Bryce Harper called out by Strasburg
Bryce Harper, this year’s No.1 draft pick, has been called out by a potential teammate and former No.1 pick Stephen Strasburg.
The Washington Nationals selected Harper as the No.1 pick this year, but the slugger has yet to agree to terms with the team and only has until Monday night to agree to a contract. Strasburg – who himself took his contract negotiations down to the wire – had some choice words for Harper.
"If [Harper] wants to play here, he's going to play here. He doesn't need advice from anybody to convince him otherwise. If he doesn't want to play here, then we don't want him here. We want guys who want to play on this team. It's really important," Strasburg said after pitching against Arizona.
Strasburg and Harper both share the same agent, Scott Boras, and as is always the case with Boras and his clients, negotiations take a while. Strasburg was no exception to the rule, signing a $15.1 million contract right at the deadline last year.
The 17-year-old Harper is regarded as one of the better prospects of recent times and is expected to sign quite a sizable deal with the Nationals. Boras clearly will be using Harper’s power as a key selling point in negotiations.
“There are few high school players in the draft history, since 1965, that have the extraordinary tool of power. When it's evidenced, it's rare,” Boras said.
Nationals general manager, Mike Rizzo, expects Harper to sign but the deal shouldn’t be anywhere near the $15 million Strasburg received.
If Harper doesn’t sign he has hinted he would consider playing in an independent league next season.
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