Bryce Harper's high praise for Phillies crowd clashes with Aaron Judge WBC narrative

Bryce Harper has expressed his gratitude for the Philadelphia Phillies fans often in his seven previous seasons he has been with the organization. The two-time NL MVP knows it is a privilege to play baseball at this level, and doesn't take playing in front of a passionate fan base like Philadelphia or for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic for granted. He recently showed more appreciation for Phillies fans during the WBC.

Harper and Aaron Judge are two of MLB's and Team USA's biggest stars. However, they each had varying opinions on which atmosphere has a better crowd: the home environments in the World Series of the respective teams they play on, or the environment in the later rounds of the WBC in Miami.

Bryce Harper showers Phillies fans with praise where Aaron Judge fell short

Harper said to MLB Network Radio before the March 15 contest between Team USA and the Dominican Republic that the crowd in Miami was enthusiastic, but that it didn't surpass the Phillies fans.

"[I saw a lot of fans before the start of games in] the [2022] World Series, [this was] still a lot, right? I played some big games. Philly's obviously a crazy town to play in, so I don't think anywhere has ever been as loud as Philly, " Harper said.

It's not surprising that the Phillies star player said nothing tops playing in front of the Philadelphia fans. The environment at Citizens Bank Park was electric throughout the team's 2022 playoff run, in which the franchise reached the World Series for the first time in 13 years.

Another Team USA star, Aaron Judge, was also asked about which crowds are more boisterous between the WBC and World Series following Team USA's victory over the Dominican Republic. The New York Yankees' star had a different opinion from Harper's on the matter.

"It's been bigger [than] the World Series I was in. The crowd here, the crowd we had when we played Mexico. It's bigger & better than the World Series," Judge said resoundingly. "The passion these fans have representing their country, representing some of their favorite players. There's nothing like it.

[These are] the moments you dream of, big spots, big situations... it gives me chills right now thinking about how special that was, you know, I try to take a moment [in] every game to look around, appreciate the crowd, appreciate the moment, it's just a blessing to go out there and do our thing," Judge continued.

Interestingly, both Harper and Judge have differing views on the matter, as both play in remarkably intense baseball cities and have experienced the peak of the MLB season, World Series play. Both players were put in a tough spot based on their opinions due to the nature of the question they responded to.

We live in a world where some individuals in the media may get carried away and suggest Harper doesn't appreciate playing in the WBC while also questioning whether Judge fully appreciates playing in front of the crowds at Yankee Stadium. Just because they favor one atmosphere doesn't mean they don't recognize and appreciate the value of the other. Harper takes pride in representing the United States during the WBC, while Judge enjoys playing in front of the passionate Yankee fans.

Phillies fans will definitely appreciate Harper complimenting their energy during the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park. The first baseman continued to strengthen the bond he has with the fan base based on his comment about them during the WBC.