Bryce Harper: A star in the making for the Washington Nationals - Part 2
His entry into baseball has sparked enthusiasm across the world, as observed only once in decades, one that turns a player into a star before he even shows credentials on the ground to justify the status. One doubts if he can shoulder such a gigantic upsurge
of expectations overnight and if he can keep his talent afloat amidst commotions and ruckus being made of him.
He is still 19. Irrespective of the talent he has yet to learn the art of staying aloof from the public, staying busy with the business at hand and not getting carried away by the hype. His eccentric look and freakish hairstyle only prove his teenage quirks
and tell how much he has to mature as yet.
He has all that makes one a crowd darling and thus requiring special treatment from the manager to remain focused and unprovoked is something he will compel his manager Davey Johnson for, at-least during initial stages of his Major League career.
Only few months ago, Harper was struggling in the Minor League, mainly due to an overwhelming place he gave in his mind to a malicious prospect of being unable to prove his mettle for the Majors. This explains a mindset which is prone to pessimism in the
face of extra-ordinary confidence management will put in him.
Put this in connection of an involvement of fans now in the whole process and one can deduce a kind of delicate passage he will traverse through and kind of attention management owes him.
However in his first game at home, he was calm and collective, insensitive to noises hurling into his ears and all-focused on the play.
He will respond to the crowd in a rabbit like antics just as he makes to the field and afterwards he will not look back again. He will react to the hits like a horse being triggered for a life-time goal.
His hair will make him stand out and worth bearing a spotlight from every corner of the stands. Yet he will remain unaffected and will not let the crowd dictate his actions in the meantime.
Attitude he exhibited there should continue like this.
His prodigy is undoubted. His hits predict fireworks of homers in the making, his movements on the field reflect a prognosis of misery for base-runners while he is there, his speed speaks of bases he will be stealing and RBIs he will be generating. In-short
he heralds a beginning of a new chapter in the history of baseball.
As young as he is, his power hitting prowess, his hunger for fame and longing for self-actualisation make him distinctive addition in the whole pyramid of the evolution of baseball.
Getting derailed at this time when he finds a greatest opportunity ahead for proving his mettle will be the last thing he will want.
His club needs him more than his mere display as a piece of consummate of excitement of the fans, especially when Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse are not in the line-up for lifting the charge late in the innings.
What will be a very interesting part to keep waiting for in the season is whether Harper will be able unleash his legendary play in the season he is being touted about or will need a few years for gaining maturity needed by him to live up to that.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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