Bryce Harper’s struggle against left-handed pitchers continues - MLB Update
The Washington Nationals’ centre fielder Bryce Harper is struggling to find connections against left-handed pitchers. Due to this, Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson is planning to rest him against the lefties and give the outfielder more chances against the
right-handers.
During the game against the Philadelphia Phillies which saw the Nationals swept in a three match series, Harper confronted the starter Cliff Lee and much to his disappointment he ended up hitless.
It was not the first game in which he missed the at-bats and had problems with his composure.
In the last few months, his impatience on the plate is becoming the cause of his decline. Whenever he steps on the plate he tries to strike huge hits and when he fails in this regard, panic starts taking its toll on his mind and he keeps missing at-bats.
Meanwhile, the manager Johnson is extremely conscious about how to produce best out of his talent and get the team to earn the maximum advantage of his presence in the line-up. He is thinking various ideas from resting him in the few games to sending Harper
on the plate only against the right-handed pitchers.
Currently, Johnson has realised that Harper is low on confidence and therefore he needs a couple of good outings to get going. For the same reason he intends to remove him against the lefties and offer the centre fielder the chances during such situations
when he is more likely to perform.
Johnson is of the view that Harper has been undone by the off-speed pitches that the hurlers are employing successfully against him. He easily falls to the lure of the throws and ends up getting struck-out cheaply by them.
“They’ve really sent him a steady diet of offspeed pitches and whatever, not really attacking and going after him,” Johnson said. “And he gets impatient and then he’s his own worst enemy. Early on, they’re going to make adjustments to somebody that’s hitting
them. And they made adjustments on not challenging him and more offspeed stuff. He’s impatient chasing stuff out of the zone.”
As the upcoming games start and Harper plays under the condition of sitting out in the matches started by southpaws, it will be interesting to see as to what extent the plan of the manager succeeds.
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