Nationals prospect Bryce Harper blows pitcher a kiss
In 232 plate appearances this season, Harper is batting .342/.435/.623 with 14 home runs, 42 RBI and 12 steals.
Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals are floundering in last place, leading some to hope that Harper could miraculously rise to the major-league level as soon as this season.
But then came the kiss. Followed shortly by an avalanche of media finger-wagging.
Former Nationals GM Jim Bowden writes on ESPN.com that immaturity could hold Harper back.
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt displayed fatherly disapproval: “Just hit your home runs and hit 'em like you're used to hitting 'em, not like you're surprised when you hit one.”
And Hardball Talk's Craig Calcaterra speaks to the repercussions of this sort of behavior:
"...if he doesn’t learn a bit of humility at some point on his journey to greatness, he’s going to get his ribs broken."
But not all are rushing to lambaste Harper. Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes that Harper's attitude could be a good thing for Major League Baseball, playing an antihero role similar to LeBron James with the Miami Heat.
And the Christian Science Monitor's David Grant acknowledges the maturity issues, but writes that Harper is "worth every dime" nonetheless.
Is the kiss a sign of immaturity? Yes. As does the number "1992" where is says Date of Birth on the backs of Harper's baseball cards. It also shows that he's not a robot devoid of emotion and personality, even if it rubs people the wrong way. As Passan suggests, that's something baseball fans can be excited about.
read more: masslive
