[Rummyfan]

Harper is very good, but not great. Maybe he will go on a several season tear in Phillie. I hope he does. But recent history has shown these monster long-term contracts do not work out well in the long run. Thirteen years is an eternity in baseball terms and Harper will be 39 by the end of the contract. And the Phillie fans will not be very patient with him....

[sphinx]

It would have been nice if the Nats could have done a deal, but it's not worth gutting the team to overpay one guy, even Bryce Harper. He's one of the most feared power hitters in the game, but he's inconsistent. Teams chronically pitch around him; he led the majors in walks last year, many of them intentional. Even when teams pitch to him, he gets a steady diet of junk. He gets frustrated, starts swinging on bad pitches, and presto, he's off on another 0-20 streak and a month long slump.

Harper has been brilliant mainly when the Nats have managed to stay healthy -- which has been their chronic problem -- and he's been sandwiched in a murderers' row lineup that puts a lot of guys on base. Two years ago, before the injury blitz took them down, the Nats had five guys batting 300. Put Harper in the middle of that lineup, with guys on base and a 300 hitter right behind, and teams can't pitch around him. He's terrific in that situation. Otherwise, he get ordinary fast. Last year, with four starters out for most of the first half (five if you count Howie Kendrick), Harper couldn't carry the team. Fan frustration was starting to grow. I suspect that's part of the reason he left.

How long the romance will last in Philly remains to be seen. I don't know how you can sustain a competitive team when you are overpaying one guy by that amount.

[Hot Tabasco]

The deal is 13 years for $330 million.

Good for him but bad for the fans of the Phillies who are going to have to pay his salary.

Last summer I was given 4 tickets to the Tigers, 11 rows up from the first base dugout. Those tickets cost $75 each and were given to me by a season ticket holder..........

There's no way in hell I could or would have paid for one of those seats on my own.........

I took my sister, my niece and her son who probably enjoyed the game but I was bored out of my mind.........Last game I'll ever watch in person.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Keepin’ an eye on this guy from across the river from Philly - he looks like kind of a prima donna/hotdog to me - will be interesting.....

[Captain Peter Blood]

A lot of money spent for continued success. They could have found a lot of young players to develop for less than they spent.

[ReleaseTheHounds]

I saw many of Mickey Mantle’s games in the 1950’s including his 1956 MVP season. Bryce Harper does not compare to Mickey Mantle.

[Falconspeed]

“13 years for $330 million.” Wrong and unethical.

Sadly, Harper gets booed in every stadium and yes, he deserves to get booed for many reasons: yelling at umps, fake joy in another’s accomplishment, and permanent scowl on his mug.

Everyone loves Trout. I wish Mike Trout would go play in Philadelphia with Grandal, Nola and Segura. The Angels cannot afford a supporting cast for Trout. Moreno the owner is like the Tigers: spend big and lose. Pujols and Hamilton are still stealing from the Angels.

13 years. Wow. The Phillies are stuck with a repulsive guy for many years.

[PUGACHEV]

Pity me, I’m a Nats fan, but I am not sorry to see him leave. I agree with the article 100%. Bryce played for himself at all times and never for the team. When he was up in the 9th with men on base, and all we needed was any hit out of the infield, Bryce would screw himself into the dirt trying to hit a five-run homer. It happened time and time again. He is so predictable that no Washington pitcher will have any difficulty with him. Pitch him low and away, he’ll swing every time any never take the walk. Not for nothing did Papelbon want to strangle him.