![]() ![]() In 2013 it was a knee injury in 2014 it was a thumb injury in 2016 it was a slew of walks by the Cubs in May that through him off the scent in 2017 it was another knee injury. And every season – save for 2015 – something happens to dash those hopes. With those numbers, he was the league’s Most Valuable Player.Įvery season Harper is a perennial MVP candidate. And then, inevitably, the conversation turns to Harper’s 2015 season in which he led the league in homeruns, runs, slugging, OBP, OPS, and WAR. They hearken back to the teenage phenom on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the reported 570-foot homerun in Las Vegas at age 15. When people speak of Harper, they do so in hushed tones. ![]() What has changed is that Harper had another good, but not great, season and Trout had another brilliant (if injury-shortened) one. Nothing has fundamentally changed since that analysis was completed after the 2016 season. And by facts, I mean numbers.Ībout eighteen months ago I wrote an article comparing Harper to Mike Trout (who IS a superstar and who, barring injury, will be (if he isn’t already) one of the best to ever play the game). Who knows? But with all of this talk of $300M, $400M, $500M contracts in the ether as Bryce heads into free agency, I think it is important to step back and look at the facts. He may start his ascent this season, keep getting better into his mid and late twenties, and retire as one of the best to ever play the game. Now, past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not trying to be provocative this is not a “hot take” I am not in the business of taking unnecessary shots.īryce Harper is good, very good. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |