When last we checked in on the trials and tribulations of Washington Nationals uber prospect Bryce Harper, the stud outfielder was being optioned to Class AAA to begin the regular season, though many fans and media types assumed this would be a brief stint in the minors for Harper. Well, it appears Harper feels the same way. Via Danny Knobler, Senior Baseball Writer for CBSSports.com:
Bryce Harper hit 2 HR in minor league exhibition the other day. He's telling people he will be in big leagues quicker than Nationals plan
— DKnobler (@DKnobler) March 23, 2012
Harper has never lacked for confidence, so such a statement shouldn't surprise anyone. And if he continues to destroy minor league pitching early in the year, the team will have no choice bu to bring Harper up to the big league club.
We'll have much more on Spring Training here at SB Nation DC in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out SB Nation's Nationals blog, Federal Baseball, for more news and notes. And don't forget to visit Baseball Nation, the MLB hub of SB Nation for information from around the league.