty Left? Pinnella had then in the playoffs in back to back years and best record in baseball in one of them. If you do not know the facts. Then dont post
Ken M.
Sounds like Mr. Harper is trying to an excuse out there for why he is having a bad year. Bye bye 500M.
Cam
Quite the opposite – the issue seems to be that he’s NOT making any excuses, and just playing though the problem.
Sounds like you need to find a better way to take potshots at people you don’t like to begin with.
Ry.the.Stunner
If he was trying to excuse his bad performance, then he would say he was injured. How is denying being injured making an excuse?
Aaron Johnson
Read the story. He’s not denying he’s being injured.. Rizzo and Baker are the ones being clear here. He certainly isn’t trying very hard to clear the air. Harper seems to be conveniently ambiguous about the whole situation. Like he wants everyone to think he’s hurt but he doesn’t want to be the one to say he’s hurt, because he knows that would make people say “he’s making excuses”. So he’s just getting someone else to say it.
Aaron Johnson
I agree with Nine Livez. I think if there’s anyone here trying to “spin” the story based on a preexisting bias, it’s you Cam. The story being reported here is that there’s an under preforming star (Harper) and a leaked story about an injury that may or may not be true. Assuming this isn’t just completely incompetent reporting, there’s only really 2 scenarios that make sense here: 1 is that Harper is in fact hurt and it is in some way in his or the teams best interest to conceal the injury or to not let all the facts about the injury become known, but the story did get leaked and now they’re trying to pretend like they didn’t know the whole time. The other scenario is that Harper is having such a down year that leaking a story about an injury would help excuse his poor performance, and the team found this out, realizes it makes them look bad if there in fact has not been an injury reported to them or that they’ve been treating him for, and would like to clarify the issue publicly. Now, it’s clear that Rizzo is trying his best to figure out what’s going on and looks to be pretty transparent. Dusty Baker has openly denied that there is an injury. But reading the article above it says that while Harper told Rizzo behind closed doors that he has no injury, when asked about it and the report that he did have an injury Harper would “neither confirm nor deny”. That sounds to me like he is at very least OK with leaving some ambiguity to the situation. To me, that is also confirmed when he could very easily tell his agent to squash the rumor and Boras, who never shuts up, sites HIPPA and won’t talk about it. Now, I’m not saying Harper himself leaked the injury news, but it’s pretty clear that someone close to him did. It’s even stated outright by the reporter. It’s not hard to imagine a situation where Harper let’s his person close to him leak the info for his benefit, especially when he hasn’t publicly denied it since. The point is, I don’t think Nine Livez did anything here but connect the dots from the story he read, sounds like you got your feelings hurt.
Deke
@Aaron, I think you that’s a good summation of the situation and theories as to why.
My gut tells me that Harper is okay with leaving the ambiguity because he has to be “the best” (and there’s nothing wrong with that) but also he wants everyone else to see him that way and when he has a down year, at least there will be some that will say “yeah well he’s playing through an injury they won’t tell us about”. So he doesn’t seem like as big of a failure to everyone.
Bottom line is… as much as I dislike the guy… he’s a talented player and the league needs superstars like him, so I hope it’s a blip and he’s back to being a great player again… I just wish he didn’t have such a douchey attitude and carried himself more like a Posey or a Jeter. MAN… THEN… He would be one of my favorite players.
JaysFan19
Really hope he is injured… not to wish injury unpon a player, but he’s
JaysFan19
Really delined this season