Nationals rookie outfielder Bryce Harper was in third place in Major League Baseball’s Final Vote contest with two days left before the voting ends. And apparently Harper and manager Davey Johnson were just fine with that. Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones led the voting with St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese in second place. But then Jones was added to the roster as an injury replacement for Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp – so Harper’s plans for a weekend home in Las Vegas next week may be in the dumpster.
Honestly – it’s a win-win either way for Harper, who gets to go to the All-Star game in Kansas City next week or earns some needed rest. He honestly sounds like he’d rather it’d be the latter. But Jones was a lock to win that vote before his late addition. Freese could hold Harper off thanks to his rabid fan base in St. Louis. But the odds just got a little better that we’ll see four Washington players on the All-Star team.
“I think if I don’t make the team it’d be good for me to go home and get away from the world,” Harper said. “Just be Bryce. Be normal, just hang out with the family. Get some good home-cooked meals, hit with my Pop and just hang out.”
While his teammates – Ian Desmond, Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg – stumped for Harper during a press conference of their own to talk about their National League All-Star selections – even Johnson seemed indifferent if Harper made the squad.
“I think Chipper should be on it period. Not somebody with 200 at-bats, first year,” Johnson said. “But that’s just my way of thinking about it. If it’s who has got the most tweeters following them, maybe that’s it. I don’t know.”
Candid comments made before the 40-year-old Jones’ addition. Harper had garnered positive publicity for saying that Jones should have received the nod in the same way that Cal Ripken did in the final season of his Hall-of-Fame career. Harper has 20 years to make these teams. This is the last shot for Jones and he will get a deserved send off.
“Physically I think I’m good. I feel good physically,” Harper said of his health after more than two months in the big leagues. “Mentally I think it’s always going to be a grind. But that’s something you got to deal with. You guys are just great people, I love talking to you guys every day. I just try to come here and have fun and just enjoy myself.”
He was semi-joking about the media, though almost a week off without the pestering questions that he constantly faces would be welcome, I’m sure. But even at age 19 Harper still could use a blow on the field, especially with his move to center field, a position he’d never played before.
“And it’s probably the most demanding position in the outfield. You’re always moving just about on every pitch,” Johnson said. “[Third base coach] Bo Porter says that [Bryce] is not your glider. He’s more of a quarter horse going after it instead of a thoroughbred. But he’s young and strong, 19. I’m sure he’s getting banged up, but I don’t think he’s tired. But I would like to see him get the time off. Because it is a demanding position and every time I get a chance I’ll move him to one of the corners to just basically rest his legs.”
Harper and Johnson both said they didn’t add their votes to the race – with the manager seeming perplexed about the process, which wasn’t in place when he managed the All-Star in the late 1980s.
“No, I go online for a lot of things and that’s not one of them,” Johnson cracked.
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