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We know Harper can play; time will tell whether his act will as well We know Harper can play; time will tell whether his act will as well
(about 4 hours later)
When Bryce Harper says, “Baseball’s tired” and needs a jolt of joy from a new generation of more extroverted stars (like . . . well . . . Bryce himself), he isn’t fighting a new battle. In fact, in his attention-grabbing comments in the latest ESPN the Magazine, Harper is wrestling with an ancient issue: Should any sport, especially summer-tempo baseball, have an unwritten code of conventional conduct for the sake of a dubious decorum? Call it a self-imposed layer of boredom. For generations, when given a choice between exuberance and the possibility of “showing up” a foe, baseball has too often said: Go crawl in a hole.When Bryce Harper says, “Baseball’s tired” and needs a jolt of joy from a new generation of more extroverted stars (like . . . well . . . Bryce himself), he isn’t fighting a new battle. In fact, in his attention-grabbing comments in the latest ESPN the Magazine, Harper is wrestling with an ancient issue: Should any sport, especially summer-tempo baseball, have an unwritten code of conventional conduct for the sake of a dubious decorum? Call it a self-imposed layer of boredom. For generations, when given a choice between exuberance and the possibility of “showing up” a foe, baseball has too often said: Go crawl in a hole.
From Willie Mays basket catches to Pete Rose sprinting to first on a walk to Dennis Eckersley fanning his finger-pistol at hitters he’d struck out, baseball needs all the authentic extroverted individuality it can get. As the NFL bangs its head against horrific brain-injury issues that may linger for decades, MLB could be the sport best positioned to gain market share — if it can speed its pace, boost its energy and publicize young stars. From Willie Mays basket catches to Pete Rose sprinting to first on a walk to Dennis Eckersley fanning his finger-pistol at hitters he had struck out, baseball needs all the authentic extroverted individuality it can get. As the NFL bangs its head against horrific brain-injury issues that may linger for decades, MLB could be the league best positioned to gain market share — if it can speed its pace, boost its energy and publicize young stars.
Harper spotted this long ago. At one all-star game, he held court on media day, bemoaning the gap between his dreary jeans-and-camouflage-hat sport as opposed to the NFL and NBA with its unabashed high-Q stars. Why doesn’t MLB embrace fashion, music trends and magazine cover shoots, he asked? Why doesn’t it market its stars as pop culture trend-setters, such as LeBron James or Tom Brady? As he spoke, Harper wore pink-and-white-peppermint retro Chuck Taylors sneakers. Oh, yes, they worked. Harper spotted this long ago. At one All-Star Game, he held court on media day, bemoaning the gap between his dreary jeans-and-camouflage-hat sport as opposed to the NFL and NBA with its unabashed high-Q stars. Why doesn’t MLB embrace fashion, music trends and magazine cover shoots, he asked? Why doesn’t it market its stars as pop culture trend-setters, such as LeBron James or Tom Brady? As he spoke, Harper wore pink-and-white-peppermint retro Chuck Taylors sneakers. Oh, yes, they worked.
Now, from the bully pulpit as reigning National League MVP, Harper is doubling down on his basic premise: You should be happy you’ve finally got a star who isn’t afraid to live his life large and be himself.Now, from the bully pulpit as reigning National League MVP, Harper is doubling down on his basic premise: You should be happy you’ve finally got a star who isn’t afraid to live his life large and be himself.
“It’s a tired sport, because you can’t express yourself. You can’t do what people in other sports do,” Harper said in an ESPN the Magazine interview. “I’m not saying baseball is . . . boring . . . but it’s the excitement of the young guys who are coming into the game now who have flair. If that’s Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom or Manny Machado or Joc Pederson or Andrew McCutchen or Yasiel Puig — there’s so many guys now who are so much fun.” “It’s a tired sport because you can’t express yourself. You can’t do what people in other sports do,” Harper said in an ESPN the Magazine interview. “I’m not saying baseball is . . . boring . . . but it’s the excitement of the young guys who are coming into the game now who have flair. If that’s Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom or Manny Machado or Joc Pederson or Andrew McCutchen or Yasiel Puig — there’s so many guys now who are so much fun.”
[Bryce Harper is here to demolish baseball’s unwritten rules][Bryce Harper is here to demolish baseball’s unwritten rules]
Many of us grew up grinning at Muhammad Ali’s “I am the greatest” or rooting for Joe Namath to pull off his Super Bowl “guarantee.” As long as you aren’t just a self-promoting fake, as long as your public persona resembles your real personality, we’re good to go. Takes all kinds. If you can pull it off, it’s also good for your sport. If you can’t, you look like a fool — which is okay, too. We’ll judge our reaction case-by-case.Many of us grew up grinning at Muhammad Ali’s “I am the greatest” or rooting for Joe Namath to pull off his Super Bowl “guarantee.” As long as you aren’t just a self-promoting fake, as long as your public persona resembles your real personality, we’re good to go. Takes all kinds. If you can pull it off, it’s also good for your sport. If you can’t, you look like a fool — which is okay, too. We’ll judge our reaction case-by-case.
However, just so Bryce knows, there’s often a price for extremely “free” speech. And for getting in the last word, too. Jonathan Papelbon will learn of Harper’s latest comments. The Nats’ reliever will know to which person, out of the 7.4 billion on Earth, those comments most perfectly apply: him. And the smoldering embers of the nearly extinguished Harp-Pap-Fan-Appreciation-Day strangulation cage match will have just a teeny tiny chance to reignite.However, just so Bryce knows, there’s often a price for extremely “free” speech. And for getting in the last word, too. Jonathan Papelbon will learn of Harper’s latest comments. The Nats’ reliever will know to which person, out of the 7.4 billion on Earth, those comments most perfectly apply: him. And the smoldering embers of the nearly extinguished Harp-Pap-Fan-Appreciation-Day strangulation cage match will have just a teeny tiny chance to reignite.
Papelbon, who threw at Machado’s head (twice) for hot-dogging a home run trot (and got suspended for it), is the oldest of old-school code enforcers. Harper, who showed up Papelbon after that game by saying what Pap did was “tired” and that now he would probably get drilled in retaliation, is the newest of the new school. That famous fight last September — entirely Papelbon’s doing — was 99 percent about their publicly exposed disagreement about the don’t-show-me-up code. Papelbon, who threw at Machado’s head (twice) for hot-dogging a home run trot (and got suspended for it), is the oldest of old-school code enforcers. Harper, who showed up Papelbon after that game by saying what Pap did was “tired” and that now he would probably get drilled in retaliation, is the newest of the new school. That famous fight in September — entirely Papelbon’s doing — was 99 percent about their publicly exposed disagreement about the don’t-show-me-up code.
So, while Harper has the high ground on the general issue, he also has picked a touchy time — spring training with a new manager after a horrible Nats season and with Pap still in D.C. — to say this: “Jose Fernandez will strike you out and stare you down into the dugout and pump his fist. And if you hit a homer and pimp it? He doesn’t care. Because you got him. That’s part of the game. It’s not the old feeling: hoorah . . . if you pimp a homer, I’m going to hit you right in the teeth. No . . . I mean, sorry.” So while Harper has the high ground on the general issue, he also has picked a touchy time — spring training with a new manager after a horrible Nats season and with Pap still in D.C. — to say this: “Jose Fernandez will strike you out and stare you down into the dugout and pump his fist. And if you hit a homer and pimp it? He doesn’t care. Because you got him. That’s part of the game. It’s not the old feeling: Hoorah . . . if you pimp a homer, I’m going to hit you right in the teeth. No . . . I mean, sorry.”
If Harper said he thinks the future of MLB should be pitchers such as Fernandez facing hitters such as him, then where does that leave Pap? Hint: in the late Neolithic, polishing a stone.If Harper said he thinks the future of MLB should be pitchers such as Fernandez facing hitters such as him, then where does that leave Pap? Hint: in the late Neolithic, polishing a stone.
Like “Where’s my ring?” last year, Harper has a way of saying something that is either defensible or, if you actually hear him say it, unobjectionable, yet quickly goes viral. You know, like bubonic plague.Like “Where’s my ring?” last year, Harper has a way of saying something that is either defensible or, if you actually hear him say it, unobjectionable, yet quickly goes viral. You know, like bubonic plague.
[When Bryce Harper became baseball’s best player][When Bryce Harper became baseball’s best player]
In baseball, there are two different “unwritten codes.” They are often confused or comingled. The first is the “don’t-show-me-up” code. That’s largely an expendable vestige of previous eras. It’s about “reading” gestures of supposed disrespect. In other words, it’s mostly macho nonsense. In baseball, there are two different “unwritten codes.” They are often confused or commingled. The first is the “don’t-show-me-up” code. That’s largely an expendable vestige of previous eras. It’s about “reading” gestures of supposed disrespect. In other words, it’s mostly macho nonsense.
The second code, however, is an inevitable part of every game in which physical risks are high and a team that can intimidate its foe has a true advantage. In the NFL, NHL and MLB, no team needs to start a fight, but no team can run from them either. You can’t allow yourself to be bullied in those pro sports any more than you can on a playground, in business or politics. Harper’s got no problem with that code.The second code, however, is an inevitable part of every game in which physical risks are high and a team that can intimidate its foe has a true advantage. In the NFL, NHL and MLB, no team needs to start a fight, but no team can run from them either. You can’t allow yourself to be bullied in those pro sports any more than you can on a playground, in business or politics. Harper’s got no problem with that code.
The jury is no longer out on Bryce Harper as a baseball player. A year ago, he still might have turned out to be exceptional. Now, his sport’s had four years to figure him out and vice versa. Who won? Last year, Harper had an average season — for Ted Williams. Once you’ve hit that level, especially at 22, you’re going to have roughly similar seasons in the future if you’re healthy. The jury is no longer out on Bryce Harper as a baseball player. A year ago, he still might have turned out to be exceptional. Now his sport’s had four years to figure him out and vice versa. Who won? Last year, Harper had an average season — for Ted Williams. Once you’ve hit that level, especially at 22, you’re going to have roughly similar seasons in the future if you’re healthy.
What we don’t know is how Harper’s personality is going to play, over time, within his whole sport and within his own clubhouse. So far, the only Nat who has been offended has been Papelbon — and only one time. The list is arm-long of veteran Nats in recent years who either had no problem with Harper (as long as he produced), or thought he was making adequate progress as a teammate or who absolutely loved his kick-their-butts attitude. Each year, he got better overall reviews — even before his MVP year. What we don’t know is how Harper’s personality is going to play, over time, within his whole sport and within his own clubhouse. So far, the only Nat who has been offended has been Papelbon — and only one time. The list is arm long of veteran Nats in recent years who either had no problem with Harper (as long as he produced),or thought he was making adequate progress as a teammate or who absolutely loved his kick-their-butts attitude. Each year, he got better overall reviews — even before his MVP year.
But Harper’s always going to push the envelope. He is as inconspicuous as the Vegas Strip at 2 a.m. And about as cautious, too. It’s spring training, so that means Harper was bound to give us the State of the Bryce.But Harper’s always going to push the envelope. He is as inconspicuous as the Vegas Strip at 2 a.m. And about as cautious, too. It’s spring training, so that means Harper was bound to give us the State of the Bryce.
J.J. Watt is evidently on board, having tweeted: “Bryce Harper. Spot On. #SportsAreSupposedToBeFun”J.J. Watt is evidently on board, having tweeted: “Bryce Harper. Spot On. #SportsAreSupposedToBeFun”
As for me, can’t wait for Opening Day in Atlanta. Time for a new Harper hairdo and, maybe, rub out that hallowed Braves logo again with some iridescent red-white-and-blue star-spangled cleats.As for me, can’t wait for Opening Day in Atlanta. Time for a new Harper hairdo and, maybe, rub out that hallowed Braves logo again with some iridescent red-white-and-blue star-spangled cleats.
For more by Thomas Boswell, visit washingtonpost.com/boswell.For more by Thomas Boswell, visit washingtonpost.com/boswell.