When Bryce Harper’s face ran into a fence

Just yesterday, Grant Brisbee wrote an essay headlined “Waiting until Bryce Harper does something”.

Well, last night Bryce Harper did something:

Grant’s essay was tied to a full-length, video-and-graphically enhanced story (via The Washington Post) about Bryce Harper’s swing. Here’s a quick snippet:

Harper, at 20 years old, has grasped every skill necessary on a Major League Baseball diamond. He tracked down flyballs in center field as a 19-year-old rookie at an elite rate. His throws from left rocket to the infield as if propelled by jet fuel. He runs the bases with such aggression his helmet routinely flies off. At the center of Harper’s soaring talent, though, is an exquisitely ferocious swing that has made him one of the best hitters in the world before his 21st birthday.

Maybe Harper hasn’t quite grasped every necessary skill. Watching the replay up in the booth, F.P. Santangelo said, “I mean, obviously he thought he had tons more room than he had, because he pulled up right here. He’s going to play it off the wall. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Harper’s already a tremendous player, and will probably play for another 20-odd years. But he might still have a thing or two to learn about the game.