Bryce Harper might not have been able to deliver a championship for Team USA, but the Philadelphia Phillies star still left a great impression on his teammates during the World Baseball Classic. In a tough 3-2 loss to Venezuela, Harper’s had the one massive swing of the game and it stood out in a game where offense was impossible to come by for Team USA.
For much of the night, the United States lineup struggled to get anything going against Venezuela’s pitching staff. That changed in the eighth inning, when Harper delivered the biggest moment of the game for Team USA, hitting a clutch two-run home run that tied the score and gave the USA a chance to win the game after trying it up 2-2.
While that was an incredible moment for Harper and fans, his impact went far beyond that swing.
Before the game, he took it upon himself to address the team in the clubhouse, saying things that resonated with players and coaches. In a room filled with superstars, Harper did what he knows best by being a leader.
“Harp gave an unbelievable talk before the game, a little speech,” Team USA hitting coach Sean Casey said to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. “He just was pumping us up about our country, everything you think a leader would say. It was a great message to us — let’s go out and make this happen.”
Teammates also pointed to Harper’s presence as impactful, especially in a high-pressure environment like the WBC Final.
“He’s got a very nice, calming presence when he decides to speak,” Pete Crow-Armstrong told Rosenthal. “(His talk) was just about making this our game. ‘We’ve done some really cool stuff. Fall back on that tonight. Just remember our style of baseball is what we need to go play.’
“I love that he decided to get up. It was a while before the game, but he kind of picked the perfect time when everybody was in there.”
Phillies fans know better than anyone that Harper is a great ladder. There’s a reason why he’s loved in Philadelphi and hopefully, that big swing will be the start of what we all expect this season.