While you are reading this, you have no idea how lucky you are. We live in the time of not one, but two chosen ones. Yes the saviors of our sport will be arriving within one year of each other at both sides of the plate.
Actually, lets widen the scope. We live in the time of the chosen one in basketball and in hockey.
I was talking to a friend the other day about over used buzzwords in sports and the “The Chosen One” might as well be the chosen one. It has become one of those words that is starting to lose its meaning. Their are defining players in every generations of sports, but very, very few players transcend the entire sport. With the example of Basketball, the only chosen one in my mind is Jordan. He is the only player that completely transcends the sports. LeBron is also still young. He can't be the chosen until his career is over.
An example of this argument is Ken Griffy Jr. There were times throughout his career it seemed that he could be the chosen one, especially with his fast start. However, we know through injuries and what actually transpired. Griffy will go down as one of the greatest players, however he is not “The Chosen One”.
This plead to end the talks of “The Chosen One”, especially for Harper* who has yet to be drafted yet, are futile. The media is in a love affair with that expression and it isn't leaving anytime soon. The phrase though is used so often that it basically means “Number 1 Prospect”.
Please Media, let “The Chosen One” not be saved in your final edits for reviewing prospects.
* I realize by writing this article, I am basically guaranteeing that Harper will be Baseball's Chosen One, in order for the Universe to make me look like an Idiot, but whatever.
There have been a lot of other players with about the same hype as these two who didn't pan out. I'll believe that they'll be good after they have been in the league for at least 5 years. For all we know Strasburg is the next Mark Prior.