Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper will stand out for Washington Nationals during 2013-MLB Part 3
Despite being far from perfection, Harper pulled off certain distinctions that award him the status of a legend in the making.
For example, players become the legends when they produce extra ordinary performances in critical matches. Those contests where the fate of the team is decided and the loss results in an exit from the season are tests for great players.
Their repute is determined through the kind of contributions they make in those fixtures.
Harper performed for Washington during 2012 when it was needed the most. The game, which spelled the end of the expedition of the Nationals, saw him stand out and do everything he could to save the team.
He slammed a home run right at the start of the game, followed by the triple late in the innings. It was amazing to see him keep coming at the opposition time-and-again and try to disallow them to claim victory.
Unfortunately despite his heroic display, relievers ruined his contribution as they leaked runs and handed win to the opposition.
It is important to mention here that it was the match when the majority of the players were under pressure. Their performance was affected due to this.
To shine when others fail owing to the fear of the big match proves the class of Harper. It shows that Harper’s lineage is different.
The Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson pointed out the role of the relief pitchers and how he tried to stop the Cardinals from experiencing run-spree during the penultimate innings. He mentioned his ploy of using Edwin Jackson and how it helped his team to
get close to the victory before Drew Storen spoiled the chances.
“I just felt like Jackson was the best choice I had to get through that part of that lineup,” Johnson said. “He did the job for me. He gave up a run, but he did what we needed to to get to the people we needed to get to.”
Indeed, Harper was disappointed after the defeat but he had made his mark. By that home run and the triple, he warned the contenders for the post-season for 2013 that he is coming at them again.
He made them consider him a threat, especially during decisive matches.
"It's not how I wanted my year to end, definitely. I wanted to play deeper into the postseason," Harper said. "Not ready to go home, not ready to take off that uniform. It's just something that happened. We'll come back next year and not let it happen."
Undeniably, Harper is like a gold mine discovered for the Nationals. The benefits from which will continue coming for the many years to come as not even a fraction has been excavated from it yet.
Both, Harper and Werth, will be the players to watch during the 2013 major league season.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: