Trout vs. Harper: The Future of Baseball

Yesterday's matchup between the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Nationals at National's Park in Washington D.C. wasn't your typical Monday night, April baseball game. Instead, it was one of the most important nights in recent baseball history.

Mike Trout was taken 25th overall in the 2009 MLB Draft by the Angels straight out of high school while Bryce Harper was taken 1st overall in the 2010 MLB Draft by the National also directly out of high school. It's safe to say both men have made their respective splash's on the league so far.

Mike Trout and Bryce Harper talk during practice at
the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City (US Presswire)

In 2012, at the age of 21-22, in his first full season in the league, Mike Trout won AL Rookie of the Year with a .326 batting average, 30 HR and 83 RBI. He also led the league with 49 SB. Trout then answered those stats in his sophomore season of 2013 with a .323 AVG, 27 HR, 97 RBI, 33 SB and his second straight Silver Slugger Award. The outfielder was selected as an All-Star game starter his first two seasons in the league.

Bryce Harper, on the other hand, has produced his own eye opening numbers in his first couple of years in the NL. In the young outfielders first season in 2012, at the age of 19, he posted a batting average of .270 with 59 RBI, 22 HR and 26 doubles on his way to winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. Even though he missed part of the 2013 season due to a knee injury, Harper still posted a .274 batting average and was selected as a starter in the All-Star Game.

Trout went 2-5 while Harper went 0-3 as both men faced each other for the first time in their young careers. Although this seemed like an unimportant regular season game, many baseball reporters, writers, and fans tuned in to witness what many consider the future of the game itself.

For more information see:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harpebr03.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/troutmi01.shtml

The Luck of The Masters

Every year thousands of golf fans take to Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia to witness the Mecca of golf... The Masters Tournament. A collection of the best golfers from around the globe tee off (no pun intended) in a race to win the world's most beloved article of clothing.

The Green Jacket has been worn by legends from Jack Nicklaus to Arnold Palmer and even to modern legends like Tiger Woods. It can only be compared to The World Cup, and the Olympic Gold Medal for it's level of prestigiousness in the sporting community.

So what does it take to actually win The Masters? No one really knows the answer to that question. Many believe the tournament is won by the man with the best composure, many think it is based purely on skill. The truth is, no matter how much skill, experience, poise, and stamina you have on your side, It will always take that little bit of luck.

Now I know what you're saying, "Trevor? All the men you just listed are amazing golfers anyway, so why don't you credit them for their skill?" I'm not saying these men won based on pure luck because that's simply not true.

Every golfer that wins The Masters deserve full credit for their victory, there's no questions asked about that. Most years, although, the winner gets a lucky break at some point or another in the tournament.

Don't believe me? Well I'm sure you've seen Jack Nicklaus' fast rolling 40-foot putt on the 16th hole in 1975, Tiger Woods' gravity defying 20-foot chip on the 16th hole in 2005, and even most recently Bubba Watson's 160-yard magical hook shot on the second hole of the playoff in 2012.

Tiger Woods being crowned The Masters champion in
2005 by longtime rival, and good friend Phil Mickelson.
(Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

The "Luck of The Masters" has also been proven to work against golfers in the same manner that it helps them. It's been nearly 25 years since Scott Hoch infamously missed his 2-foot putt to beat Nick Faldo on the first hole of the playoff in 1989. Faldo would go on to make his putt and win the tournament.

No matter what you think it takes to win golf's greatest prize, The Masters will always be fun to watch. Whether it's from a no-name young golfer earning his first Green Jacket on path to promising career, or a legend winning his final Green Jacket on the way out at the end of his career, The Masters never fails to excite and awe fans from around the world.

For more information see:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2599611/Masters-moments-top-10-shots.html

http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on-golf/24519929/things-i-love-about-the-masters