Verducci: Expect to see Bryce Harper in first half of 2012
Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci joined the show to talk about all the activity around the MLB trade deadline and much more.
Verducci has been reporting on Bryce Harper. He said that the Nationals are going to go slow with phenom Bryce Harper and he won’t be their Opening Day next season. But he won’t be in the minors for long. “I do think he’s in their plans for somewhere in the first half of 2012,” Verducci said.
Verducci, however, did say that Harper is only 18, so everyone should slow down. Verducci said that people have a problem with Harper, because he’s a little too confident and plays too hard. Verducci compared him to Pete Rose. He also said the power is almost definitely going to come. It’s just a matter of when. But Verducci isn’t sure he’ll be able to hit for average.
Verducci said that the biggest surprised of the deadline period was that Heath Bell wasn’t traded. He thought Bell would have been a piece that would make the Phillies virtually unhittable.
Verducci also talked about the Chicago Cubs. Apparently they didn’t want to deal anyone even though they’re out of it. Verducci said the Cubs told people that they didn’t want to get rid of any players who were under contract for next season. “Right now that’s a Triple-A team and they have a long way to go,” Verducci said of the Cubs.
Verducci said that if he was the Cleveland Indians, he’d be nervous about Ubaldo Jimenez. Verducci thinks that pitching in Colorado wears pitchers down.