A few weeks ago Sports Illustrated put a 16 year old kid on their cover who they gave some pretty high praise, The Lebron of Baseball, the Chosen One among others and his rap sheet read like a tall tale. 96 mile per hour fastball, 570 foot home runs (that's right 570), .626 batting average, it was hard ot believe, I had to see it to believe it. Thankfully we live in an age of youtube and I got my wish very quickly. If you get a chance look for it and the boy, check that, the man, named Bryce Harper is pretty incredible. Indeed, as you can see above the power display took place in Tropicana Field, and I've seen my share of games there, but I've NEVER seen anyone hit the ball where he was hitting it, it was pretty unbelievable. Well in the weeks since the publication of the SI cover story Harper has become a bit of a sensation, with clips of hime on YouTube to hundreds of fans showing up for HIGH SCHOOL GAMES and it seems that Bryce is siezing on that right now. Although only 16 years old, Harper is getting his GED and enrolling this fall into a community college to play with older kids and a wooden bat, but most importantly become draft elligible at the tender age of 17, but is he justified? Should he sacrifice his high school years for the big bucks? Although some may argue I say yes, chase your dreams Bryce, you're wasting your time in high school and your talent, get on the fast track and see if you really are every bit as good as they say.
There are many, like Jeff Pearlman whom I respect greatly who would argue that Bryce is rushing into things. Indeed, he and the rest of people of who echo his sentiment make a good point, after all its only another year more that he'd have to be in high school and there's probably a great deal he'd miss in social development, but at least from what I can tell, Bryce is no ordinary sixteen year old. For sure, as a guy who has been "the chosen one" by scouts everywhere he hasn't lived a normal life up to now, he's been on the road at home run derbys, all-star games all over the country while other kids were home grabbing drinks from their old man's liquor cabinet, he's just on another track. Indeed as a guy who's already routinely gets asked for autographs whereever he goes, this is not some 16 year old kid, on the field and in life he's a man, so why bother spinning his wheels in high school? Besides, his stock is high now, why not get the money when he can, who knows what will happen in the next two years? He could get hurt and never play again and he'll never be able to capitalize on his talent, but at least now Bryce stands a chance of cashing in on his gifts, the longer he's an amateur the greater the risk to him as an investment.
The other and probably more important reason for Bryce going to college to become draft elligible is that he seems like he's ready for it. Now granted my exposure to Bryce is limited, and fine writers like Tom Verducci are very deft at making their subject appear anyway they want to, but reading his quotes from the article I was struck at his confidence and maturity. For sure, after being told you're the best thing since sliced bread for so long can be a detriment to a young man, but Bryce seems to embrace it, but not content with the honors. Indeed, Bryce has big dreams and high aspirations for himself because he's a competitor at his core, a guy who wants to prove he's every bit as good as people say he is, which is why he's doing what he's doing now by enrolling into college. Sure Bryce could beat up on high school kids for the next two years, but he's not content to do that, he wants to be challanged to hone his skills and prove himself to the doubters and take the next step.
I for one am rooting for the kid, it would be such a shame to see Bryce never realize that talent that right now seems so boundless. After finding out about the guy and his character and how he handles everything he seems like a good guy a guy who has the wherewithal to do it, I just hope he doesn't become another flameout in the long line of "Next Big Things."
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