Kevin Cowherd: Baltimore better brace itself for Bryce Harper

The Washington Nationals' newest version of 'Baseball's Chosen One' comes crashing into Camden Yards on Friday

Mark in down on your calendars: the Bryce Harper Tour comes to town Friday.

Oh, sure, the 19-year-old phenom is bringing the rest of the Washington Nationals with him for the three-game interleague series against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

But it's the kid Sports Illustrated put on its cover as a high school sophomore with the understated headline "Baseball's Chosen One" who's getting all the hype — even more than the Nats' other Chosen One, flame-throwing righty Stephen Strasburg.

"Bryce Harper is the most exciting prodigy since Lebron," the SI cover blared. And what's killing all the haters now is that Harper is living up to the hype — at least so far.

After the Nationals' 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, he was batting .291 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 46 games since his call-up from the minors April 28.

He plays Pete Rose-hard and has made some sensational plays in the outfield, too. And he earned tons of street cred last month when the Philadelphia Phillies' Cole Hamels drilled him intentionally and he trotted off to first base as if it were nothing, only to stick it to Hamels by stealing home.

"It's just: 'Welcome to the big leagues,'" Hamels admitted after the game.

Well, OK. But as the Phillies' lefty discovered, Harper didn't seem that impressed. Maybe not since  Ken Griffey Jr.  have we seen a young player with this much talent and poise. At times, Harper looks like he could play this game in his sleep.

(OK, now for the first negative note: Harper sauntered to the plate Tuesday against the Rays with Justin Bieber's new hit "Boyfriend" as his walk-up song. Please tell me that was because he lost a bet. Or because his teammates paid off the sound guy at Nationals Park. Or because ... I don't know. But give me something here.)

Delve into Bryce Harper's back-story and there are eerie parallels to another young phenom in another sport: Tiger Woods.

Just as Woods seemed groomed for greatness at a young age — wowing the audience of "The Mike Douglas Show" with his driving and putting at age 2, breaking 80 for the first time at age 8 and 70 at age 12 — Harper seemed destined for The Show as a kid, too.

In high school in Las Vegas, he hit tape-measure shots that seemed headed for lunar orbit. After his sophomore year, he earned his GED so he could be eligible for the June 2010 draft and then enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, a junior college that played in a wooden bat league just like the pros.

All he did there was hit .443/.526/.987 with 31 homers (the school record was 12) and 98 RBI. It was fast-track all the way to the majors from there. The Nats made him their No. 1 draft choice, and they signed him to a $9.9 million deal for five years after the Dark Prince, super-agent Scott Boras, played hardball with them until the very end.

Is Bryce Harper perfect? Nah.

Which brings us to the second negative note: like a lot of other prodigies who've been told they were great since the womb, he's been arrogant at times and a bit of a jerk.

He's made umpires go thermonuclear by slamming batting helmets down after called third strikes. And he once drew a line in the dirt at home plate to show how far outside he thought a certain pitch was.

He also red-lined the no-class meter by famously blowing a kiss at an opposing pitcher last year after belting a long home run off him.

Then there was his response to a Canadian reporter who wanted to know if Harper would have a beer in Toronto, where he could legally drink after a game against the Blue Jays.

The reporter followed up by asking about Harper's favorite beer, apparently unaware the Nats center fielder was a Mormon who doesn't drink.

Harper gave him a look that could kill. Then he blew off the question by saying: "That's a clown question, bro."

Within approximately seven seconds, the response went viral. In fact, it became such an Internet sensation that Harry Reid, the Democrat senator from Nevada and a big Nats fan, used it a few days ago to deflect a question about the DREAM act and immigration.

Great. I'm expecting to get "That's a clown question, bro" from lots of ballplayers from now on.

But the bottom line is this: say what you will about him, Bryce Harper has lived up to all the hype so far. He's off to a great start. Now we'll see how he does against the Orioles in what could be a terrific three-game series.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see the kid play.

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Listen to Kevin Cowherd Tuesdays at 7:20 a.m. on 105.7 The Fan's "The Norris and Davis Show."