Posted on 03/02/2019 8:41:10 PM PST by GuavaCheesePuff
It was finally official -- the Phillies signed Bryce Harper.
Even manager Gabe Kapler, who had to answer questions about Harper by hedging his responses with “if the reports are true,” chimed in on social media.
With the ball club down the road in Port Charlotte for a spring-training game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Phillies opted for an outdoor press conference, complete with images from Harper’s first appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2009 at age 16, to the cover of the MLB the Show video game set to be released this month, all set up on the top of the first-base dugout.
Even the Phanatic was down in Florida to see all the excitement.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
$330 million for 13 years?
Seems like a big roll of the dice to me.
He may help the Phillies win some World Series titles.
But will be still be productive in his late 30s, still collecting $20+ million a year?
The 13 years seems really excessive to me.
Good for him, though, as he and his agent negotiated a great contract for him. Time will tell if the Phillies get the payoff of World Series titles.
It’s World Series or bust for Phillies.
They have Hoskins, McCutchen, Harper, they will need to produce big time.
Show me the money!
What do you suppose a middling player will be making 11 or 12 years from now? I'm guessing salary inflation will make his pay look pretty cheap then. If the DH makes it to the National League (which I think it will) then he can probably remain effective in that capacity through the whole duration of the contract.
I went to see the Dodgers against the Rockies on Thursday. Both NL teams played with a DH! One of them was batting 8th! How about a compromise? Those precious pitchers don’t hqve to bat but everyone else who wants to bat more than once has to play in the field. Eight man batting rotation. No DH.
Both sides are going to regret this deal.
I can’t stand this guy.
I hope he never gets a World Series.
Hey, you have to run to first base if you think the World Series is in your vision.
Offense is fine but pitching is the key. Starting, middle relief, and closers. It’s a long season and he better produce Philly fans aren’t too patient. Don’t remember who said it but was something to the effect “hell they even boo Santa Claus in Philly”.
Just in recent years, I can name off seven major failures in terms of long-term contracts: Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder,
Jayson Werth, Jose Reyes, Josh Hamilton, Ryan Howard, and Albert Pujols. Pujols has this year, 2020, and 2021 still on the contract....drawing near $29-million a year, and his production level last year (age 38) dropped off big-time. His glory years were from age 23 to 31.
If I were a baseball club director, the max for contracts that I’d hand out is three years and an option year.
ME to Bruce Harper:
“Nice going Bryce. You danced with the satan that brung you (Boras) and got the biggest contract ever.
Tell me something young man...will it make any difference to your grandkids whether you got $30M a year or $20M a year?
I’ll answer for you using my life experience (that you currently lack): ‘No’. If you invest your money like the financially responsible young man that you apparently are, they will be well positioned in life thanks to your talents either way.
But do you know what WOULD make a difference to your grandkids?
Pointing out the World Series trophies you won, and telling their friends how you joined the ranks of the greats in Cooperstown afterwards, standing shoulder to shoulder with Jeter, and Berra, and Mantle, and DiMaggio, and Gehrig, and Ruth...
... Except that that’s never gonna happen now, Bryce...
... What they WILL be able to watch will be the baseball documentaries showing the merciless denizens of the misnamed “City of Brotherly Love” booing your every move when you slumped. And listening to the narrator relate how your contract turned into a huge BUST both for your and your new team’s championship aspirations....
... all because you ill-advisedly stopped your East Coast journey one city too far South at the behest of the baseball satan who brung you, and who laughed all the way to his bank on your account ....
... you could have been a YANKEE like you always dreamed of being, Bryce ....
... instead you’ll be - just another BUM”.
Mic Drop.
The Phillies have won two World Series in their history. So, if he leads the to another or multiple ones, whatever he's being paid and for however long is worth it.
Aaron Nola finished third in the Cy Young voting last year and the Phillies signed a closer that has saved 30-plus games several times.
You can blame California's high tax rate for that.
I’d sworn he was headed to Chavez Ravine
Spot on. Was it three years ago when Harper jogged to 1st and ended up fisticuffs in the dugout?
Well Trout is coming in a couple years to boost oir chances.
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