3 years ago
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It’s that clip of the shot twelvemonth again, the idiosyncratic grant season. Who’s the MVP? Who’s the Cy Young winner? Rookie of the Year?
Does the MVP person to travel from a squad successful the postseason? Does MVP mean “most invaluable subordinate to a team” oregon “best subordinate successful the league”? There’s ne'er been a clear-cut reply to these.
I’ve got 1 clear-cut reply for you: Bryce Harper is THE astir invaluable subordinate to his squad successful the National League. He’s the clear-cut MVP if the explanation is genuinely Most VALUABLE Player.
Shouldn’t this grant spell to the presumption subordinate whose squad would beryllium astir astatine a nonaccomplishment without him? The Braves person Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley, each astatine 30 homers oregon more. The Braves would contend if they mislaid immoderate 1 of them. Max Muncy, a Dodgers candidate, is adjacent 35 HRs and 90 RBIs, and Justin Turner and Will Smith each person 25 homers and upward of 80 RBIs, a beauteous coagulated threesome.
Fernando Tatis Jr., with astir 40 HRs and 100 RBIs, has had a magnificent year, immoderate would accidental an MVP-caliber year. But helium has enactment from Manny Machado, who volition person 30 HRs and 100 RBIs, and the Padres person each but fallen retired postseason contention. The Giants, a bully astonishment successful the NL, are getting large contributions from Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt.
Bryce Harper is an enigma. You either emotion him oregon hatred him, arsenic they say. He plays each time and helium plays hard. He loves unit and is not acrophobic to fail, and helium puts “it” retired determination — “it” meaning helium knows he’s the halfway of attraction and enjoys being “the man.” Most players don’t person that benignant of talent, oregon don’t privation the pressure.
I tin sum this each up: He is today’s Pete Rose with power.
From opening time till August 1, Harper would hold helium was astatine champion a mediocre player. He inactive looked overmuch similar the subordinate helium was successful DC, wherever helium couldn’t get distant from that “all oregon nothing” trap. Occasional headlines, but accordant inconsistency. It’s casual to bash that these days with the accent connected the agelong ball.
He did not marque the All-Star squad with a .282 average, 15 HRs and 34 RBIs — decent numbers, but acold from league leading.
In my opinion, this first-half show was a operation of nagging injuries, mediocre hitting mechanics and nary consciousness of urgency. He simply changed his attack to including near field, accepting walks and letting the crippled travel to him.
Then came the large turnaround, erstwhile the squad was nether .500. On Aug. 1, Harper deed 3 doubles and started the Phillies connected an eight-game triumph streak. He started to play the game, utilizing the other field, bunting, assertive baserunning, hellhole bent connected sparking the team, Citizens Bank Park and grabbing the MVP.
Since past the Phillies are 27-21 and successful contention. Harper has deed .345 with a league-leading OPS up astir 1.250, 17 HRs, 42 RBIs, 40 walks, 36 extra-base hits, and an OBP implicit .460. He was hitting .385 with runners successful scoring position, with 13 walks successful those at-bats.
To marque matters worse, Rhys Hoskins, his extortion successful the lineup, was mislaid for the season. Since August, determination person been 5 antithetic cleanup hitters down Harper. His at-bats with RISP were seventh connected the team, his teammates are getting much chances.
Simply put, what Harper has done is unbelievable. And not conscionable with the bat.
He has walked, stolen a base, scored a tally oregon helped the squad with defense. He’s the feline the absorption won’t fto bushed them, but helium finds a way. He sees much left-handed pitchers than immoderate left-handed hitter successful past different than Barry Bonds, it seems to me. Imagine, adjacent to 50% lefties and the shift, inactive .345 since Aug. 1.
He’s the MVP!
Harper and his squad person done it the close mode successful Philly. Branding geniuses person fixed Harper to the fans arsenic a gift. He plays to the crowd, helium wears chaotic colors, his radical cognize conscionable however to accessorize him and make memorabilia-themed for each occasions. For each Schmidt jersey, determination are 10 Harpers.
In the American League, Shohei Ohtani and Vlad Guerrero Jr. person separated themselves from the pack. Ohtani has had a twelvemonth dissimilar immoderate successful history, 9-2 arsenic a starting pitcher and 45 HRs arsenic a hitter.
Vlad Jr., adjacent to 50 HRs and 115 RBIs. The MVP and Player of the Year successful immoderate order. I similar Guerrero Jr arsenic MVP, Ohtani the Player of Year.
The National League MVP is Bryce Harper, who connected Aug. 1 enactment his squad connected his back, became the champion subordinate successful the league, and stole it.
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