Bryce Harper Last In Video Game Voting For MLB The Show Cover, Asks Matt Kemp For Help

Sony is about to release their latest baseball video game, MLB The Show 13 due out in March for the PS3, and they are looking for a cover athlete.  Right now on MLB.com you can vote for the player you want to see on the cover, and Bryce Harper is one of the 7 choices.  Here they are in order of voting (as of this article):

1. Andrew McCutchen
2. Miguel Cabrera
3. Matt Kemp
4. CC Sabathia
5. Buster Posey
6. Ryan Braun
7. Bryce Harper

No Phillies, Mets, Braves or Marlins.  Woo-hoo!  [Update: Harper has moved up to 5th place as of Midnight on Monday]

But Bryce Harper is in 7th place out of the 7 finalists.  Is Bryce that unpopular among non-DC sports fans?  Are the other players that much more popular? Are millions of people in Asia voting for Andrew McCutchen?

But Finally, Bryce Harper has stepped up and started championing his own cause.  Besides asking opponent Matt Kemp to vote for him, he also is offering up a prize to fans.

Hey @therealmattkemp vote for me! #MLB13HARPER
— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) January 7, 2013

One of my lucky fans voting #MLB13HARPER will receive 2 tickets and BP passes a meet and greet! #VOTEON
— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) January 7, 2013

From what I understand, there is a Madden Curse but there is no MLB The Show Curse.  So what are Nationals fans waiting for!?

I'm sort of joking.  I think video game cover voting is stupid, and internet voting in general is the devil, and four times a year it drives me out of my mind.

And what does Bryce's popularity or appearance on a video game have to do with bringing home a World Series to DC?  About as much as Bryce's winning Rookie Of The Year gave the city a championship trophy.

Although, watching Bryce in the trailer makes me wish baseball was starting tomorrow...

So go over to MLB and vote for Bryce!  Or don't, who really cares..

Booing At A Homerun Derby?

Home Run Derby Drama

If you watched the Homerun Derby last night you were treated to a great performance from the likes of Trumbo, Batista, and the champion Prince Fielder.  There were some monster shots and plenty of fountain balls all night long.  However, the "signature" moment of the night was, with out a doubt, the booing and mock cheers of the KC fans as Robinson Cano swung his way to 0 homeruns.

For those who may not know the whole story, the KC faithful were upset at Cano, the AL team captain, for not choosing Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals to participate in the derby.  Therefore they booed the whole time he hit, and cheered every time he made an out.

There have been a ton of comments supporting and vilifying the KC fan base.  So I figured I'd throw my two cents in.  Full disclaimer, as an long term fan of the Orioles, I have no love for the Yankees...

Confession Of A Cleat-Chaser Weekly Topics

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Baseball analysis from a self-proclaimed "cleat-chaser" ranging from actual statistical analysis to opinions on topics concerning the Nationals to how hot certain players may or may not be.  You never know what you are going to get.  Written by Sandra (@NatsGirl19)

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Hello and welcome to what appears to be a new weekly segment, written completely from a cleat-chaser's vantage point. You may or may not remember me from last week's fan post. I'm Sandra, the self-proclaimed 'ultimate cleat chaser'. Well, I'm back, and the head honchos want me writing a post every week. I'm not even getting paid! (cough, cough) Kidding, kidding...

Today I decided to write about a few of the headlines I've seen from the past week or so...

First headline - Matt Kemp deciding not to choose Bryce Harper for the Home Run Derby. 

According to the MLB website, Kemp said, "It's not because he's a rookie. It's just that there are other guys out there that are capable." Bull s***. I think Kemp might be somewhat intimidated by Bryce because Harper is, first of all, the youngest player in the MLB's history (as far as I know, I haven't heard of any 18 year olds yet). Secondly, Bryce has been a home run machine this year and one of the best at the plate that I've seen. Also, isn't Matt Kemp injured? If this is so, why is he captaining the National League side of the HR Derby anyway? Shouldn't he be in rehab?

Second headline - Rick Eckstein

I know that it's subsided now, mainly because Davey Johnson stuck up for his hitting coach, but my question is WHY would you place the blame on him? It definitely isn't the coach's fault if someone doesn't do a good job in a particular area. Ultimately, the player is the only one who can make it happen at the plate, not the hitting coach. You could have the #1 hitting coach in the entire league and still have a player batting at .200. To quote Ray Knight, "As soon as you step in the box, you forget pretty much everything your hitting coach told you that day."

Third headline - The All Star Game

The All Star game and the Home Run Derby are both two of my favorite things about the baseball season. Even if we didn't have any Nationals in the All Star Game, it would still be a lot of fun to watch other players showcase their talents.

The same goes for the Home Run Derby. Even though Harper isn't in there, I'll still watch (I'll just have to do without eye candy, I guess...), because I'm a fan of the game, not just a fan of the Nationals.

A baseball-loving friend of mine asked me a few days ago who I'd have as my starting nine for the All Star Game. Rather unfairly, she tacked on the rule that I could only have three Nationals. So, I don't care what MLB, the coaches, and the fans say.  Here is MY All Star starting nine:

• Pitching - R.A. Dickey (Mets) 
• Catching - Jesus Flores (Nationals) 
• First Base - Gaby Sanchez (Marlins) 
• Second Base - Dan Uggla (Braves) 
• Shortstop - Ian Desmond (Nationals) (Duh.) 
• Third Base - Chipper Jones (Braves) 
• Outfield - Bryce Harper (Nationals) (Naturally!) 
• Outfield - Logan Morrison (Marlins) 
• Outfield - Jay Bruce (Reds)

Now that is how a cleat-chaser puts together a lineup!  Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

If you have any comments or questions for Sandra, send her a tweet at @NatsGirl19.  She even will entertain topics that you would like her to cover...

Matt Kemp Ruins The Homerun Derby, MLB's Move

Apparently there is such a thing as a "captain" of the home run derby, and the National League captain Matt Kemp has said that he will NOT be selecting Bryce Harper as a participant in the MLB Home Run Derby during All-Star Weekend in Kansas City. (According to USA Today)

You may remember Matt Kemp from earlier this season when he started the year off with triple crown numbers.  Well Kemp got hurt and he hasn't played in a game since the end of May.  That didn't stop the MLB from naming Kemp the captain of the National League Home-Run Derby "team?" a few weeks ago.  (Robinson Cano is the AL captain).

Kemp did an amazing job in last year's derby, hitting 2 homers in the first round and finishing in dead last in an embarrassing display of non-power.  But even after that performance, Major League baseball has decided that despite being injured, he should captain the squad.

Clearly Major League Baseball chose Kemp because of his star power.  He plays on the team in Los Angeles, he PWNs Rhianna (along with 20 other dudes), and he goes on talk shows like Conan to claim he can beat Magic Johnson one on one.

But that is the exact reason the MLB should have a word with Kemp, and make him reconsider.

Having an intriguing rookie, who is right now MORE popular in the baseball world than Matt Kemp, would bring in viewers.  All the hype behind Harper, and some of his performance this season will get even non-baseball fans interested in watching the kid try to compete with the big boys.   Chris Berman would have a field day...

Kemp says that Harper will have his day in the future, but A 23 year old Harper in a homerun derby will NOT have the same feel and excitement as a 19 year old rookie Harper.  Could Matt Kemp be jealous...


This event has no rich tradition.  It is not about who has better stats.  It is a SIDESHOW and sideshows need ATTRACTIONS to attract onlookers.  Bryce Harper is that attraction.

So I have a message for Major League Baseball.  Get up, go to the phone, and call Matt Kemp.  Tell him that making him a captain was just a publicity stunt, and that Bryce Harper will be participating in the Home Run Derby.   If you don't you are missing out on a boatload of viewers and making a joke of something that already is one.