In the latest round of Bryce Harper-related Major League Baseball (MLB) rumors, it seems that Philadelphia Phillies fans, now taking stock in the fact that their team is unlikelier by the minute to sign the star right-fielder, are preparing to “boo” him when he comes to town.
As The Washington Post reports, weeks of speculation that Harper was close to signing with the Phillies has given the City of Brotherly Love’s baseball fans a raging case of Bryce Harper fatigue. Not helping matters is the fact that the Phils and Harper appear to be miles apart on negotiations (more on that in the next paragraph), and it appears as if Harper (or more specifically, his agent) are moving on to another team and another city.
Specifically, as reported Thursday by The Inquisitr , Harper wants $300 million over 10 years as a starting point. The Phillies are willing to spend money, but not that kind of money. The team is reportedly offering something in the neighborhood of $270 million over that period of time, and Harper is reportedly prepared to walk.
“The Phillies have made their offer and it hasn’t moved. Now they have a feeling that they’re not as likely to get him, at least right now. It’s not the biggest offer from what I can tell.”
?BREAKING NEWS?
The RubberDucks and RF Bryce Harper have agreed to a 10 year 330 Million Duck Bills contract.
Welcome to Akron! pic.twitter.com/1OSdcBOOHJ
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) February 27, 2019
The one team whose name is coming up the most these days (and no, it’s not the Akron RubberDucks, their parody tweet above notwithstanding) is the Phillies’ National League competitor the L.A. Dodgers.
That means that it’s exceedingly likely that Harper will play in Philadelphia – just in a Dodgers uniform. And Philly fans are prepared to let him have it. We know this because they called into a local radio show to say exactly that.
“I say good riddance. Pull the plug, let him go. Be done. He played with our emotions too much.”
“I’m going to make damn well sure that I’m there at the stadium with the other people, hopefully it will be a sellout crowd, because we’re going to boo him so bad. If I had a chance, I would spit in his face.”
Ouch.
Not for nothing, fans of Philadelphia teams – the Flyers (NHL), the 76ers (NBA), the Eagles (NFL) and the Phillies (MLB) – have gotten a reputation over the decades for being a bit… cantankerous. Or to put it more directly, as Deadspin writer Drew Magary calls them, “the worst.”
“We are dealing with a new breed of Philly fan that… are cocky and arrogant without having won anything at all.”
Ouch again.
Meanwhile, according to MLB Trade Rumors , the Phillies “still have the highest offer on the table,” a claim that stands in sharp contrast to Thursday reports that the Phillies, and Harper, are moving on. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are prepared to offer a boffo amount of money, but not over the course of a decade like Harper wants. And the San Francisco Giants are reportedly still in the mix, offering 10 years and north of the $300 million Harper reportedly wants.