Bryce Harper: Is the Young Slugger a Bigger Prima Donna Than Alex Rodriguez?

When I look at Bryce Harper, I can't help but see the second coming of Alex Rodriguez, arguably the most despised man in all of baseball.

Think about it. Both Rodriguez and Harper were teenage phenomenons who had professional scouts salivating over their talents even before they had hair on their chest. Both were also selected first overall out of high school and both are considered to be one of the biggest prima donnas in all of baseball.

Even though there is quite a big age discrepancy between the two sluggers—Rodriguez is 36 and Harper is 18—both have done enough to deserve such a title.

For starters, Rodriguez isn't just one of the biggest prima donnas in baseball, but might be in all of sports. It has gotten to the point where not only do the fans love to hate him, but the players do as well. A recent poll voted on by 185 MLB players named Alex Rodriguez as the most overrated player in all of baseball. That might not scream "prima donna" so to speak, but it does show that other players in the league aren't too fond of Rodriguez and his antics.

Most memorably, Rodriguez's biggest on-field shenanigan occured when he trotted across the pitching mound on his way back to first base against the Oakland A's. It's common baseball etiquette—maybe "A-Rod" didn't get the memo— to not walk across the mound at any point, and A's pitcher Dallas Braden certainly took no exception to Rodriguez's disrespect.

Also, Rodriguez was seen being fed popcorn by Cameron Diaz during the Super Bowl. While this doesn't deserve to categorized as prima donna behavior, it's what he said after he was alerted that he had been spotted on national television. Rodriguez "went ballistic" after her learned that shots were taken of him and thought a paparazzi was out to get him.

I don't know if Rodriguez has ever watched a Los Angeles Lakers game before, but if you're a celebrity at a sporting event, chances are that you're going to be shown on camera. Being a camera magnet is simply part of the job description for a sports superstar and Rodriguez should know this better than anyone.

On the other hand, even though Harper is nearly 20 years younger than A-Rod, it doesn't mean he hasn't had his fair share of prima donna moments.

Most notably, Harper's "juncture" came when he blew a kiss to the pitcher whom he just hit a home run off as he rounded third base. Harper was drilled by a pitch in the previous game, which could be why he decided to act in such a way. Either way, Harper's immaturity shined brightly at that moment and proved why he should be considered a prima donna.

To his credit, it's a lot of pressure to be pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and be called "baseball's LeBron" at only 16 years old. When I was 16, the biggest worry I had on my plate was when I was going to get my driver's license.

But now I pose the question: Who is the bigger prima donna between the two superstars?

The answer, I believe, is quite simple: Alex Rodriguez.

And it's by a landslide.

Not only does Rodriguez have a greater overall body of work to pronounce him as one of sport's biggest prima donnas, Harper simply hasn't been around enough to even compare to Rodriguez.

Harper is young and immature. Most kids his age would still be freshly removed from graduating high school and about to move away from home for the first time. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it—for Harper, he is one of the most famous and talked about 18-year-olds in the world. I don't blame him for having a little bit of tenacity or swagger to his game, what 18-year-old whose been compared to LeBron James wouldn't?

Just give Harper some time. He might not mature into one of the nicest players in MLB, but I don't believe that he'll become the most hated player in baseball like Rodriguez has.