GM reiterates working 19-year-old at center
Port St. Lucie, Fla. — Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo explained his reasoning on Tuesday for optioning top prospect Bryce Harper to Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the week.
Harper, 19, impressed the front office and coaching staff enough during spring training that the decision was made to place him in center field. He may not be the long-term answer for that spot if, at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds already, he outgrows the position. But for now, Rizzo said, the switch from a corner outfield spot makes sense given the team’s relative weakness in center field.
“[Harper is] a big, physical animal,” Rizzo said. “And once he gets the nuances of the position, the angles and the routes, and being the leader of the outfield — if we feel that he can handle that then I think everything else will fall into place.”
Rizzo spoke a few minutes before his team took on the New York Mets in an exhibition game at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Ace Stephen Strasburg made his fourth start of spring training and gave up one earned run in five innings — a solo homer by Lucas Duda that was the difference in an eventual 2-0 New York victory.
Strasburg gave up just two hits, struck out three batters and walked one. He threw 85 pitches total in his longest start of the spring. The Nats managed just five hits off five different Mets pitchers. Duda homered to left field in the fourth inning.
Before the game, Washington manager Davey Johnson explained the continued absence of reliever Drew Storen, who hasn’t pitched since March 7 against St. Louis. The team says its closer has been ill with a sore throat and flu-like symptoms. But it was also revealed that Storen has some forearm tightness, too. Rizzo downplayed any concern there. Storen was expected to throw off flat ground Tuesday, but was still sick, according to Johnson. That has been rescheduled for later in the week.
“Other than the usual pitching soreness during spring training, [Storen is] fine,” Rizzo said. “He’s a little under the weather the last four or five days so we kind of sent him home the last couple of days to get him out of the clubhouse.”
