Bryce Harper is really good – and good for baseball

What were you doing when you were 22 years old? No matter how cool it was, it was not as cool as what Bryce Harper is doing now at 22 years old.  The young star for the Washington Nationals is becoming a household name and, considering the spotlight that was on him from such a young age, it’s remarkable to think that just now is he really coming into his own and taking his fame to the next level. In the last 12 games, Harper is hitting .535 with 10 homers and 23 RBI, with an OPS of 1.978. That is just stupid. During that stretch the Nationals are 10-2 and have quickly caught up to the Mets, who may be starting to remember that they are in fact, the Mets.

It would be inaccurate to say that what Harper has done recently is shocking; it’s no secret that he is one of the brightest young stars in baseball today. However, to the extent at which he’s performed in the last two week is still pretty jarring. Harper leads the league in homers, slugging, OBP, OPS, runs scored, walks, and total bases. Yes you saw that correctly, he leads the league in walks! This is quite a notable development and his stats are partly a by-product of his increased patience at the plate. He has a 22 BB% which is considerably higher than his previous years in the majors. He is still going to strike out frequently, but strikeouts do not mean much when you are putting up these types of numbers.

Injuries in 2013 and 2014 hampered Harper’s ability to have his coming out party, even though the numbers he put up were still pretty good for a 20/21 year old. Now in his fourth season in the majors, the Nationals faithful are hoping that he puts a full season together and gets the Nationals, not only a playoff berth, but past the first round. So far so good as he has already virtually eclipsed his numbers from last year already and that’s only through 40 games. All this from a guy making $2.5 million this season!

Believe it or not, the argument is now being made that the best player in baseball is not Mike Trout, but Harper. Indeed, Trout’s claim to that title was short-lived, and granted, one that probably should not be taken away too hastily.  But the fact that the conversation has validity to it now is great for baseball – having more than one contender for “best player in the game” does nothing but help the sport.

Historically speaking, there are limited examples of young players who came on the scene at the same time and created debate about who was better. In the early 1950s Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Duke Snider not only were trying to lay claim to being the best center fielder in baseball, they all played in New York. In the end, injury hampered Mantle and doomed him to second place in most people’s minds behind Mays.

Part of the reason the Harper-Trout comparison is so perfect is they each won Rookie of the Year in the same season (2012) and are separated in age by just over a year (Trout being the eldest). Their skills are comparable and each possesses a personality that invites attention and adoration. Kris Bryant might also try to insert his name into the discussion as the season progresses and he continues to improve.

Baseball has long dealt with the issue of being too regional and not doing a good job of marketing their players on a national scale. Certainly not as well as the NBA or NFL do and that has hurt the sport’s popularity. Having a handful of players that are young, charistmatic, good-looking and really good at their craft can only be good for the sport as a whole.

Regardless of the debate, there is no denying that Harper is playing the best baseball currently in the majors and he isn’t showing signs of stopping.  The Nationals need him to continue to carry the team toward October and while it’s unrealistic to expect him to continue at this torrid pace, being half as good as he has been recently would suffice for the Nationals playoff aspirations.