The Phillies introduced the new face of their franchise, $330MM outfielder Bryce Harper, at a press conference Saturday in Clearwater, Fla. Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Scott Lauber and Matt Breen of Philly.com, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com and Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia were among the reporters on hand to cover the presser, which also featured agent Scott Boras and Phillies owner John Middleton.
After Middleton stated in November that the Phillies were expecting to spend “stupid” money in the offseason, it came as no surprise that they emerged with Harper on a record-setting contract. And Middleton referenced his famous November declaration on Saturday, asking, “Does this look like stupid money?”
The answer is no for the Phillies, who have already sold upward of 220,000 tickets since reeling in Harper, their former division rival who spent the first seven years of his career with the Nationals. However, Middleton stressed this signing isn’t about profit for the franchise. Rather, it’s about returning the Phillies to superpower status after seven years among the dregs of the league.
“I’ve made enough money in my life,” Middleton told Boras during negotiations. “I don’t need to make more. My franchise value has risen dramatically over the last 25 years. I don’t need it to rise more. I’m here to win. I think your guy can help me win, and that’s all I want to talk about.’”
Boras, as is his wont, was colorful in summing up the Middleton-led Phillies’ successful courtship of Harper.
“The maestro wanted to build a championship, and he wanted his harp,” the game’s most famous agent quipped. “The Philadelphia-Phil-Harp-monic symphony is built.’’
While the Phillies’ pursuit of Harper was a well-publicized, months-long dance, Middleton revealed the club didn’t begin negotiating a contract with Harper’s camp until Feb. 20, the day after the Padres signed Philly target Manny Machado to a 10-year, $300MM deal. Those talks began before Middleton and his wife, Leigh, ventured to Las Vegas to meet with Harper and his wife, Kayla, on Feb. 23. It was there that the Phillies closed in on securing the coveted Harper, a six-time All-Star and onetime NL MVP whose career is on a Hall of Fame course.
“Me and my wife walked away [thinking], ‘Wow, we’re blown away by these amazing people,’ ” Harper said. “They really understand where we’re coming from, understand the family aspect of our life, understand the city of Philly and what it’s all about.”
Now that his trip to free agency’s in the rearview and he has possibly found the team with which he’ll finish his career, Harper is focused on helping the Phillies to a championship – which has eluded him to this point.
“I want to be on Broad Street, on a frigging boat, bus, or whatever it is,’’ Harper said, “and hold a trophy over my head.”
In the estimation of Harper’s camp, the structure of the contract should help the player and team achieve their goal of winning titles during the two sides’ long marriage. Because it’s a 13-year deal, the average annual value is worth a reasonable $25MM-plus per season, which will aid the Phillies from a luxury tax standpoint. And Boras noted Harper didn’t want an opt-out clause in his contract because his desire is to remain in Philadelphia and recruit future free agents to the city.
Harper even brought up the game’s foremost player, New Jersey native and Philly sports fan Mike Trout, as a potential future teammate.
“I know there’s another guy in about two years that comes off the books. We’ll see what happens to him,” Harper said of the Angels’ all-world center fielder, who’s slated to reach free agency after 2020 and whose next contract figures to eclipse Harper’s. Trout, it seems, helped influence Harper to pick the Phillies, as the latter revealed he “talked to [Trout] a lot” throughout his four-month stay on the open market.
It’s anyone’s guess whether Trout will join his friend in Philly in the next couple years. For now, the Phillies are satisfied with their current roster, with the addition of Harper serving as an exclamation point to a productive few months. Having added Harper, catcher J.T. Realmuto, shortstop Jean Segura, outfielder Andrew McCutchen and reliever David Robertson since last season ended, Middleton regards the Phillies as the front-runners in what should be an ultra-competitive NL East – a division Harper believes is a “juggernaut.”
“I just want to win,” said Middleton, “and with Bryce, we are going to win.”
No tampering rules in the mlb?
Who’s tampering. Every league allows players to praise other players and say things like I’d love to play with a certain player some day. Ownership didn’t say anything about it. Harper just states a fact that a Philly fan Trout is a free agent in 2 years. Also there is absolutely no tampering with players discussing potential teams while one is a free agent getting advice. I wouldn’t get your panties in a bunch over this
MLB issued a warning to Judge for similar comments he made regarding Machado last year.
The difference is Judge mentioned Machado by name.
Probably doesn’t apply to players??
heater……….
Did he mention his name specifically in that sentence? Did he say “I asked him to test FA and sign here?
Bryce Harper was a free agent when him and Trout discussed Philadelphia, how would this be tampering?
Of the teams that courted Bryce, only one plays in a city that has White Castle…. and that’s where he signed. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
There are a lot of White Castles in Chicago, too many for my taste buds. How good is Harper with sliders?
Seems like tampering but like the previous people stated, he was a FA and didn’t address anyone by name. IF it was the NBA I’m sure they’d find a way to say it’s tampering lol. Either way, MLB & the NBA are totally different. You could have Trout, Harper, and Machado on the same team but it still doesn’t mean they’re going to win the WS. Hell, throw in Degrom, Kershaw, Scherzer and that still wouldn’t guarantee anything.
hope Middleton’s money comments are true, as unlikely as it is. But hey, some rich guys do realise that their middle-class markets value when they are a bit humble/modest/whatever-you-want-to-call-it.
How funny would it be if the Nats and Phillies ended up in the NLCS, with the Nats winning because of something Harper did. After all, he did say he wants to bring a championship back to DC.
Most relatable thing a professional player has done as far as im concerned.
I think the phillies might be the team to beat in the nl east right now, that line up is pretty deep.
Your dreaming. Remember this in October. Philadelphia will finish in third place.
number1dodger………..
Are your precognitive skills better than your spelling?
“Philadelphia Phil-Harp-monic”…cue the clip from BILLY MADISON – “we are now dumber for hearing that – do not pass go, do not collect $100”.
Do not collect $200?
My family was cheap when we played Monopoly. Sorry.
Boras had all winter to work on it, and *that’s* the best he could do?
The player, team and agent are all happy, but somehow you aren’t? Next time they ought to put it out there for fans to determine what people think would be best for them and their family.
Uhh, pretty sure you mashed together Billy Madison and Ace Ventura quotes there
Ace Ventura, classroom detective?
Philly needs to make one more move for a pitcher or just bring in Kimbrel
They should go large with one-year deals for Kimbrel and Keuchel at over $20m each, blow past the tax for a year, then reset next year when those those plus their three expensive relievers come off the the books, then blow past it the next year if necessary if they can sign Trout and others. Would be a nice display that they are willing to spend huge yet smart, bringing in big-time talent yet not hamstringing themselves in the process.
Not a terrible idea. But do you think adding Kimbrel and Dallas makes them World Series contenders? I’m not so sure.
Bring back the dislike button .
Dislike.
BRING BACK THE DISLIKE BUTTON
Why stop there?
I’d like to see buttons for Disdain and Loathe. Expel also a viable candidate.
How about “Pure hatred?”
Haha that would be awesome
Like 11 Dislike 330,000,000
This is the dislike button replacement:
>:(
X’s custom button 😮
Well, if the result of no dislike button is a ton of stupid comments that say “dislike”, then I guess bring it back. Or people could just stop caring about hating everything so much.
“Hating.” Are you 12?
“Boy, I’m FINALLY in Philadelphia!”
…or D.C. Doesn’t really matter, because I AM Bryce Harper.
Give my regards to the Liberty Bell, which is also cracked.
Parade to start at the Washington Monument.
Bryce Harper is in Philly for life, baseball needs to get use to it. Mike Trout may join him in a couple, Philadelphia is going to be a place where Free agents want to come, you all heard it here first.
You mean we heard it in the article first, right? Because the article explicitly stated these exact ideas, you’ve just made them more declaratively.
He made ideas?
I read it, but I didn’t hear anything.
I am so glad that Harper will be playing for the Phillies. They should trade for a starter and sign Kimbrel. That team will be exciting to watch. Also, John Middleton is one of the best owner in MLB.
Yes — PLEASE bring back the “dislike” button.
Seriously!
This is like having to ask auto makers to bring back the brake pedal.
He’s the best owner in baseball why?Because he convinced Harper to sign or because all the championships he brought to, oh wait…
IronBallsMcGinty
Middleton didn’t take over as the controlling owner until 2016. Before that it was Montgomery, the guy behind the early Howard extension and refusal to rebuild.
“I want to be on Broad Street, on a frigging boat, bus, or whatever it is,’’ Harper said, “and hold a trophy over my head.”…….or whatever it is??? Glad its not a duck boat…glad Boston had 0 interest
Seriously. If you wanted to take the biggest offer, that’s fine no one is going to begrudge you that.
But to pretend like you WANT to play in Philly when NYC is less than 100 miles away is silliness.
Although my Yankees pursued Machado who the majority of us including myself did not want & did not even go after Harper esp.after Machado was signed. When Aaron Judge was interviewed on TMZ/TMZ sports & this was way before Machado was even signed said we take either however said he’d love to play with Bryce Harper & read make room for him in the outfield we would adjust things Harper & Judge play the same spot he said we’ll rotate positions make it work. besides Jeter being a Yankee lifer the only other one that has been around that long is Brett Gardner that’s the only reason why we gave him this last year contract that he’s going into and basically he’s going to be DH & when needed in the outfield. We just gave it an extension to Aaron Hicks who’s great switch hitter & I have a feeling Aaron judge will not be going anywhere he’ll be the next Yankee lifer. Even though Harper signed 13 years for 330 million we got Stanton for 335 million 10 yrs w/ basically the same contact w/ exception. He can be bought out year 10.
I’m surprised we didn’t make a move for Harper we made enough moves for pitching which we got. I doubt we’ll go after kimbrel although I wouldn’t be the first time we’ve gotten players from Boston BUT Kimbrel is requesting something like 300 million to be a closer it’s not going to happen that’s why Boston did not even make an offer to keep them. At this point he’s going to be a last-minute signee for probably half of that..
Gardner will probably get over 500 plate appearances and most will come in the outfield, at all three positions.
Gardner has been more valuable to that team than the fans in NY seem to recognize.
” BUT Kimbrel is requesting something like 300 million to be a closer”
Ummmmmm…..no
It’s real easy to say the majority of New Yorker’s didn’t want Machado after you didn’t get him. If Machado would have signed with the Yankees the majority would have been overjoyed.
Not the first time a guy has chosen Philly over NYC and probably not the last
Better get used to it. Next up is TROUT. You’re fanbase won’t be able to pretend that they didn’t want him when he signs with Philadelphia for less.
I spend a lot of time in both cities, both have their + & -, for Instance traffic, tolls, pollution, etc. NYC is great but it’s not for everyone, some prefer Philly. I’d take either.
I’m a Phils fan
Ummmmm, if and when he signs, it won’t be for less..nor should he
Middleton’s going to need rotator cuff surgery for patting himself on the back so much. Let’s see how happy he is at the end of the deal.
Orthopedic surgeon, and probably a proctologist as well (given how this whole process went).
His contract is paying him for ages:
26-29 $50MM
30 $35MM
31-32 $30MM
33 $18MM
34-35 $6MM
36-37 $2MM
38 $1MM
A lot of it in deferred money. Why shouldn’t he be happy?
Sam…………
How did you come up with that load of crap. There is no deferred money and those numbers are not even close. If you want to spread BS try somewhere else.
mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/phillies-reportedly-agr…
didn’t he say he wanted to bring back a championship to DC??
Doesn’t every player say that in the city they are employed? Until of course they are no longer employed there…
Right, but he said that yesterday… with his Phillies cap on.
Delaware County…
Maybe he meant it. By being a team cancer in Philly he will help DC will win a championship. National for life!
Wrong! The Phanatic is, and will always be, the phace of the phranchise.
Phinally, … a phan who has phigured it out.
Can’t wait for Philly to not make playoffs. Thought last years nats team was better than this Philly team and they did make playoffs why would Philly make playoffs.
huh?
I think he meant “Nats didn’t make the playoffs last season and they were a superior team. So how are the Phillies going to make the playoffs this year?”
Something like that.
Uh, the nationals didn’t make the playoffs last year…..
What a recruiting tool Harper is. Could his best friend who plays 3rd base for the Cubs be thinking about his future also? The roaring 20’s may be on the horizon.
Will definitely be an interesting relationship between Harper and Philly. I heard it described this way. The Philly fans will love you hard but they will hate you harder.
As Trout described it….“I’m an Eagles fan, I know how we are,” Trout said. “When you’re going good, you love them. Fans appreciate hustle all of the time, like 100 percent effort. Even if you’re’ struggling, if you go and show them that you’re giving 100 percent, they see that and respect that.”
One would imagine that is similar to what he told Harper when Harper called to get his views on playing in Philly.
That’s a fair assessment, as long as the effort is there the respect will follow.
Rollins is revered in Philly but they still booed him at times, and tagged him with the nick name (one of several) Jimmy-Jogs or Jimmy-jogs-a-lot.
Mike Schmidt too, a legend and Hall of Famer that bleeds Phillies red and would probably agree with some of the boos he got.
I’ve been a Phillies fan for nearly 40 years and a season ticket holder for 25 and I’ve never heard Jimmy Rollins called that until your post. Not saying I don’t like it…what about Jimmy Joggins?
I remember it from comment boards 4-5-6 years ago, along with J-Pop or Jimmy Pops because of his tendency to pop up when swing for the fences.
Jimmy Jingles?
That was me Cat…sorry..
LOL….I couldn’t remember where I read it. I wasn’t sure if it was the Phillies site,. FOX sports or elsewhere.
I have read comment sections for years but only started commenting within the past few.
I quit commenting on regular news sites well over a year ago as they are vile, putrid cesspools. The quality of commenting has gone down hill here in the past few years but it’s still much better than most so this is where I stay.
Who cares?
TRADE TROUT!!! HE WANT’S TO PLAY IN PHILLY ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!
Glad this is finally over because in my view Harper is overrated, his free agency was overhyped and now he is overpaid.
Do the Phillies not sell out every single game at like 104% capacity anyway? I know they had the longest sellout streak of any professional sports team for awhile a few years ago.
257 consecutive sellouts between 09-12
Third longest in baseball history
We seen time and again you have to build a winner. Not buy it. Look at the last 4 WS teams. 90% built and a few key FA. The Mets and Phillies are trying to buy it and I don’t think it will work.
Then how do you suggest they build it when you can’t trade draft picks? Do you suggest the Phillies just think you your after year after year and then capitalize on the high draft picks like the Astros did? Didn’t Boston and the Yankees buy contention for years?
Phillies have been rebuilding for years. They have young home grown pieces in place
Harper looked like he signed with Philly at gunpoint during that press conference yesterday. Lol. Glad the Yanks blew this guy off. Have fun being miserable in Philadelphia, Bryce!
Maybe he’ll show Yankees fans how much hem loves the Phillies in the WS in the next couple years, would be great watching him crush some of the arrogance out your fan base.
If you truly believe just buy the shining the Phillies will be in the World Series in a couple of years I am begging you get drug tested. The Phillies are very far away from a World Series not to mention the Dodgers are all loaded from top to bottom and still have a stranglehold on the National League. I respect the owner of the Phillies only caring about winning that is how it should be but you’d be lucky if you’re in the World Series in five years.
In case you didn’t learn this from the Eagles last year, Philadelphia loves the underdog roll. Our lineup is stacked as well incase you haven’t noticed?
How many World Series titles have they won during said stranglehold?
I’d assume at least 3 probably 4.
Yankees can’t beat the Red Sox so it won’t happen.
Your team will be chasing the RedSox for the next several years. Get used to that one game playoff son/daughter.
Scott Boras is as cringy as the writers on here, apparently.
Ah, the honeymoon phase – adorable.
Harper gonna get boo’d a lot in philly.
Good luck philly with that cancer!!
I wonder if Philadelphia will court Trout like Cleveland & LA did with Lebron James by putting up billboards lol. Every team will go after him. Player’s age 29 season is usually their most productive. A team would be stupid NOT to try and get a guy that will give you 10+ WAR. It’s 2 years away (barring an extension) but I’m kind of excited for the whole thing lol.
The Phillies lineup is stacked but not sold on their pitching. Arrieta isn’t getting younger and I’m skeptical of everyone behind Nola. I’d pick the Nats and Mets to finish ahead of Philly at this point. Braves might be 4th…
Phillies also announced the following new concession prices:
Beer = $100.00
Soda = $ 60.00
Hot Dogs = $80.00 + $10.00 for each topping
Peanuts = $1.00 for each peanut
Popcorn = $1.00 for each kernel
In addition, access to restrooms and drinking fountains will now require the use of either a credit card or debit card.
Welcome aboard Bryce !!
So they made a huge signing and are dropping prices?
Left out the price of sour grapes…
Those are sold in LA and SF
all time record for jerseys sold in 24hrs in any sport..
The article didn’t mention his “I want to bring a title back to DC” fail
If he was that married to Philly and playing there, why didn’t he sign three months ago for 300million and help recruit all these other free absents? He’s so full of crap and Philly fans will see right through his act. They will mercilessly boo him every time he strikes out with runners on base and every error. He will miss a LOT of games, hit .250, and become a hefty Ryan Howard-like burden in 5 years. Assuming he plays 150 games a year until he’s 30, yes, the Phils will be very good 2 days a week. They need starting pitching, a manager who knows how to budget his bullpen and put the binder away. Phils win 88, is that enough?