There’s a wonderful collaborative multimedia piece on the Washington Post website analyzing Bryce Harper’s violent-yet-beautiful swing.
The story, written by Adam Kilgore, goes in-depth on the roots and mechanics of Harper’s swing. It includes an anecdote about how the young phenom had an important realization at about 7 or 8 years old. Yes, while most of us were watching cartoons and drinking juice boxes, Harper was thinking critically about his swing.
Kilgore’s story is complemented by a wealth of data, ranging from how Harper is pitched to his success rate against particular pitches. Finally, there’s an interesting video breakdown of Harper’s swing which shows an eerie similarity to one of the best home run hitters in history.
Tremendous work all around. Put aside 10 minutes and check it all out. It’s well worth your time.
