Home Run Derby Thoughts

So here was my night last night.  

I get home about 8:30.  Had Pedro Alvarez not been participating in the Home Run Derby, I would not have turned the TV on, but I did, just as Yeonis Cespedes was finishing his 17 homer stint, and just as Pedro was stepping into the batter's box.  Yes, I did watch his performance.  I'm glad he put on a show of sorts.  Some of his six HR's were real dingers, but I was glad to see that he did not appear to be over extending himself and swinging from his heals on every pitch.  I was also glad that he got passed up and did not go into the second round.

I will admit that I then watched Chris Davis and Bryce Harper take their cuts.  I'll tell you what, from the time I first became aware of Bryce Harper in that Sports lllustrated cover story when he was 16 years old, he has been a very hard person to like.  I guess he is this generation's version of Pete Rose - you like him if he plays for YOUR team, but can't stand him if he plays for the Other Guys.  (And admit it, Steelers fans, Hines Ward and James Harrison were those kinds of guys, too.)

Anyway, once I realized that Pedro was not going to advance to the next round, I switched to "The Big Break" (Spoiler Alert:  Was glad to see Chad get eliminated.  He was one obnoxious dude), and to my DVR'd "Pardon the Interuption".

When those shows were done, I went back to the HRD in time for the final Harper-Cespedes showdown.  Harper really looked like he was working hard.  Cespedes made it look really easy.

And Chris Berman was everything I expected him to be during the telecast.  Take that any way you wish.

Bryce Harper Arrives

Back in June, 2009, Sports Illustrated  ran this cover story on 16 year old high school baseball player Bryce Harper, proclaiming him baseball's "Chosen One", much as they did with LeBron James a few years before.  I can remember reading the article and thinking, "what an arrogant, insufferable little pr**k this kid is", and, of course, his parents were stereotypical baseball stage parents of the worst kind.  No wonder the kid was such a jagoff.


I also remember thinking, "you know, I don't want to hope that anyone fails at what they choose to do with their life (so long as it's legal), but in this case, I really hope this kid fails."  


Of course, a year later, after the kid, his parents, and Scott Boras somehow pulled an end-around getting through high school and college, he, Harper, became the #1 overall pick in the MLB Entry Draft.  Nothing I have since read about Harper has given me any reason to change my initial judgement of him.  


Yesterday, the Washington Nationals announced that they were bring Harper, age 19, up to the big leagues, and he makes his debut in Los Angeles tonight against the Dodgers.


Now if Harper were with the Pirates, I'm sure I'd feel differently, but I'm still hoping that the kid bombs out.