Harper batted seven times in a 4-3 in an extra-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs, drawing six walks and being hit by a pitch. Now Harper is discovering what that helpless feeling is like.
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“Everybody was up on the steps, preaching about what they thought was going on”, Harper, last year’s National League MVP, said after the game of the Espinosa out.
“What happens if I switch it up against this team, and they have three left-handed relievers in the bullpen, and they can bring in their lefties to take care of my two guys that are hot in the fifth, seventh and ninth, and only use three guys out of their bullpen?”
“[Knight] kind of picked me and said, ‘See ya later.’ I think my emotions showed that I was pretty surprised, but, you know, I think Clint Robinson made me really excited, hit the walk-off, and we got the W, so that’s all that matters about tonight”.
Bonds said when he was playing, the strategy was employed too frequently to count. It can backfire on you. “You can take it personal if you want to, but he told me not to take it personal, No. 1, because if you take it personal, you’re going to be in high anxiety or you’re going to go through periods of stressing yourself out”.
Given the differences in performance between Zimmerman and Murphy the past two or so seasons, I don’t think switching them would be an overreaction.
It isn’t the first time they’ve gotten the honor and the way things are going it will not be the last either.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Dusty Baker is sticking with Ryan Zimmerman as the Washington Nationals’ cleanup hitter, right behind Bryce Harper in the batting order – at least, as the manager put it Monday, “for now”. “I’m not a forever guy either”.
“I chased some bad pitches against Lackey the other day – he’s very deceptive with his stuff”, said Harper, who is second in the NL with 30 walks.
A possible alternative offered up by many was Daniel Murphy, who leads the majors with 45 hits and is hitting.395/.439/.640 right now. “But six times, that’s a lot”. Foxx had six plate appearances – all walks – in that game.
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Harper, who plays for the Washington Nationals, was ejected from the game against the Detroit Tigers after he began complaining about how the umpire was calling balls and strikes.
