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Bryce Harper Leading The Movement To Rejuvenate The MLB

By Nicholas Sciria
Published on: 07:17 PST, Mar 10, 2016

Bryce Harper has never been afraid to speak his mind. Harper has been at the center of several intense confrontations and emotional tirades, and he seemingly has no regard for his public perception. Most recently, Harper found himself in a shouting match and eventual chokehold with teammate Jonathan Papelbon. The two teammates did not see eye to eye with Papelbon’s move to intentionally hit Manny Machado after a home run in the previous at bat.

This conflict in the Washington Nationals’ dugout is much deeper than a pitcher’s decision to drill a player intentionally. Harper believes that current players are held to a strict code of MLB conduct and tradition, and consequently, the MLB has no place for freedom of expression. Simply, Harper wants the MLB to foster a climate where more players feel that they can express their feelings without breaking any unwritten baseball rules.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Harper explained his thoughts about the unwritten rules that make the MLB less entertaining to watch than the NFL or NBA.

“If a guy pumps his fist at me on the mound, I’m going to go, ‘Yeah, you got me. Good for you. Hopefully I get you next time.’ That’s what makes the game fun. You want kids to play the game, right? What are kids playing these days? Football, basketball. Look at those players — Steph Curry, LeBron James. It’s exciting to see those players in those sports. Cam Newton — I love the way Cam goes about it. He smiles, he laughs. It’s that flair. The dramatic.”

Of course, Newton and Curry have captivated the sports world in recent months in their own respective ways. Newton, on one hand, founded the common celebration called “dabbing,” something that could undoubtedly be seen in any middle school lunch room across America. And, on the other hand, Curry’s three-point shooting prowess has been a template for emulation for teenagers across the country. Just walk into any high school gym and observe where on the court players tend to gravitate towards as they practice.

Compared to the certified trademarks of other big time athletes in other sports leagues, the MLB game seems dull, even lifeless. Harper finds it hard to believe that without a more free game that hinges less on the game’s unwritten rules, the MLB will ever gain enough traction to compete with other sports leagues.

Now, in the search for a more entertaining game, Harper looks fit to lead the charge. As ESPN explains, Harper has the personality to begin this cultural shift.

“It’s a big dream. But if not him, who? Mike Trout is Harper’s equal as a player, but he’s as publicly charismatic as a plate of sand. Harper, in true prodigy fashion, demands attention. In Game 4 of the 2014 division series against the Giants, he stood on deck in the seventh inning with the Giants leading 2-1. A fan in the sunken seats about 10 feet away, holding a glass of red wine, berated Harper with an intensity that couldn’t be ignored.”

In the end, baseball purists will disavow Harper. Purists cannot fathom baseball without the unwritten rules that have presided in the heart of their favorite sport for so long. They believe that these unwritten rules cannot coexist with the freedom of expression that Harper wants infused in the game. On the other hand, Harper will continue to campaign for a league that relishes a player’s right to expression that could potentially enhance the league, its competition and its entertainment factor.

What do you think? Can the unwritten MLB rules coexist in a league that also allows players to express their feelings?

[Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images]

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