The Warrior

Paul O'Neill is currently known as "The Warrior" but I'm giving that name to young phenom Bryce Harper. He plays the game hard and his warrior spirit never quits. As a nineteen year old rookie Harper had the courage to attempt to steal home off of All Star left handed pitcher Cole Hamels. The craziest part of that story is the fact that he was successful. There are plenty of guys who play the game hard, but when you combine that with once in a lifetime talent, you understand how 'phenom' comes from the word phenomenal.

I don't think it was a coincidence that the Nationals made their first playoff appearance ever the same year Harper joined the team. The now twenty year old outfielder brings his passion for the game to the park everyday. He plays the same way that Pete Rose did during his time; giving 110% and leading by example. Whether its running down a fly ball in the gap or beating out an infield single, Harper plays the game on a different level.

Harper is officially 23 games into his sophomore season and there is not a single sign of a slump. He has a beyond impressive .373 batting average and an even more impressive .453 on base percentage. That shows that about 8% of his plate appearances result in a walk. For a twenty year old hitting everything in the ballpark that is a great combination of incredible patience and plate vision. Also displaying tremendous power in the form of 9 home runs Harper is separating himself from the competition and as an elite player.

Reiterating the passion and the hustle Harper plays with can not only be seen in the game, but in his statistics. he has coming up in clutch situations by collecting 18 RBIs on the young season and legging out 5 doubles and 1 triple. You won't ever see Harper jogging into second, if there is even the slightest possibility he can get that extra base he will be running as hard as he can.

Being only twenty years old, Harper is displaying talent beyond his years. Harper's rookie season was better than Ken Griffey Jr., who was also nineteen when he debuted and Harper's sophomore season is on track to be better than Griffey Jr.'s as well. Now that he has established himself, now that he has learned the pitchers in the league, now that he is comfortable, and now that he knows he is here to stay there is no limit on Bryce Harper's success. Come the end of the season it wouldn't be obscured to call him the youngest MVP ever. The Warrior may be deemed with the title Most Valuable Player after leading his troops to a World Series victory.