This is kind of a follow up on my Harper blog, because some players complained about free agents not getting deals. Now these days, how well a player has done is going to determine their value to their current team or future teams who may lure them away. There have been some deals that many will not want to see happen again.
If you're into basketball, then the Allan Houston contract with the New York Knicks will make you sick. With six years and 100 million dollars, that should be a little ridiculous but not horrible. Add in bad knees, and you have a rule now regarding waiving a player and the whole luxury tax thing. About as equal is Albert Haynesworth and a deal roughly similar to that with football's Washington Redskins. Whether the effort was in or the animosity with him and Mike Shanahan in 2010, it was anything but good.
As I said for baseball, players complained about guys like Harper not getting deals. Teams are a lot more cautious now. Albert Pujols is one of the great modern players of the 21st century, but his deal with the LA Angels is a bust. Some of the years haven't been putrid, but for a guy that made 27 mil last year? I don't know. I know there's comparisons to Ryan Howard's contract because of it being centered on the Phillies. As I said in the last one, this is different. Harper is going to be in the prime years of his career. Howard was already past his prime when his five year deal started in 2012. I don't think the system is as flawed as some like Justin Verlander say it is. As much as any team would love to have their dream lineup and bullpen, everyone has their pros and cons.
It's like anything. You don't know what you are going to get. Could we see Harper not living up to it? Maybe. But there have been guys like Robinson Cano (ignoring the PED thing for a second) who have done tremendously well with their long term deals. Harper is capable. Can he just be mature be committed to playing and getting a World Series trophy?
Showing posts with label bryce harper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bryce harper. Show all posts
Monday, March 4, 2019
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Harper's Lucky or Unlucky Break
The number thirteen is something that can be viewed as mysterious. Whatever the case is for the Philadelphia Phillies, they are holding on Bryce Harper for a very long time. After seven years with Washington, he got a 13 year deal with the worth being 330 million dollars. He may not be making the most, but to get something long term may be good.
Given his career so far, he has been rather inconsistent. While capable of hitting home runs, he has been having years where he is great and then he slumps a little bit. Last year was a good indicator. Questions were asked on whether he was tanking or not. Comparisons have been made so far about Ryan Howard's contract from 2012 through 2016. While I would have fear if I was a Phillies fan, I think it's different. Howard was at the peak of his career and after 2011. He wasn't the same player like he was in his first three to four full seasons.
Harper still has a lot of prime years left in him to make his name in baseball. Now, he will be playing until he is 38 or 39. It's not like Howard's situation or even Albert Pujols' 10 year deal, which I'd say was a big bust. Teams are very concerned about these kid of deals. There is power to him, but the Phillies need to contain him and control his anger. If they want to be contenders in the next few years, they can't have him lose his cool and get ejected in critical moments of the season. Getting support around him and developing some of their prospects would also be a great help.
The National League East might become the go to division if it isn't the American League equivalency. Harper's deal will go down as the greatest ever or the biggest bust for any free agent when it's all said and done.
Given his career so far, he has been rather inconsistent. While capable of hitting home runs, he has been having years where he is great and then he slumps a little bit. Last year was a good indicator. Questions were asked on whether he was tanking or not. Comparisons have been made so far about Ryan Howard's contract from 2012 through 2016. While I would have fear if I was a Phillies fan, I think it's different. Howard was at the peak of his career and after 2011. He wasn't the same player like he was in his first three to four full seasons.
Harper still has a lot of prime years left in him to make his name in baseball. Now, he will be playing until he is 38 or 39. It's not like Howard's situation or even Albert Pujols' 10 year deal, which I'd say was a big bust. Teams are very concerned about these kid of deals. There is power to him, but the Phillies need to contain him and control his anger. If they want to be contenders in the next few years, they can't have him lose his cool and get ejected in critical moments of the season. Getting support around him and developing some of their prospects would also be a great help.
The National League East might become the go to division if it isn't the American League equivalency. Harper's deal will go down as the greatest ever or the biggest bust for any free agent when it's all said and done.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Will Bryce Harper Grow Up?
It's interesting to see people my age enter many things. This includes Bryce Harper and his baseball career. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 draft by the Washington Nationals. He makes the big leagues in April 2012 and has continued to play heading into this year. His numbers are respectable, though he could be a little better. The stat line for career numbers is over 700 hits, over 130 home runs, over 130 doubles, four All-Star appearances, Rookie of the Year, and the 2015 NL MVP. Yet, he still finds himself getting suspended.
Eventually, this is going to be tiring. Against the San Francisco Giants on Memorial Day, Harper gets hit by reliever Hunter Strickland. Harper throws his helmet, starts throwing punches and instigates a brawl. Now, there is some bad blood supposedly as Strickland gave up a home run to him back in 2014 when the Nats and Giants met in the playoffs. Harper hit some home runs off of him and just looking at the videos, I didn't notice anything that would be a reason to hit him three years later. Reading SB Nation's article, they didn't face each other last year, or in 2015.
I find that a little strange, but not strange in how Harper reacted. He is still known for a short fuse and people in the Nationals organization have to realize he needs to grow up. Both him and Strickland have been suspended for their actions. Looking at the video of it, it looked intentional. I don't think Strickland lost control. However, it doesn't make any sense. San Francisco won a World Series in 2014, their third in five years. They got the last laugh. You would think it would just be it. This makes Jose Bautista and the Texas Rangers look like freakin saints compared to this.
That being said, Harper needs to control his emotions. Although I don't get Nationals games on TV unless they are on ESPN or Fox, he is still a big deal with sports news outlets. That's to expect for the first overall pick. He and others have led to the Nationals back to relevancy. For 2012, they were in the playoffs for the first time since 1981 when they were the Montreal Expos. They weren't putrid in the from that time until 1994, but the strike hurt them really badly. Back to Harper, he isn't 20 anymore. Fans are going to expect more out of him and hope that he can calm down. That's what I look at with guys like him and NFL player Odell Beckham. Manager Dusty Baker has seen his share of players and bad outbursts, but I'm not sure if he'll have a lot more patience with him.
Harper could be one of the all time greats if he continues to play like he is right now. He is having a phenomenal 2017, something that is a bit surprising. If he can curb his behavior and calm himself, he could be a name you think of down the road as one of the greatest to have played the game. If he can't keep his emotions in check, the question of when and if he matures will be in the minds of many fans and critics.
Eventually, this is going to be tiring. Against the San Francisco Giants on Memorial Day, Harper gets hit by reliever Hunter Strickland. Harper throws his helmet, starts throwing punches and instigates a brawl. Now, there is some bad blood supposedly as Strickland gave up a home run to him back in 2014 when the Nats and Giants met in the playoffs. Harper hit some home runs off of him and just looking at the videos, I didn't notice anything that would be a reason to hit him three years later. Reading SB Nation's article, they didn't face each other last year, or in 2015.
I find that a little strange, but not strange in how Harper reacted. He is still known for a short fuse and people in the Nationals organization have to realize he needs to grow up. Both him and Strickland have been suspended for their actions. Looking at the video of it, it looked intentional. I don't think Strickland lost control. However, it doesn't make any sense. San Francisco won a World Series in 2014, their third in five years. They got the last laugh. You would think it would just be it. This makes Jose Bautista and the Texas Rangers look like freakin saints compared to this.
That being said, Harper needs to control his emotions. Although I don't get Nationals games on TV unless they are on ESPN or Fox, he is still a big deal with sports news outlets. That's to expect for the first overall pick. He and others have led to the Nationals back to relevancy. For 2012, they were in the playoffs for the first time since 1981 when they were the Montreal Expos. They weren't putrid in the from that time until 1994, but the strike hurt them really badly. Back to Harper, he isn't 20 anymore. Fans are going to expect more out of him and hope that he can calm down. That's what I look at with guys like him and NFL player Odell Beckham. Manager Dusty Baker has seen his share of players and bad outbursts, but I'm not sure if he'll have a lot more patience with him.
Harper could be one of the all time greats if he continues to play like he is right now. He is having a phenomenal 2017, something that is a bit surprising. If he can curb his behavior and calm himself, he could be a name you think of down the road as one of the greatest to have played the game. If he can't keep his emotions in check, the question of when and if he matures will be in the minds of many fans and critics.
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