Phillies: Bryce Harper brings power, backbone to championship-level lineup
The signing of Bryce Harper shows that the Phillies aren’t satisfied with teetering on the edge of the playoffs anymore. This offseason, they went out and did what needed to be done to acquire the power hitter needed to cement a championship-level lineup.
At the end of it all, “stupid money” wins out, as Bryce Harper signs with the Phillies for 13 years, $330 million. Yet, the more important aspect of this deal isn’t the record-breaking money. The deal includes no opt-outs, and has a no-trade clause in it, dispelling all rumors and notions that Harper didn’t want to be a Phillie. Harper will be in Philadelphia until he is 39 years old, and if his past at Citizens Bank Park is any indication, he’s going to have his number hanging above Ashburn Alley at the end of it all.
The six-time All-Star, 2015 NL MVP offensive juggernaut has hit 14 home runs in just 50 career games at Citizens Bank Park, while also hitting .268 with 32 RBIs. That’s the most home runs at any field he’s played in outside of DC, and a home run rate of one home run every 12.8 at bats!
The Phillies have desperately needed another bat with some pop, especially a left-handed hitter who could divvy up the stretch of righties in the middle. Though many considered 2018 a down year for him, he still put up 34 home runs and 100 RBIs, which would’ve been the best-run production that the club has seen since Ryan Howard in 2011.
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On paper, the starting lineup looks very well constructed, with contact, speed, and power throughout. What they really needed was a guy that would strike fear into the opposing pitcher. A hitter that could take any pitcher yard at any moment, or delivery a devastating blow in crunch time. That’s exactly who Bryce Harper is.
Through Harper’s age-25 season (2018), he has hit 184 home runs, five fewer than Ken Griffey, Jr. through his age-25 season.
If this trend can continue, he’ll hit another 340 more (average of 26/year), a source of power paired with Rhys Hoskins that Philadelphia sorely needed.
Harper’s defense has been suspect, but his role isn’t to be a defensive ace; it’s to supply the power. I think the people happiest about his signing have to be the starting pitchers. Philly ranked tied for 17th in run support in 2018, according to Fox Sports.
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When you pair that with the starting rotation having the highest Wins Above Average in the league, imagine if the lineup was able to string together a few 8-10 run outings. The addition of Harper makes that possible. Now when they face the formidable rotations that the Nationals and the Mets throw at them, or when the young stars of Atlanta bring their big sticks to work, they have a true superstar to lead the attack.
Philadelphia won 80 games last year with all the things that went wrong. The NL East has improved and will be a tough battle all season. Baseball is back, and the Phils have just made themselves the favorites in the division.
Harper signing likely spells end for Williams. dark. Next
All stats supplied from baseball-reference.com