The Top 12 Moments of 2012: #11. Bryce Who?

If you missed it yesterday, we're starting off the New Year with a daily countdown of the top twelve moments from 2012 until we reach the #1 moment next Saturday. Yesterday we kicked things off with the 12th best moment of the year: the August 13th announcement that Coca-Cola Park will host the 2013 Triple-A National Championship Game.

Today, moment #11...

11. Pigs Pitching Shuts Down Bryce Harper (April 11-13)
Way back in April - before he was promoted to Washington where he validated all of the hype surrounding him - Bryce Harper came into Allentown with the Syracuse Chiefs as the #1 prospect in baseball. Over three games from April 11 to April 13, Harper went just 2 for 14 (.143) with 4 strikeouts and left 10 runners on base as the Pigs swept the series to improve to 7-2.

Harper played the outfield (CF twice, RF once) in all three games for Syracuse. Outfielders for the Pigs in that series included Scott Podsednik and Lou Montanez. Michael Schwimer got the eventual NL Rookie of the Year to fly out to Domonic Brown in left field for the final out of game three to complete the sweep.

In fairness to Harper, one of his two hits in the series was a triple off Austin Hyatt that just got by a diving Domonic Brown:


Check back tomorrow for moment #10 - the first of two moments in the countdown involving a walk-off win by the Pigs.

Photo of Harper (#34) in the countdown calendar by Mitch Hyman