Washington Nationals: 10 greatest individual seasons
By Ron Juckett
BRYCE HARPER 2015
There are a handful of players in baseball history who enter the majors as legends. Some, like Ryne Duren, do not pan out. Bryce Harper has.
When he won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2012, it was a matter of time before Harper would win an MVP. Turns out 2015 was his time. The season before, 2014, was an injury-racked year. Limited to 100 games, HE struck out 104 times while hitting 13 homers and 32 RBI.
Oh, what a difference a year makes.
Harper destroyed the NL in 2015. In May, he slugged 13 homers. June saw him hit .370. In September, cheered on by his best friend Jonathan Papelbon, Harper slammed 11 dingers while scoring 26 runs. He never had a month when his on-base percentage dipped below .440. His worst OPS came in August at .909.
With 42 homers, Harper also led the NL in runs scored, a .460 OBP, a .649 slugging percentage and a whopping 1.109 OPS. Toss in a Silver Slugger and 9.9 WAR.
On May 6, Harper took Tom Koehler deep three times on a businessman’s Wednesday special at home versus Miami. No word of anyone choking in Philadelphia that afternoon.
This was the year when potential turned into superstardom. A status Harper relishes and continues to chase.