WEST PALM BEACH Fla. 鈥� A short memory and always look ahead.
It鈥檚 a trait most athletes have鈥� a necessary ingredient for survival 鈥斅燼s they try and achieve fleeting success. There鈥檚 always another season, another game to play.
As he begins Spring Training, the Nationals Bryce Harper says he quickly put last year鈥檚 playoff loss to the Dodgers in the rear view mirror.
鈥淭he day after, you鈥檙e going home, so you better get over it as quick as possible. You try to get by it, get past it,鈥� Harper said.
That also goes personally for Harper鈥檚 2016 season. Yes, he hit 24 homers with 86 RBIs, the second-best numbers he鈥檚 posted in his career. But, his .243 average was also his worst. And the season pales in comparison to his MVP year in 2015, when he batted .330 with 42-homers and 99 RBIs.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 all last year. It鈥檚 what you go through and you build and you grow. It鈥檚 what have you done for me lately. It鈥檚 always been that way, I鈥檝e always done that. You鈥檙e only as good as your last at-bat,鈥� he said.
Harper is entering his sixth season, so it can be forgotten that he鈥檚 only 24. However, manager Dusty Baker doesn鈥檛 overlook that fact.
鈥淟et鈥檚 face it, he鈥檚 way ahead of most guys (his age),鈥� Baker said.
But, Baker also knows players of every age must evolve.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e in the Big Leagues and these guys aren鈥檛 going to just let you keep beatin鈥� on them,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to make adjustments, and now it鈥檚 up to you to make counter adjustments. It鈥檚 part of growing up in the Big Leagues.鈥�
Harper is growing up personally, getting married just two months after the season. But, Baker hopes his personality doesn鈥檛 change.
鈥淚 liked him from the beginning,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a pretty cool little dude.鈥�
Will that dude stay in D.C. when his contract expires after the 2018 season? Like most 24 year-olds, Harper can鈥檛 鈥� or won鈥檛 鈥� think that far ahead.
鈥淏eing a Washington National, I love it. I enjoy playing in the city of D.C. and I enjoy the fans and the organization so much. Mr. and Mrs. Lerner gave me an opportunity when I was 17 years old to play major league baseball,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna play these next two years out, and, beyond that, I really don鈥檛 care. I just want to play these two years and have fun and hopefully win and do everything we can for the city of D.C. and bring that trophy back.鈥�
It鈥檚 all about looking ahead 鈥� 聽to the immediate future.
鈥淚 was over losing to the Dodgers the minute we lost,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just part of the game, part of the process and hopefully we can do things differently this year.鈥�
To start that process, the Nationals first full squad workout of 2017 is Sunday.
