This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
Bryce Harper made each decide and play look straightforward Wednesday morning at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
Phillies infield coach Bobby Dickerson walked diligently across the infield along with his fungo bat and smashed baseballs towards Harper at first base, replicating throws he would possibly must scoop off the grime within the not-so-distant future.
It was solely observe, however Harper caught each one.
“I’m no dummy,” Dickerson mentioned afterward. “It’s 12 o’clock, controlled environment, he’s not throwing to bases yet. But his hop-reading right now, his calmness, just everything he’s doing right now is really, really, really advanced. He’s not getting in between hops. One thing is that he’s a little hard on himself. When he feels a little weird catching a ball, I can see his body language. He gets mad at himself. He’s such a perfectionist. That’s why he’s a superstar.”
Harper rejoined the Phillies on May 2 following Tommy John surgical procedure in November. He volunteered to study first base to speed up his return.
Harper not too long ago began enjoying catch from 90 toes. It will take time earlier than he throws from 120.
Keep a watch on when Harper reaches 120. Phillies managerRob Thomson mentioned final week in Denver he wish to see Harper make good throws on a line from 120 toes earlier than he’s cleared to play first base. Of course, Thomson mentioned others would possibly wish to see him throw from 150 toes earlier than he’s cleared. But for Thomson, 120 is okay.
Thomson mentioned Friday that Harper might be “at least” a month away from that, however would anyone be shocked if he’s again earlier? Nobody anticipated him to rejoin the Phillies on May 2, however he did.
So, what do the Phillies anticipate from Harper, if he performs first? Is it merely for him to play there, to allow them to return Alec Bohm to 3rd and probably slide Kyle Schwarber into the DH position? In that situation, maybe Brandon Marsh or Cristian Pache (as soon as he returns from a meniscectomy on his proper knee) strikes to left.
Or do they assume Harper may be higher than a replacement-level defender?
“This is stepping out there,” Dickerson mentioned, “however I believe he can win a Gold Glove. That’s how athletic the man is. Now, is he going to current that when he first goes on the market? Is there going to be a ball that goes by his legs? Yeah. That’s going to occur. Is he going to clank a ball right here and there? Is he going to make a improper resolution on a hop within the ninth inning with the bases loaded and the sport on the road? Possibly. But he doesn’t wish to be embarrassed.
“The nice ones are going to do their job and work at it. As he continues to develop on the place, the way in which he focuses, the way in which he works, the way in which he’s diligent — he actually needs to do that — the sky’s the restrict.”
Content Source: www.mlb.com