A major source of lingering drama in Major League Baseball
has been resolved with the news
that star free-agent outfielder Bryce
Harper has agreed to a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia
Phillies. With Spring Training already in full swing, the announcement sets the
sport on its ear, as a major domino has fallen and changed the power dynamic among
anticipated 2019 contenders.
As much as nearly a third of a billion dollars can be
considered disappointing, one could argue that being the case for this contract—purely
from a hype perspective. In the months and even years leading up to Harper’s
free agency, numbers like $400 million, $500 million and $40 million a year had
been speculatively tossed around. They may have actually come to fruition if
not for the inconsistency the 26-year-old Harper has shown during his seven year
career.
A LeBronian type prospect since before he could legally
drive, Harper has varied from maddeningly inconsistent to breath taking. He has
already missed 40 or more games in a season due to injury three times; seen his
yearly WAR jump wildly (5.2, 3.7, 1.1. 10.0, 1.5, 4.7 and 1.3- in chronological
order); and won the 2015 National League MVP Award at 22 with a commanding
performance. When he has been at his best he has been a generational type of talent,
and when he hasn’t he has been merely good.
The contract with the Phillies is an interesting study in
compromise. He has been given a straight no-trade clause, but also has no player
opt-out options during the entirety of the deal. The $25+ million he will earn
annually pales in comparison to other recent
deals like stars Manny
Machado and Nolan
Arenado. On the other hand, the $330 million he will make over the life of
his contract is the largest contractual amount in the history of professional sports,
let alone baseball, and includes no deferred payments.
Overall, it seems like a solid deal for both sides. Harper
is a tantalizing talent who is still young enough that thinking he still has
another gear or two that have not yet been tapped is entirely possible. The
Phillies, for their part, have landed their star after being strongly connected
to him and Machado, who they missed out on, throughout the off season. They had
already built a solid roster of good young homegrown talent and veterans that
included a number of other signings
this winter. There is more than enough of a base in place that Harper doesn’t
need to assume the entire weight of expectations on his shoulders.
The Phillies were already considered strong contenders in
the National League East this season. Obviously, their latest addition will
only increase their chances. Harper and his career 162-game averages of .279
with 32 home runs, 91 RBIs and a .388 OBP will go along way toward striking the
fear into opponents.
The Phillies are on the hook for a lot of money. However,
this seems like it could be the rare deal that’s relatively equal for both
sides. While it will take Harper to near his 40th birthday, the
possibility exists that he could greatly outperform its annual average value
earlier on, so his salary in his older and presumably declining years would be
more of a reasonable trade off.
Now that Harper has landed all that’s needed is to have the
Phillies’ new shiny toy don his uniform and take the field. The possibilities of
what will happen next are many and varied. Regardless if you’re a fan of the
player or the team, it will certainly be interesting to see if this marriage
results in championships and a defined legacy that ends at the Baseball Hall of
Fame or if they fail to meet their full potential.
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