Bryce Harper, meet the world. World, meet Bryce Harper. Oh, and you may want to add him to your contacts list. That would be a very wise decision.
In the past 16 years, several events have changed the world. America elects its first African-American President. 9/11. The Dark Knight. Bryce Harper was born. And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, I introduce you to future Hall of Famer, Bryce Harper.
Now there is no way possible that right off the bat (no pun intended) can a 16-year-old boy out of Las Vegas be promoted as baseball’s savior. Yet I assure you, this case is different. This guy may very well be the real deal.
When one thinks of Major League Baseball legends, several names come to mind. Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, among several others. Now imagine this: Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Johnny Bench, and Pete Rose rolled up into one human body. The ultimate athlete. Bryce Harper.
Harper, a sophomore in high school in Las Vegas, Nev., is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. He stands in at 6′3″ and a hefty 205 lbs. He is featured on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated, with the caption “Baseball’s Chosen One.”
When referring to Bryce, famed author and SI writer Tom Verducci claimed that he, “has faster bat speed than Mark McGwire in his prime and runs so fast that he scored on wild pitches six times this season from second base. As a catcher, he picks off runners from his knees, and when he pitches, he throws a fastball that has been clocked at 96 mph.”
Along with several other writers, I was startled upon hearing this. It is almost like a Chuck Norris joke. Soon we will be hearing how Bryce Harper can run around the bases before the bat even touches the ground. That seriously is how crazy this is. Never before has anyone seen this talent at such a young age in any sport. By the time he is a senior, his hype meter will be larger than that of LeBron James’ was back in 2002.
While all of this seems too good to be true, there is more. It is rumored he has hit home runs as far as 570 feet, with the ability to consistently hit them as far as 500. Back in January, Harper displayed his talent. He broke the record for longest home run hit at Tropicana Field. 502 feet.
As mentioned prior, this may be no more than a fluke. Names such as Ryan Leaf may even ring a bell in this case. If this kid is for real though, look out everyone. King Harper is coming.
Alongside, he apparently already has contact with super-agent Scott Boras, and claims he wants to be wearing Yankee pinstripes. Well Bryce, it truly is a shame that the Nationals or Pirates do not have stripes. Good luck bud, we will hopefully be seeing you soon.
A video of Bryce in action can be found here.
Picture Source: Yahoo! Sports
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