Since being promoted in early July from Class-A ball, Harper has played in nine games. He is currently batting .194 (6/31), with two runs, two RBIs, and no home runs.
Consider at Class-A ball, over 72 games, Harper hit .318, with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.
Granted, it's a small sample size for his time at AA, but I'm at least a little relieved to see that he's not instantly an MVP wherever he plays. The Nationals have been adamant that he learn all the nuances of the game, and get plenty of experience in the field at a position that he rarely played til he was drafted.
There have been rumors that he still might get fast-tracked by the end of this season to the majors, especially if he tore it up at Class-AA right away. His apparent slump may put that rumor to rest.
The quality of the pitchers he's facing here is clearly a huge step up from what he was facing in Class-A, but there's no doubt that he'll adjust shortly. Figuring out slumps is part of being a big-leaguer, and Harper figuring out this one now will only help him in the future.
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| Bryce Harper Takes the Field For Class AA Harrisburg photo: washingtonpost.com |
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