Posted on 03/01/2019 12:56:05 PM PST by Rummyfan
1956 was my first season as a baseball fan. That year Mickey Mantle had one of the best seasons ever by a hitter. He won the Triple Crown with a batting average of .353, 52 home runs, and 130 RBIs. His on-base average plus slugging percentage was 1.169.
I resisted the temptation to become a New York Yankees fan, opting instead for the hometown Washington Senators. Their star, Roy Sievers, became my favorite player. But I always wondered what it would be like to root for a team with a star having a season like Mantle’s.
In 2015, I found out. Playing for the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper batted .330, hit a league-leading 42 home runs, and drove in 99 runs. His on-base average plus slugging percentage was 1.109.
Okay, this wasn’t quite Mantle in 1956, and not in terms of fancier stats either. But it was close enough.
And yes, unlike the 1956 Yankees, the 2015 Nationals were a .500ish team. But Harper’s Nats won four division titles in his seven seasons here. The Nats never had a winning season before he arrived.
Today, Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal is 13 years for $330 million. Months ago, the Nats offered him $300 million for 10 years. Harper made out marginally better by rejecting that offer and testing the market.
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
Our local sports radio station was running a poll.
“Should any athlete be allowed to make this much money?”
As of last check 75% answered NO.
THAT is where the country is heading.
NFL not MLB but my Dad used to buy his insurance direct from Browns kicker Lou “the toe” Groza who was an agent in the off season.
In my view, Harper was too much about himself and not enough about the team.
My sentiments exactly.
finishes out his life better than poor Mickey Mantle.
Read The Last Boy on Mickey, really a sad life from beginning to end. The Boys of Summer on the 52 and 53 Dodgers was somewhat the same only Micks life was on steroids (figuratively) these heroes of ours pay a huge price.
According to dollar times, $100k in 1956 is worth $937,436.57 in today’s money.
Still very cheap.
The pro sports thing is not true capitalism.
Many if not most teams are getting large subsidies from the taxpayers via stadiums, tax abatements, etc.
If those did not exist, salaries would be lower.
Don't even whisper that!
Of course, these salaries were years before free agency existed. Players were practically owned by the first team they signed with.
Headline mentions someone named Bye Bye Bryce, and the article is about Mickey Mantle. The first comment mentions someone named Harper (Canadian Prime Minister)?
I think maybe the Nats dodged a bullet. Sign/extend Rendon.
harper’s WAR per year
2012-5.2
2013-3.7
2014-1.1
2015-10.0
2016-1.5
2017-4.7
2018-1.3
Seems kinda hit and miss for 300+. But who knows, he could rip out some seasons like 2015.
Freegards
Mick made $32,000 in 1956. His first year at 100k was 1963. (Source: Michael Haupert via The Baseball Reference). Still, damn good money compared to the common working man’s average yearly salary of that era.
$300 over ten years is better than $330 over 13.
$300 over ten years is $30 per year.
$330 over 13 years is $25.385 per year.
Consider it payback for taking Jayson Werth...lol
The best pitcher in baseball, period.
Maybe he wants to play on a winning team for a change.
Feels good that the baseball team of the Swamp lost Harper. The tears,fake skepticism and all other silly banter and Philly and Harper hate is joy to me. The Phillies are stacked. The team will recoup $330 million easily and then some and we will get a few World Series titles within the early part of his contract. Next up is Mike Trout.
That Scherzer deal might be one of the few big ones that actually work out. It’s really back loaded but he has been such a beast so far it makes me think if he falls off it’s not going to be too bad.
Freegards
Not really. Supposed to be up to 100 million dollars in deferred money is what Washington was offering Bryce Harper.
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