Here is a fabulous multi-media piece on Bryce Harper's swing. Regardless of your affinity or dislike for Harper, I'm hopeful you can appreciate all of the data collection that went into this article.
No need to bring this back to our novels or discussions in class, what do you think of the article? Any cool things you learned? Are you dying to becoming a sports statistician? Why do you think sports reporters and fans are always looking to compare current players to previous greats? Are we a nation always searching for our next hero? Is it only within the context of stats that we're able to define a great? So many questions ...
We are always looking for our next hero, at least in terms of sports heroes, because there is a generational wave where current players in the middle of their prime will eventually die out. That's a big responsibility to fill, so younger stars like Bryce Harper, who could potentially become these heros, become very hyped at a young age. Even though it's unfair to compare Harper, who is in his second major league season, to Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest player ever, comparisons like this make the game more exciting and also creates work for baseball statisticians. In today's world, we have the technology to analyze in great depth how good Bryce Harper can be and we can see if his predicted statistics match up with those of Ruth's. As a result, the game spreads and players like Harper become popular with not only the younger generation, but also older folks who are more aware of Ruth's dominance.
ReplyDeleteWhat sticks out for me in this article is how much of a natural Harper is. In talking about how he developed his swing, he says that it just happened. He never really focused on mechanical technique, but rather big picture questions like "Where do I want to hit the ball?" and "What feels comfortable?" I think that this is one of the defining features of a 'great.' That isn't to say that natural ability is all that it takes; Harper, after all, claimed to have hit millions of balls with his dad or during batting practice as a kid. However, all the greats (at least to my limited, limited knowledge) have had this sort of innate premonition about how to hit the ball. In that way, it isn't that the stats separates the 'greats' from the 'goods' in and of themselves, but that the greats generally have better stats based on this natural ability that they seem to hold.
ReplyDeleteI love this article because of the way the author integrates science into the study of something so natural. To analyze the mechanics of Harper's swing and find is so amazing, despite Harper himself "never really look[ing] at anything mechanical" speaks to his pure talent. Harper is nothing but a natural who has honed his abilities through years and years of practice. The resemblance between his swing and Babe Ruth's is uncanny. Does this mean that Harper will be as successful as Babe? I think only time will tell what kind of hero Harper will be, but he sure has had a good start. Being victorious early on is a double-edged sword though, as now Harper has very high expectations thrust upon him. I'm excited to see how he develops, and whether he can really be the next, great hero.
ReplyDeleteI really like multi-media pieces, and with this topic the videos and stats really helped illustrate the point the author was making and enabling the reader to imagine Harper, and his swing, better. I can't imagine how much time statisticians, and the author spent analyzing Harper's swing to figure out what exactly is different, what muscles he uses, and what makes him so successful. I think it's very interesting that Harper did not focus on the mechanics and simply went with his gut. If he did what everyone else was doing, he might not have stood out, but I think he also took a risk by using an uncommon swing. His skill seems to be a combination of natural talent and of continuous hard work - and I'm interested in seeing how far his unusual swing takes him.
ReplyDeleteI like this article because it gives the public a new understanding of how athletes can be seen, predicted, and measured. With these ideas of heroism a possible in Harper's future, it almost takes away the excitement of a new hero like in the old days. Harper now has to prove to others by achieving a certain set goal, when heroes like Babe Ruth had no expectations. Also, all these statistics are very interesting and really shows players strengths and weaknesses. The problem is, in my belief, that a hero cannot be based off statistics, there is no way to measure or predict one because these stats are not taking into account the other half of attributes needed to become a hero. Mentality, this other half cannot be measured, which I think still keeps the excitement of a new hero alive. I truly believe that mentality is what makes great athletes heroes, it's the mindset that sets the stage and transcends an athlete to the heroic profile. No matter what statisticians find, they will never be able to predict a hero if they can't track their mentality.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I dislike Harper and his cockiness, I have to respect his immense talent. It's incredible to think that he is only two years older than me, yet he is already being treated as one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. What's interesting to me about Harper, is the insane amount of media attention he gets. The fact that he made the All-Star Game last year (with mediocre stats for an All-Star) is a tribute to the hype surrounding him. However, I fear that this amount of exposure at such a young age will lead to his untimely downfall. With such overwhelming pressure to become the greatest player and comparisons to Ruth, Mantle and Griffey Jr., there is a good chance Harper will fall short, if only because the expectations for him are so high. We have a tendency in our society to build up people, especially sports stars, to be greater than they actually are. We place all of our hopes and aspirations into these would be heroes, only to realize that they are just humans like us and they cannot do the impossible. But then again, Harper is a unique enough player (he is a mormon) with enough pure skill and determination that he could possibly live up to the hype. Or, his career may suddenly hit a wall, just as he did the other night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHgOxJjhAUo
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of this article was the last paragraph. The image of bryce harper's father watching him take batting practice and remembering their hours spent in the garage, and seeing the product of their hard work really stuck with me. In the same way, the way they described his swing as natural, and all his own except for some minor adjustments made in the majors, reminded me of Bo Jackson. Natural ability is something we love in a sports hero. In the way that Bo Jackson's idea of conditioning was not to use a weight room or a treadmill but rather to go hunt a deer with a bow and arrow and drag it back to his house with his bare hands, Bryce Harper's swing hasn't come from hours of analyzing mechanics but rather naturally from hitting balls in the garage. In the world of sports a true natural talent is something rare and appreciated but is something we look for in our heroes. Just as we like to see someone who has worked their butt off to be great, seeing someone who seems to do it naturally and effortlessly challenges us to see the vast potential in the human being, to see how great we as a species can be.
ReplyDeleteI think that the reason why sports writers and even fans try to compare current players with the all time greats is because of the connection it can gain with people who actually saw some of those greats play. This connection to the current fans who watch and the people who watched the greats allows for people to over analyze players. This doesn't just occur in baseball. It can occur in all sports because it is a way for people to connect to each other. It is like the universal language that sports fans speak. It doesn't matter whether or not you may agree with the other person, but it can allow you to connect on a deeper level. This love for analyzing the game is what many people enjoy. They are like artists but their hobby is to read articles on players and analyze statistics. This love is what makes the game so great and gives people the opportunity to connect with a fellow sports fan.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt. As a society, we are always searching for the next big thing. We do this in hopes of finding something better than what we have seen before. We look for improvement because, as a society, we want to think that we are constantly evolving and improving. If we see an athlete or a hero that is doing better than his athletic forefathers, that gives people hopes that they can one day become better than them. This is especially good for children who are constantly aspiring to have the future that they dream of.
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