Independent voices from the TWT Communities
There is neither time nor space to get into much detail about all that's gone wrong. But let's disavow ourselves of the notion that the offseason trade of Morse belongs on the list of things to blame for a disappointing 2013 season.
The Skins and Nats plan on RG3 and Harper being key components for an awfully long time, something the local fan base wouldn't mind. There's no solid reason to expect they won't become fixtures. Except for those knees.
The Dodgers rookie's first week in the majors was a memorable one, with 13 hits in 28 at-bats, four home runs and 10 RBI in his first seven games since coming up from the minor leagues.
The Nationals were mum Monday on the results of Harper's second opinion from Dr. James Andrews. And while the outfielder is eligible to return to the active roster as early as Tuesday, when he actually will remains unclear.
The swelling in Bryce Harper's left knee isn't getting any better, so the Washington outfielder will see a specialist next week and won't be coming off the disabled list when he is eligible.
This time last year, the Nationals were 34-23, hardly having looked back after a 14-4 start to the season and on their way to a major league-best 98 wins. This year, despite the predictions and the expectations, the Nationals have not performed up to the standard they set in 2012.
Bryce Harper hopes to begin running and hitting next week and come off the disabled list the first day he is eligible.
Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with bursitis in his left knee.
For the first time in four days, Bryce Harper came out to the field Thursday evening and took batting practice with his teammates. He ran in the outfield, under the watchful eyes of the Washington Nationals' trainers, and tested his swollen left knee.
"The last two starts, that's the best we've seen him since he's been here," shortstop Ian Desmond said of Strasburg, who struck out nine in eight innings.
It was a nightmarish 10 day stretch for Harper, starting with the moment he landed on the warning track at Dodger Stadium, writhing in pain. But Wednesday he rose above. Again.
This isn't simply an opportunity for general manager Ernie Grunfeld to add to the gifted young core of John Wall and Bradley Beal while solidifying the gap at small forward, much in the same way the Oklahoma City Thunder built a juggernaut through the draft and savvy trades driven by the long view, not instant gratification.
The not-so-subtle implication racing through the Internet of a concussion conspiracy by the Nationals makes as much sense as, well, running into walls. What could they possibly gain by pretending Harper didn't have a concussion or engaging in a game of semantics to avoid using the word?
Harper's second unsuccessful encounter this month with the physics of smacking into an outfield wall led to him doubling down on the hair-on-fire approach. He told reporters "I'm trying to kill myself out there" and, really, that's what the collision looked like.
As blood dripped down his neck and head trainer Lee Kuntz examined him Monday night, Harper tried to convince manager Davey Johnson that he could stay in the game. That wasn't happening.
"I'm not going to rush it," Harper said Thursday, the last time he addressed his knee publicly with reporters before his visit with Andrews.
"I thought hopefully my body could have got past it," Harper said when the Nationals placed him on the disabled list.
