The #BryceHarperFacts you need to learn before he goes yard, again
All the #BryceHarperFacts you need to know
OK, we've got to talk about Bryce Harper real quick. The dude is only 22 but he's straight-up mashing baseballs into oblivion and seemingly doing it on command. He hit three home runs on Wednesday and followed up that performance by hitting two more on Friday.
Now, we're sure you've heard plenty of hype about Harper between the time he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was just 16 years old and when he crushed that second homer on Friday, but we thought it might be a good idea to cram on our #BryceHarperFacts so we're prepared to gush about his talent the next time he goes yard (today, probably).
UPDATE: Yup, he did it again. Harper only hit one homer on Saturday May 9, but it was a walk-off. All of the facts below have been updated to reflect this incredible feat.
- Bryce Harper has never faced a pitcher younger than him at any level of professional baseball.
- Bryce Harper is on pace to be intentionally walked 26 times in 2015. He'd be the youngest player to reach that mark.
- Bryce Harper is younger than one of the guys in One Direction (Louis Tomlinson).
- Bryce Harper hit five home runs in two games. He's the youngest player to ever do it.
- Bryce Harper then became the youngest player to ever hit six home runs in three games.
- Bryce Harper is the only MLB player to ever homer off Craig Kimbrel's curveball.
- Bryce Harper is on pace for 57 home runs. That would make him the youngest player to hit 50 homers in a season.
- Bryce Harper is the youngest player to ever launch a Splash Hit into McCovey Cove.
- Bryce Harper once Happy Gilmore-d a golf ball 340 yards.
- Bryce Harper is on pace to take 10 curtain calls in 2015.
- The first base Bryce Harper stole in his MLB career was home.
- Bryce Harper's patented "hair flip" sits behind just Yasiel Puig's bat flip and Ozzie Smith's backflip among the best flips in baseball history.
- Bryce Harper is the second youngest player in MLB history to have consecutive multi-HR games (George Scott, 1966).
- If you look directly into Bryce Harper's eyes, you'll turn to stone.
- Bryce Harper is on pace for 141 walks. That's only happened 29 times since 1901. The only person to accomplish it by his age 22 season is Ted Williams.
- Bryce Harper is younger than Kris Bryant.
- Bryce Harper is younger than Blake Swihart.
- Bryce Harper is younger than Joc Pederson.
- We mentioned that Bryce is on pace to hit 57 home runs and draw 141 walks. The only players to ever reach both milestones in a season are Barry Bonds in 2001, Mark McGwire in 1998 and Babe Ruth in 1921. Ruth was the youngest to do it at 26.
- Babies, puppies and the elderly all love Bryce Harper.
- Bryce Harper is the second youngest player to ever participate in the Home Run Derby. He was 39 days older than Ken Griffey Jr. was for the event in 1990.
- Bryce Harper is on pace for 10.45 wins above replacement this season. Only Mike Trout and Ted Williams reached that mark by their age 22 seasons.
Feel free to share your own #BryceHarperFacts with us on Twitter, @Cut4.