Harper confident he can make club this spring
Nationals manager Davey Johnson has said this offseason that he would like general manager Mike Rizzo to keep an open mind when it comes to outfielder Bryce Harper making the 2012 Opening Day roster.
Johnson believes Harper, 19, can be the Opening Day right fielder if the team decides to move Jayson Werth to center field.
"But I think that the main thing is ... could he handle it mentally? And I think in his mind, he's already figuring to be starting on the club, if you ask him," Johnson said recently about Harper. "And I haven't talked to him, but I know that he's done everything in his whole life to succeed at a higher level and compete with the best. But I think [Harper is] pretty mature. I don't look at him age-wise, as I probably should."
=======================
I'm hoping he does.
In 109 games, he hit a combined .297 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs for Class A Hagerstown and Double-A Harrisburg.
The success in the Minor Leagues carried into the Arizona Fall League. In 93 at-bats for the Scottsdale Scorpions, Harper hit .333 with six homers and posted a .400 on-base percentage.