Harper loves him, or at least he said
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2015/09/16/bryce-harper-on-matt-williams-i-love-him-as-a-manager/
PHILADELPHIA — After Bryce Harper hit his second home run of the game Tuesday night, after a slow jog around the bases and a few teammate-specific celebrations on his way to the dugout, Harper headed for his manager. After many home runs this season, Harper and Matt Williams have faked a handshake then non-handshake, which would perhaps be mistaken as both men abandoning the greeting to slick back their hair — if Williams had any to speak of. After his 39th homer of the season Tuesday night, Harper did not joke with Williams. He hugged him.
That home run was an opposite-field shot off Phillies’ left-hander Adam Loewen, a pitch low and away he stayed on and through just enough to poke it out. Before that at-bat, Harper had consulted Williams, who hit 378 home runs in his major league career.
“For that at-bat, I went up to him. He was very good with that outside half pitch on a curveball and he was rotating left-center as a right(-handed hitter). What should I do?,” Harper said. “He was like, stay back on it and try to roll. I said alright. I said, ‘Hopefully I’ll hit a homer.’ I did and came back in and gave him a hug.”
Asked about that exchange, Williams said he would keep it between him and his 22-year-old superstar. Asked about his manager, Harper provided the first unabashed endorsement from anyone in the Nationals clubhouse, which has so far been reluctant to say much about its highly criticized manager.
“Truly, I love him as a manager. Flat out I absolutely do,” Harper said. “If I didn’t, everybody would know. Absolutely everybody would know. I’m not shy to say things. Being able to play for a guy like that that I can actually go up to him and talk to him about approach, at-bat to at-bat, and just being able to have the fire and intensity that he has, and the way he approaches every single day. He wants us to be perfect and I love that as a manager. I played for a guy like that in high school and my dad is exactly like that also. So being able to come in every single day and that approach to win ballgames and playing for a guy like that is fun. I love Matt and see what he thinks about hitting.”
Harper has lauded Williams before, crediting him with helping him craft his approach. Williams has been reluctant to say more than that the two talk at bat to at bat, careful to credit Harper for all his maturation and success this season.
“He does everything he can to help me. He’s unbelievable with the mind game and talking about hitting. Being able to have a guy like that in my corner and go up to him and really ask him what he thinks, how he approaches the at-bat,” Harper said. “…Being able to play for a manager like that is so much fun because he knows so much about the game and at-bats. It’s fun to pick his mind. He’s played with some of the best guys in the game. Barry Bonds, to name one of them. He knows a lot about hitting in the game. It’s just a lot of fun.”
As Williams has come under fire this season, blamed by some for the Nationals’ disappointing season, his players have remained quiet on the topic. Observation shows Williams is often more engaged with some individual players than those who watch the games may realize. Tuesday, as most days, he spent a half hour or so working with Trea Turner, Wilmer Difo and Pedro Severino in the infield a couple of hours before batting practice.
He’s worked with Turner from a few feet away as he takes groundballs almost daily since the shortstop was called up, and has done the same with many infielders before games. Ian Desmond credited Williams with helping him hone his approach during some of his worst early season struggles.
Whatever those moments are worth, Harper’s endorsement will probably be worth more to those wondering about Williams, the former MVP candidate helping a current one find his way.