Strasburg Calls Out Bryce Harper

The Nationals' Stephen Strasburg had some pointed words for fellow No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper: "If he doesn't want to play here, then we don't want him here."

With the rookie deadline quickly approaching, I think it's pretty awesome that Strasburg did this. However, the organization is probably pissed. Strasburg's words did take some guts to say in regards to leadership and him being a rookie, however, they are also hypocritical based on the fact he signed his 4 year 15 million dollar deal last second with the Nationals. If Harper does sign the Nationals will be a very fun team to watch in the future with Strasburg, Harper, and Yunieski Maya all yet to reach their potential.

If he doesn't sign, that would be heartbreaking to DC, who is in need of an offensive player to carry the load.

Baseball Draft News

Here's the list:

First Round
Los Angeles Angels (18, 29, 30), Houston Astros (8, 19), Texas Rangers (15, 22) and Tampa Bay Rays (17, 31) had multiple first-round picks.

Pick	Team
1.	Washington Nationals Bryce Harper, OF, College of Southern Nevada
2.	Pittsburgh Pirates Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands (Texas) HS
3.	Baltimore Orioles Manny Machado, SS, Brito Private, Miami, Fla
4.	Kansas City Royals Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton
5.	Cleveland Indians Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Ole Miss
6.	Arizona Diamondbacks Barrett Loux, RHP, Texas A&M
7.	New York Mets Matt Harvey, RHP, North Carolina
8.	Houston Astros Delino DeShields Jr., CF, Woodward Academy, College Park, Ga.
9.	San Diego Padres Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley (Fla.) HS
10.	Oakland Athletics Michael Choice, OF, Texas-Arlington
11.	Toronto Blue Jays Deck McGuire, RHP, Georgia Tech
12.	Cincinnati Reds Yasmani Grandal, C, Miami
13.	Chicago White Sox Chris Sale, LHP, Florida Gulf Coast University
14.	Milwaukee Brewers Dylan Covey, RHP, Maranatha HS, Pasadena, Calif.
15.	Texas Rangers (for unsigned 2009 draft pick Matt Purke) Jake Skole, OF, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga.
16.	Chicago Cubs Hayden Simpson, RHP, Southern Arkansas University
17.	Tampa Bay Rays Josh Sale, OF, Bishop Blanchet HS, Seattle, Wash.
18.	Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent Chone Figgins (Seattle)) Kaleb Cowart, SS, Cook County HS, Adel, Ga.
19.	Houston Astros (for Type A free agent Jose Valverde (Detroit)) Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Minooka (Ill.) Community HS
20.	Boston Red Sox (for Type A free agent Billy Wagner (Atlanta)) Kolbrin Vitek, 2B, Ball State
21.	Minnesota Twins Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
22.	Texas Rangers Kellin Deglan, C, Langley HS, B.C., Canada
23.	Florida Marlins Christian Yelich, OF, Westlake HS, Westlake Village, Calif.
24.	San Francisco Giants Gary Brown, CF, Cal State Fullerton
25.	St. Louis Cardinals Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas
26.	Colorado Rockies Kyle Parker, OF, Clemson
27.	Philadelphia Phillies Jesse Biddle, LHP, Germantown Friends HS, Philadelphia, Pa.
28.	Los Angeles Dodgers Zach Lee, RHP, McKinney (Texas) HS
29.	Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent John Lackey (Boston)) Cam Bedrosian, RHP, East Coweta HS, Sharpsburg, Ga.
30.	Los Angeles Angels Chevez Clarke, CF, Marietta (Ga.) HS
31.	Tampa Bay Rays (for unsigned 2009 draft pick LeVon Washington) Justin O'Conner, C, Cowen HS, Muncie, Ind.
32.	New York Yankees Cito Culver, SS, Irondequoit HS, Rochester, N.Y.

Comp Round A
Los Angeles Angels (18, 29, 30, 37, 40) had five of the first 50 selections; Texas Rangers (15, 22, 45, 49) and Toronto Blue Jays four (11, 34, 38, 41)

Pick	Team
33.	Houston Astros (for Type A free agent Jose Valverde (Detroit)) Michael Kvasnicka, C, Minnesota
34.	Toronto Blue Jays (for Type A free agent Marco Scutaro (Boston)) Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Barstow (Calif.) HS
35.	Atlanta Braves (for Type A free agent Mike Gonzalez (Baltimore)) Matthew Lipka, SS, McKinney (Texas) HS
36.	Boston Red Sox (for Type A free agent Jason Bay (New York Mets)) Bryce Brentz, OF, Middle Tennessee State
37.	Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent John Lackey (Boston)) Taylor Lindsey, SS, Desert Mountain HS, Scottsdale, Ariz.
38.	Toronto Blue Jays (for unsigned 2009 draft pick James Paxton) Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Legacy HS, Mansfield, Texas
39.	Boston Red Sox (for Type A free agent Billy Wagner (Atlanta)) Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU
40.	Los Angeles Angels (for Type A free agent Chone Figgins (Seattle)) Ryan Bolden, OF Madison (Miss.) Central HS
41.	Toronto Blue Jays (for Type B free agent Rod Barajas (New York Mets)) Asher Wojciechowski, RHP, The Citadel
42.	Tampa Bay Rays (for Type B free agent Gregg Zaun (Milwaukee)) Drew Vettleson, RHP, Central Kitsap HS, Silverdale, Wash.
43.	Seattle Mariners (for Type B free agent Adrian Beltre (Boston)) Taijuan Walker, Yucaipa (Calif.) HS
44.	Detroit Tigers (for Type B free agent Brandon Lyon (Houston)) Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
45.	Texas Rangers (for Type B free agent Marlon Byrd (Chicago Cubs)) Luke Jackson, RHP Calvary Christian, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
46.	St. Louis Cardinals (for Type B free agent Mark DeRosa (San Francisco)) Seth Blair, RHP, Arizona State
47.	Colorado Rockies (for Type B free agent Jason Marquis (Washington)) Peter Tago, RHP, Dana Hills HS, Dana Point, Calif.
48.	Detroit Tigers (for Type B free agent Fernando Rodney (Los Angeles Angels)) Chance Ruffin, RHP, Texas
49.	Texas Rangers (for Type B free agent Ivan Rodriguez (Washington)) Mike Olt, 3B, Connecticut
50.	St. Louis Cardinals (for Type B free agent Joel Pineiro (Los Angeles Angels)) Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, Henderson (Texas) HS

Notes: Bryce Harper is obviously going to be the truth. He is said to play catcher, but I believe the Nationals will move him to left field.

As for the Sox:
Kolbrin Vitek, 2B, Ball State, Bryce Brentz, OF, Middle Tennessee State, Boston Red Sox (for Type A free agent Billy Wagner (Atlanta))
Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU

The guy I'm most excited about is Ranaudo. When the Sox the drafted Vitek and Brentz I thought for sure they were going to pass on him, but were able to get him in the mid second. Ranaudo would have been a top 5 pick if he didn't get injured early in LSU's season. But there are concerns from him because he won't take a physical on the injured arm and he is a Boras Client. I think the Sox have deals in place for Vitek and Brentz, but expect Ranaudo to take some more time.

Vitek is 6'3 which is big for a 2nd baseman, but can pitch and play outfield too.

DC Meet "The Natural"

The Boston Globe wrote a piece today about a kid named Bryce Harper. He is 16 years old and lives out in Vegas. Last year, Harper batted .590 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs in 38 games for Las Vegas High School. One game he hit a ball 570 feet...at 16 years old! He dreams of being the next Mickey Mantle, and what is scary is that he is currently 6 feet 3 inches 205 pounds, and he is still growing.

"By the time Harper was 3, he was playing Tee Ball with 7-year-olds. At age 5, he slept with his baseball uniform on. He still sleeps with his baseball equipment. "Like when I get a new glove or bat, I sleep with it," he says. "You've got to be good to it so it will be good back to you." At 7, he was playing with 10-year-olds and hitting 200-foot home runs. Opposing teams thought he was lying about his age (Boston Globe)."

Sounds like the movie "The Natural' doesn't it? Anyways, I am rooting for the kid, and I hope he is nasty. It is so hard to tell if he will blaze is way to the majors, but you never know we may see him in 2-3 years.