Bryce Harper 2018 and beyond

[Optics]

He will sign with the Angels and become MVP and lead them to a world championship. But Nats fans will be happy that we didn't overpay and have Robles.

This goes against the history of baseball. Guys who sign mega contracts don't win championships. Pujols hasn't won with the Angels. Bonds didn't win with the Giants. ARod didn't win with the Rangers.

For the amount of money Harper wants, we could get 3-4 good to very good players. That's MUCH more conducive to winning in baseball. This isn't basketball where you can't win without a couple megastars. A team full of B to B+ players is better then a team of 2-3 A guys and a bunch of jabronis.

[imref]

This goes against the history of baseball. Guys who sign mega contracts don't win championships. Pujols hasn't won with the Angels. Bonds didn't win with the Giants. ARod didn't win with the Rangers.

For the amount of money Harper wants, we could get 3-4 good to very good players. That's MUCH more conducive to winning in baseball. This isn't basketball where you can't win without a couple megastars. A team full of B to B+ players is better then a team of 2-3 A guys and a bunch of jabronis.

Optics is Billy Beane!!

[spidernat]

Are we talking about recent day mega contracts? Because Randy Johnson won a title and so did Maddux.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Are we talking about recent day mega contracts? Because Randy Johnson won a title and so did Maddux.

so did A-Rod in 2009 after he opted out and the NYY re-signed him.  Not to mention Manny Ramirez's FA contract with the Red Sox (or, for that matter, Mussina with the Yanks). 

[Slateman]

so did A-Rod in 2009 after he opted out and the NYY re-signed him.  Not to mention Manny Ramirez's FA contract with the Red Sox (or, for that matter, Mussina with the Yanks). 

Buster Posey in 2014
Jason Heyward in 2016
Justin Verlander in 2017

[skippy1999]

Buster Posey in 2014
Jason Heyward in 2016
Justin Verlander in 2017

I mean, other than a motivating speech during the rain delay in Game 7 of the World Series I don't think Heyward deserves to be seen as a successful big money free agent signing.
Also Pujols had already signed a big contact when he was in St. Louis and won a bunch of stuff with them, I think he wanted ANOTHER big contract and at his age St. Louis was wise to say no thanks. Bryce has his best years in front of him, many of them, he is orth it. 

[Mattionals]

Buster Posey in 2014
Jason Heyward in 2016
Justin Verlander in 2017

Does Verlander count because it wasn't with the team he signed with? I mean, in that scenario, the Nats could let Harper walk and just trade for him at some point still giving him the opportunity to win a WS in Washington.

I still think it's insane that Heyward has a ring especially how bad he has been on that contract.

[HalfSmokes]

Does Verlander count because it wasn't with the team he signed with? I mean, in that scenario, the Nats could let Harper walk and just trade for him at some point still giving him the opportunity to win a WS in Washington.

I still think it's insane that Heyward has a ring especially how bad he has been on that contract.

Part of the calculus on those contracts has to be whether or not the team can work around it if the player doesn’t perform as expected.

[imref]

Guessing this won't go over well in the clubhouse:

Jorge Castillo
@jorgecastillo
Bryce Harper on Rendon and Murphy possibly returning soon: “It’s huge...We’re 13-16 with the Syracuse Sky Chiefs.”

[skippy1999]

Guessing this won't go over well in the clubhouse:

oh booooyyyyyyy....

[spidernat]

We have several guys who aren't far removed from the chiefs but we have too many other players that don't fit that bill so that was a freaked up thing to say.

[UMDNats]

Guessing this won't go over well in the clubhouse:

Yeah....bad look for Bryce.

[dcpatti]

Dude should stick to the boring-but-thoroughly-rehearsed bit about “just gotta keep grinding.”

[spidernat]

Dude should stick to the boring-but-thoroughly-rehearsed bit about “just gotta keep grinding.”

that's a clown post dcpatti

[UMDNats]

"Anytime you lose all-star players, plural, it hurts the team's chances to win. no getting around it. and we've struggled to get going without them. but Moises has had some big moments, Andrew just had a 4-hit game, everyone is playing their hardest, and so am i, so we can be in a spot to make a run when the big guns get back"

that's all he had to say

[spidernat]

you give him too much credit



I just watched a post draft interview of Doug Williams and OMG that freaking dude is an imbecile. Drunks are more coherent than that dude.

[varoadking]

What a dumbass...

[PowerBoater69]

"Anytime you lose all-star players, plural, it hurts the team's chances to win. no getting around it. and we've struggled to get going without them. but Moises has had some big moments, Andrew just had a 4-hit game, everyone is playing their hardest, and so am i, so we can be in a spot to make a run when the big guns get back"

that's all he had to say

Only one injured Nat has ever been an All Star.

[PowerBoater69]

Dude should stick to the boring-but-thoroughly-rehearsed bit about “just gotta keep grinding.”

Irony

[aBaltoNat]

Making the Johnny Football "cash" signs after his homers. At least we know where his head is at.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Only one injured Nat has ever been an All Star.

But two have been top 5 in MVP voting, I think.

[Expos]

Bryce needs to stay at leadoff.

Go ahead and walk him.

[Count Walewski]

Buster Posey in 2014
Jason Heyward in 2016
Justin Verlander in 2017

Ivan Rodriguez in 2003
Jon Lester in 2016

[Greg_SRT]

Making the Johnny Football "cash" signs after his homers. At least we know where his head is at.

I think more than a few Nats are doing it this year. Seems to be a team thing.

[Greg_SRT]

Guessing this won't go over well in the clubhouse:

Did Bryce really say that? Incredibly unprofessional. You want $400 million, it should come with the expectation of good leadership. Not a good leader doing that.