Morning Jolt: The best MLB prospect ever?
Friday, May 13
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Harper the best prospect ever?
Is it possible that Bryce Harper is somehow underrated? He's eighteen years old. Sure, it's only 111 at-bats, but he could go into a slump of epic proportions and still match the numbers put up by some of the best age-18 seasons of all time. For instance, in 1994, Alex Rodriguez was in a similar situation to Harper, having been the first pick in the draft the summer prior and making his debut in a full-season league at 18. ... Even after you account for the slightly lower offensive environment of the Midwest League in 1994 (average OPS of .710 versus .737 for the 2011 South Atlantic League), Harper's performance is blowing away what Rodriguez did in Appleton. (FanGraphs.com)Comment
Stealing the show for the Brian Dawkins-led workouts in Colorado was Kyle Orton. [Orton] was trying to get through his passing workout without showing off. Orton, who is the Broncos' starting quarterback today, but with no guarantee for tomorrow, arrived before the team's player-supervised workout Thursday, as he did Tuesday, at the South Suburban Sports Dome to throw passes to wide receiver Eric Decker and tight end Dan Gronkowski. Even though it's May, and even though Orton was throwing to uncovered receivers, his arm, footwork, release and accuracy appear to be ready for a game. ... [LenDale White is] still about six weeks from participating in football-type drills. "Tell Tim Tebow we're looking for him," White said playfully. Tebow is out of town working out on his own. (Denver Post)Comment
Sizemore cautious with new injury
The good news is that Grady Sizemore doesn't believe what's happening to his right knee is a repeat of what happened with his left. [Sizemore] missed his second consecutive game Thursday afternoon because of a right-knee contusion. He was in the ballpark but not available as the Tribe lost to Tampa Bay, 7-4, at Progressive Field. Sizemore injured the knee during a slide into second base Tuesday night. An MRI exam Wednesday revealed no structural damage. Sizemore is listed as day to day. "It's just painful right now," he said in the postgame clubhouse. "I really don't know how else to describe it." Sizemore spent Wednesday and Thursday receiving primarily ice and pool treatments. "We wanted to stay off it for at least two days," he said. "I'll come in [today] and see how it feels." (Plain Dealer)Comment
Must-See Photo
Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia surfs during Thursday's round one of the Billabong Rio Pro at Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Kirstin Scholtz/ASP via Getty Images)
Must-See Video
Kevin Durant wears a backpack to post-game press conferences during the playoffs. What does he have in there?
Game To Watch
Western Conference Semifinals, Game 6: Thunder at Grizzlies, 9 p.m. ET, TNT (OKC leads series 3-2)
SI Vault: Jose Canseco
This Day in Sports
- 1972 -- The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in 22 innings in a game that actually started on May 12.
- 1989 -- Wayne Gretzky was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."
- 1991 - At Yankee Stadium fans sang Madonna's song "Like a Virgin" to Jose Canseco to mock the slugger's relationship with the pop star.
- Today's Birthdays -- Dennis Rodman (1961), Mike Bibby (1978)
