Bryce Harper on facing Mason Miller: ‘I’m good’

Bryce Harper on facing Mason Miller: ‘I’m good’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There’s a possibility that Phillies star Bryce Harper will face Oakland fireballing reliever Mason Miller in tonight’s All-Star Game. It would be an electric moment between one of the game’s best hitters and maybe the hardest-throwing pitcher on earth.

But given the choice, Harper may not want to.

Miller was asked at All-Star Media Day if any MLB player has approached him and admitted he was afraid to face him. The Athletics closer, whose 4-seam fastball averages – AVERAGES – 100.9 miles per hour, recalled a story involving Harper.

“It’s funny, on the plane ride here, Bryce came back and introduced himself,” Miller said, “which was super-cool, but after we played them this weekend, our first base coach, Bobby Crosby, had told me that Harper was asking when I was warming up, ‘Hey, is that Miller? I kind of want to get in there and see what that’s about.’

“I threw Friday and I was up to 104 [mph]. So I saw him on the plane and I was like, ‘I heard you wanted to get in and see me,’ and he was like, ‘Ahhh, I’m good. I changed my mind.’”

I can not say I would blame him. A pitch coming in at 104 miles per hour would be darn near impossible to see, let alone put into play. Maybe Harper can consult with his teammate, Weston Wilson, who actually flared a single to center off one of Miller’s heaters, measuring 103.4 (maybe he took something off it).

Or maybe, like he has many times before, just drop Dave Dombrowski a line and lobby for the Phillies to make him a teammate. That way Harper would never have to face him.