The Triple Crown is the most prestigious single season accolade a ball player can obtain.
The honor is so rare that it has only been accomplished 17 times, the last coming in 2012 when Miguel Cabrera led the A.L. in batting average, home runs and RBI’s. Although, the National League hasn’t seen a Triple Crown winner since 1937, it’s extremely plausible that we see one this season.
Bryce Harper is one of baseball’s most charismatic enigmas. He is one of the league’s most marketable athletes, and also one of its best. The 2015 season has seen the Washington Nationals star put up some very respectable numbers. As a result, he has put himself in the Triple Crown race, ranking near the top of every major N.L. batting category.
This is the type of production many expected from Harper when he was drafted first overall in the 2010 MLB Entry Draft. He was one of the most decorated prep school athletes in history, even gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated at 17-years-old.
Although, it has seemed over the last three MLB seasons that Harper has lost a lot of fanfare to Los Angeles Angels superstar, Mike Trout. The debate over who will end up being the more decorated player will undoubtedly go on for years, maybe decades.
However, a Triple Crown win would go a long way in Harper establishing himself over the reigning A.L. MVP. With all of the talk surrounding Harper, it’s easy to forget that he isn’t the only N.L. Triple Crown contender.
Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks is also vying for the award. However, no offense to Goldschmidt, but Bryce Harper needs to win the Triple Crown. It’s nothing against the Diamondbacks slugger, but Harper is the darling of baseball.
He is exactly what the game needs to market itself to a new generation. Harper has the confidence, the swagger, and the look that will draw in younger audiences. Harper was labeled the ‘Chosen One’ on the cover of Sports Illustrated for a reason. He is baseball’s best hope of establishing a superstar that hasn’t been seen since Ken Griffey Jr. One that transcends the sport, and takes it beyond the hardcore baseball fan.
Winning the Triple Crown isn’t only good for Harper, it’s good for baseball as well.