Bryce Harper wore a hat that read “Make Baseball Fun Again” after Monday’s game

By Apr 4, 2016, 8:38 PM EDT
AP Photo/John Amis
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Update (9:12 PM EST):  Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post put up a picture:

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The Nationals beat the Braves 4-3 at Turner Field in Monday’s Opening Day contest. Reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and a solo home run, picking up right where he left off.

Harper made waves last month when ESPN ran a feature in their magazine about him. In that feature, Harper was quoted as saying, “Baseball is a tired sport because you can’t express yourself.” He was referring to young players such as himself, Jose Fernandez, and Yasiel Puig who have received criticism for the way they play the game. Harper has also been subject to violence twice in his brief playing career, as Cole Hamels intentionally threw a baseball at him and teammate Jonathan Papelbon choked him in the Nats’ dugout near the end of the regular season last year. Both Hamels and Papelbon defended themselves, more or less saying that they were trying to teach the young Harper the right way to play the game.

Harper’s comments were the main topic of conversation for a while after that piece in ESPN ran. Giants reliever Sergio Romo even told Harper to “shut up“.

Taking the whole situation in good humor, Harper wore a trucker hat that read “Make Baseball Fun Again” after Monday’s game as he prepared to speak to the media, CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Chase Hughes reports. That ostensibly references Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America great again.”

It’s good to see that Harper hasn’t been weighed down by the whole situation and is able to have a good sense of humor about it.

Anthony Volpe, 21, wins Yankees’ starting shortstop job

Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 12:02 PM EDT
Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sp
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TAMPA, Fla. — Anthony Volpe grew up watching Derek Jeter star at shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Now, the 21-year-old is getting the chance to be the Yankees’ opening day shortstop against the San Francisco Giants.

The team announced after a 6-2 win over Toronto in spring training that Volpe had won the spot. New York manager Aaron Boone called the kid into his office to deliver the news.

“My heart was beating pretty hard,” said Volpe, rated one of baseball’s best prospects. “Incredible. I’m just so excited. It’s hard for me to even put into words.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, hitting coach Dillon Lawson and bench coach Carlos Mendoza were also present.

Volpe was able to share the news with his parents and other family members near the Yankees’ dugout and said it is something he will never forget.

“It was pretty emotional,” Volpe said. “It was just an unbelievable moment to share with them.”

Volpe, who grew up a Yankees fan, lived in Manhattan as a child before moving to New Jersey. Jeter was his favorite player.

“It’s very surreal,” Volpe said. “I’ve only ever been to games at Yankee Stadium and for the most part only watched him play there.”

Volpe is hitting .314 with three homers, five RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage in 17 Grapefruit League games. He has just 22 games of experience at Triple-A.

Spring training started with Volpe, Oswald Peraza and holdover Isiah Kiner-Falefa competing for the everyday shortstop job. Kiner-Falefa was shifted into a utility role midway through camp, and Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday evening.

“While certainly the performance was there, he killed it between the lines,” Boone said of Volpe. “All the other things that we’ve been hearing about showed up. There’s an energy he plays the game with, and an instinct that he has that is evident. He really checked every box that we could have had for him. Absolutely kicked the door in and earned his opportunity.”

Volpe arrived in Florida in December to work out at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

“He’s earned the right to take that spot, and we’re excited for him and excited for us,” Cashman said. “He just dominated all sides of the ball during February and March, and that bodes well obviously for him as we move forward.”

Volpe was selected out of high school with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft from Delbarton School in New Jersey. He passed up a college commitment to Vanderbilt to sign with the Yankees.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get into the organization,” Volpe said. “This day, this feeling, this moment was kind of what I’ve worked my whole life for when I made that big decision.”

“Right now it’s crazy,” he added. “I don’t even know what lies ahead but Thursday I just want to go out and play, and have fun.”