Bryce Harper's premature major league debut proved useful for Washington Nationals-MLB
Promoting outfielder Bryce Harper to the major league earlier than it was expected was a difficult decision for the Washington Nationals.
Fortunately, it proved extremely useful.
The move was prompted by the injuries sustained by some of the established players of the Nationals during the season.
The team had no choice but to look up to talented minor leaguers, while the likes of Jayson Werth, Michael Morse and Ryan Zimmerman suffered injuries.
Harper accepted the challenge immediately as he started performing well after marking his major league debut.
As a result, he removed apprehensions of some of the officials of the team regarding his early introduction to the big league.
Right from day one, he acted as a regular outfielder. Besides striking home runs and stealing bases consistently, he made some unbelievable plays from the field.
As an acknowledgment of his standout performances, he clinched the Rookie of the Year Award.
Sometimes, the decisions that look unwarranted in the first place produce valuable dividends. The case of Harper presents an excellent example of it.
Unlike the reservations of some of the Nationals’ officials at the time of sending Harper to the big league, manager Davey Johnson was completely satisfied with the decision.
“I think the organization’s decision to handle him the way we did was fine,” Johnson said. “It was the perfect way to do it.”
Johnson has reportedly played an important role in expediting Harper’s journey toward the major league.
He was always assured that Harper possesses the credentials to shine against any opposition.
Harper lived up to the evaluations of his manager as he produced home runs against some of the formidable opponents during the last season.
For example, in Game 5 during the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, he was among the few batters from the team who stepped up at the plate.
Harper struck a home run and a triple during the match but unfortunately he could not save the Nationals from defeat.
The experience earned during the last season will help Harper immensely in 2013.
He is in a far better position at the moment to perform at his maximum potential. Indeed, fans of the Nationals are expecting another remarkable expedition from him.
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