Bryce Harper - Basbeall's Golden Child or Pluto Nash?

Baseball’s been berry berry good to Bryce

Don’t get me wrong. I love hearing talk about a “can’t miss” prospect in any sport, particularly in baseball, as it holds an artistic, spiritual place in my life that other sports can’t match. But I have to wonder whether all the hype being heaped upon the shoulders of 16-year-old Las Vegas High School student Bryce Harper is fair to the young pitcher-catcher-third baseman - or warranted. At the very least, being on the current cover of Sports Illustrated is sure to remind some of the “cover jinx.”

Granted, there’s lots of evidence of Bryce Harper’s skill. He appears to be the very model of what Tommy Lasorda once called the “five-tool” player: He can hit for average, hit for power, run, field and throw. As a sophomore, Harper hit .626 with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in 115 at-bats. The barrage included 22 doubles, nine triples and 36 stolen bases. He also struck out only five times. I’d take him on my sandlot team for sure (and I am trying to start one, let me know if you’re interested).

But for each high school player who has been taken in the MLB draft and gone on to a successful careers, there are multitudes more who have gone on to 9-to-5 jobs with low pay and the occasional quick cash from pay day loans to help them turn the corner between paychecks. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Bryce Harper - Basbeall's Golden Child or Pluto Nash?"