How Bryce Harper Singlehandedly Killed MLB’s Villain Archetype

[@caseyburcroff]

I don’t think Harper was ever really a villain. He was a young kid with immense talent and grew to a mature leader.

[@PlexMan79]

He was a douche for a few years though

[@TasteOfTheRed]

Very good point

[@BobbyBoucher228]

I was just about to write the same thing that Harper just needed to grow up, which he did and turned into a heck of a clubhouse leader.

[@ThatSockmonkey]

He could be an asshole for a while there, but he grew into a legend.

[@DonOfChi]

Still not better than a hurt Trout.

[@cj-vb8zf]

Maybe its because Rob Manfred has been the villain the last few years

[@michaellyga4726]

No amount of being the good guy will stop him from getting booed at Citi Field, but it’s impressive what he’s done in the past few years

[@SaintClovis]

I'm a Phillies fan, and I'm a firm believer that rivals should boo players from other rival teams. I love it, it's good for the game.

[@lucmcdowell1167]

Baseballs villain- Jerry Reinsdorf

[@ringdingding1218]

Woo-jin An and Tomohiro Anraku might be the exact examples as a player. Also, you might consider this name: Kazuyoshi Tatsunami.

[@M_E_baseball]

No… it’s John Fischer

[@RyanMariners]

You guys, it's clearly Arte Moreno.

[@floydmaseda]

I used to be on the Harper Hate Train because of all the fights, arguments, ejections, etc., but I agree he's definitely a lot less hateable now. I think most of that tbh is just.. growing up. Coming into the league at 19 years old would be tough for anyone, let alone someone with as much raw pure talent as Harper. I think the very end of the video summed it up correctly: support. Too many kids, not just in baseball, get told they're the hottest shit to ever be shat, and they let it get to their head and start feeling like the world owes them something. And maybe in some cases it even SHOULD, but that attitude of EXPECTING it is what leads to the downfall of so many. The fact that Harper had that solid support and a good upbringing by his parents is the key to his continued success. Harper is one of the best baseball players of the decade, possibly ever, but what makes him more likeable now is just that he's... real. He'll tell you if he fucks up, and he'll try to make it better. Can he be a bit hot headed at times, sure, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I hope more people join me in jumping off the hate train because Harper is genuinely one of the faces of the game now, and that's nothing but a good thing.

[@apacheman3131]

As a Braves fan I was a certified Harper hater for years. But now I see him as a guy that leads his team and shows them how to play the game right. He's calm when he needs to be, brash when he needs to be, takes accountability when he should, shows pure hustle, and is the perfect example of a team leader. I still hate Harper. But not because I still think he's a whiny teenager who needs to earn his keep or learn his place in the league. Now I hate him because he's a top 10 player in the league and every damn thing I wish was on my team.

[@rich7787]

He’s matured a lot. I thought the Yankees were fools for trading for Stanton if that meant they weren’t going to sign Harper the next off season. Now I can’t even picture Harper as a Yankee. Dude is perfect for Philly

[@SaintClovis]

@@apacheman3131 I'm a Phillies fan and there's a big difference between hate just for the sake of hating (driven mostly by jealousy or envy), and healthy rivalry-driven hate. I "hate" Acuna because he's one of the best players in the game and he plays for the Braves. But as a baseball fan, he's awesome and I respect him a great deal. Much respect.

[@codenamelarry6518]

I’m happy he’s doing well in Philly. I’m also happy he left the Nationals! We got a ourselves a championship!

[@jimtownsend7899]

Well, at least you'll have that to remember in your old age. That one moment in time, never to be seen again.

[@Heiswhoislifee]

@@jimtownsend7899go to bed

[@justinllamas1]

john fisher, arte moreno and jerry reinsdorf would like a word

[@rickybobbysdriver555]

Harper is a great player and plays with passion. If he's on your team you love it. If not you hate him.

[@kirkprospector4958]

As a Padres fan; yes.

[@backsgl]

The real villains are where they always were: off the field. Jerry Reinsdorf, Jeffrey Loria, Dick Monfort, John Fischer, and other infamous owners come immediately to mind. However you could also extend that to guys like Bud Selig for how he handled some of the numerous scandals during his tenure as commissioner. I would personally label whoever is behind the massive push for sports betting as a villain, not because this never happened before but for how deeply it's been integrated into coverage of sports in general. Back to Harper, and the moment I knew he couldn't just be the douchebag his reputation suggested: when he signed with Philadelphia he switched his number to 3. When asked why he said that Roy Halladay should be the last Phillie to wear 34. Keep in mind that Halladay had died in 2017 and this was in 2019. The Phillies officially retired that number in 2021, though in 2018 they had officially suspended the number in tribute. Harper had the opportunity to maintain his number. He chose to honor a fallen legend instead.

[@marcespinoza6068]

I like how its sill brought up that A-Rod calling for fly balls as a runner to fool opposing teams is part of what makes him a villain. It's honestly an amazing strategy.

[@darthbauer5153]

That’s the poorest of poor sportsmanship. Everyone would be doing it all the time if it was a good idea.

[@jaerockchalk3216]

thanks for the great content as always !

[@ChanningFryeOfficial]

Trevor Bauer was the closest to deserving the villain title, but you know what happened…

[@OfficialLc4]

That he got blackballed for something he didn’t do lol?

[@dionpierre5847]

@@OfficialLc4yea he’s not saying he’s guilty of that. He’s saying that he talks the most shh, Emotes on players etc. def the most deserving of the title even tho ima huge fan

[@OfficialLc4]

@@dionpierre5847 Gotcha 😂😂 Yeah, he definitely worthy of that

[@thazrill70]

Yea it's too bad he's bad at baseball and a shitty person

[@KYRONROCKS101]

Trevor Bauer’s the damn hero

[@nebeljc1]

That was one of the best baseball videos I've watched in a long while. Well done sir

[@everett-tnredsfan]

How do you mention first base chatter with no mention of The Mayor? Sean Casey never stopped talking.

[@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973]

Sean Casey was always one of the most well liked players in the game. Nobody hates him

[@UnnamedUnnamed-u]

From douche to hero is one of the greatest titles of all time 😂

[@gringostarr7858]

Best quote from Harper, "that's a clown question bro."

[@ianmarshall270]

dude great video thanks for the watch, even though it may not get aton of attention i appreciate it.

[@3Dsjk]

About 20 years ago Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan said (I’m paraphrasing) “It’s hard to get heat nowadays; you’ve got people flying planes into buildings, a guy kills his pregnant wife, schools getting shot up, and we’re supposed to sell out the Cow Palace because Brutus Beefcake cut Ron Bass’s whip in half?” How do you hate on a guy because he throws his helmet and yells at umpires when there are players beating up their wives, driving drunk, having kids with 8 women, and billionaire owners pimping out their cheerleaders?

[@dannymac6368]

I’d love to face Gibson. I was scared no matter who was throwing, may as well justify the fear as thoroughly as imaginable, just in case I manage to get the bat in the balls way. 😂

[@fasillimerick7394]

Regardless of his role as "villain", I've always thought he was immensely talented at playing baseball, also that he had "stupid eyes".

[@Deezejuevos]

Positivity always trumps negativity. It’s why rewarding good behavior is more effective than punishing bad behavior. No different here. There will always be villains but people just would much rather be around positive people.

[@ryanlinderholm7805]

I’m a Twins fan and I hear booing on my TV every time Carlos Correa comes up to bat in away games everyone seems to think he’s a villain

[@Grandmaster_1776]

Because he was an Astro

[@freddy.st16]

because he was a part of the largest cheating scandal in recent MLB history. all members of the 2017 astros are booed at stadiums.

[@gregmenso1815]

Nobody outside Philly and Washington calls this guy a hero.

[@LMLR187]

Even Manny Machado is doing something similar in San Diego. He's a similar story.

[@alexgaerlan5779]

Manny Machado is doing it better😂

[@LMLR187]

@@alexgaerlan5779 an MVP, a trip to the World Series and an NL East title say different.

[@SwingingPplikeHelicopter]

@@alexgaerlan5779the only thing machado does better than Harper is fielding. Other than that Harper is better.

[@Anthony-dy5cq]

For me, it was when I saw him correct a fan for mispronouncing acuñas name when they weren't even teammates which was the turning point for me to think there's more to this guy then the villain narrative being played in the league.

[@Ericrawnsley]

I still think haper is an asshole. But the man has played so hard for so long and has been successful at the highest level its impossible not to respect him

[@staffsaber534]

As a Nats fan, I will always be grateful to him for bringing a championship to DC.

[@Tryp-j9d]

By playing for the Phillies?

[@johnnymac6178]

Harper as a Philly was the best decision of his career. I used to hate him but now I really like him, and I am a Yankee fan. People change over time and everyone deserves the opportunity to remake themselves. That is the whole point of life, to learn and grow over time.

[@Bobbybabybobbybubbie]

As a Blue Jays fan, I was shocked to discover that other teams' fans hated Jose Bautista.

[@javi994]

Not a big surprise that Rangers fans hated him 😂

[@gamernerd5x]

There's still villains, just no super ones

[@javi994]

Except Manfred and John Fisher 😂

[@Red.Butterfly]

I don’t think he was ever a villain. He just knows his market and brand. He knows how to play the game both on and off the field ❤

[@sethbarrett4223]

He's literally kyle Busch

[@AndrewEvenstar]

Great video!

[@91EDITS1]

3 words, he had kids

[@eternalcowboy224]

All of this applies almost perfectly to the NBA as well.

[@TyrannoJoris_Rex]

Nowadays you have owners who actually care about the game and pay to get the best talent, and it forces all the other owners to do the same if they want any fans to stick around. It keeps the players happy, and therefore the fans happy. Gone are the days of owners using the players as cash cows and the ones that still do, like in Oakland, are the villains now. Fans aren’t as stupid as they were in 1994

[@dbacks2023-]

Whenever the Diamondbacks play the Phillies, I notice whenever the dbacks get on 1st base, Harper always makes them laugh or smile.

[@thomasmgill1]

6:19 correction - Babe Ruth is the all time leader in WAR, including his pitching. Bonds is the leader in offensive WAR

[@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973]

War Shmar

[@Oleoay]

This kinda forgets the whole sequence where Bryce Harper was supporting Latino players' celebrations and wanting to make baseball fun again.

[@fongman808]

Soto needs to take the torch

[@colesmatteo]

Manny Machado is another example at least as compelling as Harper. (Not as KZbin worthy, since Harper had Lebron-level hype entering MLB.) With Harper, people thought he was an arrogant kid and they liked to root against him. But with Machado, he was actually labeled as a bad guy. Turned it around completely in San Diego and is one of the most respected players now.

[@tweezerjam]

Bryce means a lot to this city. He embraced us and we reciprocated in kind. Lfgooo! 🤟🏼

[@smcdonough1427]

Nice video

[@michaelbaucom4019]

He grew up. He's not an arrogant punk anymore. Perhaps fatherhood calmed him down. Perhaps getting the bag and being financially set for life(provided he doesn't get stupid) mellowed him

[@TiagoGomez-hb9te]

And playing for an intense team like the Phillies…

[@TiagoGomez-hb9te]

That’s really great

[@THEAmateurSommelier]

Anthony Rendon would like to debate the lack of villains in MLB

[@fnregistration]

Anthony Rendon couldn't be arsed to debate anything

[@eely225]

I wonder how much this has to do with social media. Players are much more in control of their own branding now than they ever were. So I think outside agencies have much less control over ordaining villains because the players are more capable of shaping their own narrative.

[@castlevaniaking5]

I for one am fine with the villain going away, seeing more players that seem to be fiery but having fun is refreshing. I never hated Harper but man as a Braves fan apparently he was supposed to be the antichrist according to the rest of the fan base. I want more players having fun, stuff like Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus shenanigans. Its a kids game it should be fun.

[@RandallBalls]

Harper is probably already on Philadelphia's Mount Rushmore with Brian Dawkins, Allen Iverson, and the last spot can be disputed. But the change in culture he brought to this Phillies team cannot be understated, and the average Philadelphia in would die defending Bryce in battle

[@travisrowe7697]

Cash doesn’t know how to run a team. He babysits divas and reads a spreadsheet with data and directions sent down from the front office.

[@colemans4588]

Random Tyler Collins mention ⁉️

[@kaboomkieboom8777]

Bra Harper has never been a douche..... I don't understand it. he is a nats legend who played super hard.

[@mostly_baseball]

Kinda Surprised you didn't talk about Jose Canseco, heard he's a read ass off the field

[@charliem1525]

Bryce Harper is the polar opposite of Jose Altuve

[@shoukatsukai]

Altuve is quiet and humble, went from hero to villain (for something he didn't do nor controlled), has won rings, and will never be given credit for what he's done. Fair enough.

[@komickaze85]

I will never forgive Machado for what he did to Pedroia, pretty much ending his career with a too hard slide into 2nd base. I don't like him or his attitude. In the series against the Dodgers, he got into it with some players in the Dodgers' dugout after he threw a ball at their dugout. Bregman is another one I find arrogant...and he cheated in 2017. But none of these players are equal to Bonds, A-Rod, Rose, Ty Cobb, etc. No one is universally hated (except by their own team) anymore. And that's sad.

[@healthyminds9279]

For a while, it was surprising and funny to see players being friendly to opponents during a game. Now though, I find it annoying. MLB has a huge lack of true rivalries, one of the most fun aspects of watching sports. I get that players don't want to spark artificial hatred; but the least they could do is not actively destroy our immersion of fierce competition and storylines. When I see two stars on opposite teams chatting it up and laughing at first base, it feels in that moment like the sport is for them and not for us. It's like we're watching a bunch of rich guys playing for stats who don't feel the heat of competition because they're rich, and don't share the fans' passion for defeating storied rivals. There's a disconnect.

[@everydaycuber9649]

Jarren Duran might not be a villain of baseball but with what he said he’s a loser and definitely deserves hate

[@Bobby-Dingers]

Bryce Harper fan here

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

I hated harper. I am not a nats fan but when they made it to the series the season after trading him I was happy. Something happened when he went to philly. Also its incredible how philly just welcomed him with his history of being a clown. I dont think I will ever "like" harper but I respect him now.

[@matthewmiksza5855]

I respect him a lot. He works his ass off, does anything to win, leader willing the Phillies in deep playoff runs

[@drepreciado2402]

Manny Machado has had a very similar arc.

[@ThatSockmonkey]

I'm really glad hes working out well on first base, cos that was a huge adjustment to make. Bryce brings the whole team up, he's become such a key TEAM player for the Phils. As to Harpers apparent lack of hustle, what kind of idiot flogs himself for a base he will never reach in time? He's not fast anyway, but noone is beating that ball to the bass. No-one. Not in MLB. Maybe at highschool you could score a base hit that way, but not in MLB

[@curtgaskins6076]

Shoulda mentioned Clemens

[@alarrim29574]

I’ve always loved Harper, I actually enjoy his hot head, and I enjoy him tearing down umps vocally cuz I don’t like ump😂. And even as a braves fan who should hate the Phillies, he’s the reason I don’t hate them. Harper and trout are the only players I really want to win a chip if my braves don’t

[@Lgz009]

I’d say that the only Gillian is rendon

[@travisrowe7697]

Harper was kind of a douche as a teen, but not a bad person? So were most of us. As Harper aged and gained experience in life and his profession, he became less of a douche and the good in him shined through? Same with most of us. Now consider the massive fame, fortune, and expectation mixed in. It makes sense to me.

[@bradee129]

Bonds hate won’t get you anywhere bro

[@Bangbangbyebyeball]

Just watch him last night and everyone is still booing him 😂😂

[@shawneric3340]

he was never really a "villain" just young, kinda like Manny Machado

[@TullyMars-d3m]

Incorrect. Was a Phillies fan for 50 years, not I root for the team that plays the Phillies. . This boy is what is wrong with the sport. Questions...what has ten fingers and no rings...Bryce Harper.

[@sociosanch3748]

To each their own, I guess

[@pancakejonzze]

I think he’s been lying about his age for years, dude is manufactured, still villainess

[@sdelmonte]

As a Mets fan, I of course root against the Phils. But I love watching Harper play. He has so much joy. And the revisionist history on Cobb is a load of hooey. He was a dirty player and a racist in his playing days. His apologists did nothing prove otherwise, they merely excused it.

[@ThatSockmonkey]

Its the dirty players i dont like. You can be loud, but dont play dirty.

[@FirstLast-wv3ds]

From douche to…still a douche. Papelbon had the right idea.

[@Littlemon307]

Gonna be Paul Skenes next I think

[@OilCompany95]

Idk if anyone would get this, but i assume that Harpers intensity would be like watching Pete Rose

[@toddd.9433]

Trevor Bauer

[@tommyk3464]

He wasn’t a villain in dc. Phillies fans just finally shut up cause he was on their side

[@Haha_You_Fool]

Do you think Philly fans were the only fanbase that saw Harper as a villain?

[@Kdizzzzz9999]

Bonds will always be my favorite player.EVERYONE was roided to the Gils during that period, but he was special, you can’t teach his hitting ability and no amount of roids would give you his ability to make consistent contact like he did. Also, I guarantee you every professional athlete today is on some sort of cycle. I was a high level D1 athlete and, even at that level, most of the guys were on something. It is so easy to pass the testing protocols while juicing.

[@TiagoGomez-hb9te]

He’s a fall guy but he still has an asterisk in his resume

[@339gabriel]

Ohtani era literally just beginning

[@2005StangMan]

He still kind of a douche. Like last week when they had the teams fighting, he was giving out major “hold me back bro” vibes.

[@emupike6]

never used to like harper he was so whiney. guy really turned it around and is an absolute stud now. one of my favorites

[@akitas8165]

He didn't "turn it around" you just lowered your standards.

[@lorimeyers3839]

Ever since Harper signed with the Phillies, he’s been terrific. He’s a baseball rat and a baller. Does he still make a mental error here or there? Sure. But man, he’s clutch.

[@Masterdebater1313]

Manny Machado. I HATE that guy.

[@otf7466]

I love Rickey

[@rich7787]

Pete Rose was and is a bum, but Ray Fosse wanted that collision as much as Rose. He was just mad he lost and got injured. He whined afterward saying it was only an exhibition game and shouldn’t matter. Well, it mattered enough to you to block the plate.

[@robotbro7187]

mlb has no villain anymore. They need a few of them badly

[@DonOfChi]

Ohtani is the new villain. Mainly for being a coward and joining the Dodgers along with the gambling scandal.

[@DanStack16]

It probably would be Trevor Bauer if he was still in MLB- regardless of your opinions on his personal issues beyond that he’s a polarizing person who is a total dickhead on the field, though from what I’ve seen he’s a much better teammate now than he used to be.

[@TPTGopher]

LOL...I knew "mentally ill Fanus Philicus" was redundant, but holy shit...

[@anthonygenovese7578]

Bob gibson similar to nolan ryan; a bully on the mound who was too big and tough to get karma when it was deserved

[@wilfordbrimley6938]

I assume he just accepted he couldn't seem as tough after the pathetic helmet throw. If he rifled that thing into the pitcher's ribs, he'd be at Lex Luthor status right now

[@josephzakrzewski9520]

Born and raised in Philly... he is no Dale Murphy

[@francismcquade4620]

Harper is still a sleeze-ball

[@StromboliTastesGood]

Pete Alonso seems to be a guy people love to hate for no reason other than talent and location.

[@DavisJeffcoat]

His name is Trevorr Bauer...

[@srellison561]

He may be a hero in Philly, but I still think he's a douche.

[@andrewle4293]

the real villains were in houston

[@tomdurocher6552]

can you stop talking that way? where you end each sentence with an upper inflection. it makes your videos unwatchable because all I can think about is why are you talking like this.

[@Pussaychop]

Imagine the level of conceited villainy it would take to say ‘can you stop talking that way?’ Tommy durocher6552 dont got time to be watching vids anyhow - he’s got a country to make great again.

[@PaulMcElligott]

Huh?

[@ryankay5097]

Your bias against Bonds is a bit much. He deserves his place in the Hall. Steroids don’t improve hand-eye coordination nor does it give you a level of patience or ability to read a pitch at the plate that will never be replicated

[@TiagoGomez-hb9te]

Yes it can. You underestimate the massive benefits steroids give you

[@ryankay5097]

@@TiagoGomez-hb9te no I don’t, I’m on them. I’ve been a bodybuilder, a trainer for 23 years and have a degree in kinesiology.