In a recent ESPN The Magazine feature, Harper called baseball a "tired sport" because players can't express themselves without getting the third degree. From the feature:
So does the game lack expression? Do you have a problem with a little more celebrating? I respect baseball for professionalism. But I also tire of the baseball purists who complain about a bat flip when Babe Ruth was the dude calling shots to the fences before puttin' it where he said it would go. Nobody forgot that. It was incredible. Legends of time. Do we need to somewhat loosen the belt on this purist attitude an