Phillies: Larry Bowa says baseball needs to win fans back
By Matt Rappa
Relationship with Harper
Bowa says Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper “impressed the heck” out of him in his first season in red pinstripes last year.
“I get along good with him. I can tell you, every game that I watched him last year, I watched every home game, this guy gave 100 percent every single time he took the field,” Bowa says. “That impressed the heck out of me.”
While Bowa says the six-time All-Star started the season out slow, he understands there is a lot of pressure that was put on him, coming to a new team and getting his then-record-breaking contract.
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“Then he turned it up a notch the second half. I think he really likes playing here in Philadelphia,” Bowa says. “He talked about how the fans got him going every single game.”
“Now, he’s going to come out and there won’t be any fans. It’s going to be interesting to see how he reacts to that.”
Bowa says he thinks Harper did a “tremendous job” last year, that he really likes the way he approaches the game, and that before his career is over, he believes Harper will “put up some big numbers in Philly.”
Phillies’ chances this year
Bowa says that at the time “spring training 1” broke, he thinks the Phillies were playing “good fundamental baseball.”
“I was really upset when we broke camp way early because of the virus, because I was looking forward to us getting out of the gate good,” Bowa says. “It’s going to be important to get out of the gate good when you have 60 games.”
“Say the first 10 games you’re 2-8, you basically buried yourself pretty early. It’s going to be important to stay away from losing streaks in this short season”
At 14 wins and 5 losses, the Phillies had the best record in all of baseball across Grapefruit and Cactus league play.
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Bowa says he doesn’t really look at either column, but that he just likes the way the team gelled together: “Joe Girardi did a good job. I like Bryan Price as our pitching coach, [too].”
Could top prospects RHP Spencer Howard and third baseman Alec Bohm make the Opening Day roster under the new circumstances? Bowa did not rule them out.
“We have a pitcher named Howard that they were going to watch his innings, but now with 60 games left, they might have him in the rotation or maybe just in the bullpen,” Bowa says. “Alec Bohm is another guy you have to keep your eye on. He might, with 60 games, he could very easily make this team.”
“That’s going to be up to the front office.”