High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: A New Contract For Bryce Harper?

Episode Date: December 7, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the latest Bryce Harper rumors. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball Isn't Boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is.

Another fact, so jump aboard the B.I.B. Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. The Harper thing. Scott Boris coming out and saying that Bryce Harper wants a contract extension to finish his career in Philadelphia. A little confused, Jack.

I thought we already had that. I thought the 13 year 330 million contract was to finish your career there are four people last year in baseball four who were over the age of 39 four there are only six others who are 39 or older like and there's only one and there's only one member of this podcast that is over the age you're damn right let me tell you at the age of 42 it it hurts. You don't want to go out and hit a baseball? I mean everything.

I wake up at night because my leg is tight, because I'm sleeping with it crooked. That's all it takes to make my body convulse with pain. You and Bryce Harper. We're the same, more or less, physically fit in similar ways. For sure. We love Bryce. He's our guy. I love him,ce it's our guy i love him love

him love him love him like this is ridiculous like and i get that he didn't get taken out in the contract and that he would have made a lot more money if he hadn't all that but like he didn't put an opt-out in the contract that wasn't our choice that was your choice to sign that bryce and like look i love him and i would i would more say hey Bryce when you're done we'll give you we'll give you a uh uh you know roll with the organization we'll pay all this but whatever like I'll do whatever to keep you in the sport whatever I'll offer but like not now like in four years if Bryce is still crushing it and he's awesome all right Bryce let's talk about four more years from now like I this is nuts like I'm sorry like i think it's absolutely asinine i think it is

asinine and it's scott boris and i get it i think to ask for an extension when you have eight years left on your contract and you're 30 years old 31 years old i actually think it's beyond the pale like i think i love bryce and i'm not ripping him but i think this is outrageous outrageous well but middleton wants to do it. It's outrageous. Then John shouldn't do it. Why would you do it? Why? Give me a reason why you would do this. I add on years 40,

41, and 42. You know what the history of baseball says? That he's going to suck those years if he plays. Yeah, but he's also not going to get... Alright, so he's 38. 39. He's towards the end of his career. You know he's not going to be able to get that. He's not going to get $25 million a year.

I understand why they're doing it. So that's why he's doing it. I think it's outrageous, though. I'm sorry. You're making. He's just being smart. No, I get what he's trying to do. I don't like it, though.

Why? Because he's got eight years left on his contract. Again, if he had three or four years left, fine. We're talking about eight years down the road. This has never happened before. This is not something that they do in baseball. We haven't seen many love affairs between a city and a

player quite like Bryce. Look, I love the guy. The point is he's just striking while the iron's hot. And if Middleton's like all right i'll do it well i think it'd be a mistake i think john middleton should put his foot down i think it sets a really really bad precedent but then also with them trey turner has a great year this year it's like you know what i want to add two more years to my contract like are you serious you're setting a precedent i think i think it is insane i think i think it would be a massive

mistake to give him that money you're setting a precedent and I get that, but I also think that, okay, he doesn't do it. Is Bryce as good of an, I don't think he would not. I do not think Bryce Harper would, would change the way he goes about his business. I don't think he'd be like,

well, I'm not going to try as hard. Cause you can give me money on the back end. I'm not going to be as, as, as loving towards the city. No way. That's Bryce.

Bryce does what he does. Like, I don't think there's any chance. Now, theoretically, Boris could cause a problem, and then it's a different discussion. It's like, well, Bryce is going to- Would you rather cause a problem, or would you rather give him three years, 75 on the end?

I would rather put my foot down. I'm not just getting bullied into this. But he's not getting bullied. He wants to do it. He's not getting bullied. Then it's a mistake. Do you not think there's a mistake

to give Bryce Harper $75 million to age 39 to 41 and see him 42 seasons? I think it's crazy. Financial for the... The reason that they... They took risks.

What if Bryce Harper broke his freaking leg in the first year and is never the same player? The Phillies took on that risk signing him a $330 million contract. And he's completely

outdone all that. He has. But you know. And he's completely outdone all of that. He has, but you know what? That's what you paid for. The reason you signed such a big contract is that you're paying for the beginning of the contract to pay off the end because you're 36, 37, 38, 39. He's not going to be worth that money.

And you hope that as inflation goes and stuff, he's worth closer to that. But a 38-year-old Bryce Harper is not going to be worth $25 million. He's not going to be worth $20 million most likely so like you're paying off those back-end years with the value that you make on the early years that's the whole reason to do a contract like this like and and and this quickly into have an opt-out in your contract then bryce they would have given him one if he won a contract with opt-out they would have given it to him that was

his freaking idea like I get it, and I love Bryce, but I think this is a step too far. I don't think this is right, and I don't think John Middleton should do it. That's how I feel about it. Join me and James Coe as we take a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster. Wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers.

As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, if there's one guy to do it with, he's the right guy to do it with. Agree. He's the only person I would even consider it for. But again, I just think it's a massive mistake. I would say, Bryce, wait a couple years, man.

But he's not going to get the contract in a couple years. It is what it is. Again, then you should have put an opt-out in your contract. You should have put an opt-out. Sorry. Again, you're paying for... He's not going to be even... Let's be honest. Bryce he's not going to be even there's a

let's be honest Bryce Harper will not even likely be playing at the age of 40 or 41 the way he violent with his body the amount of injuries

he's had on again there are four players in the sport this year over 40 years old four like it just doesn't happen and I know

with medical and stuff we're getting better and people are doing it more and more but the idea that Bryce Harper is going to be a valuable player for those, right now, the last three years of the contract,

unless the three you would add, are unlikely. They are unlikely. But at the same time, like, if, like, I just think that it's $25 million. And now, if it turns into, like, $45 million, that's a lot of money for someone who's probably not going to play for you those months. It's a lifetime achievement award. It's crazy. Give them a freaking award.

Don't give them money. Like this is crazy. Pay them in other ways. Like I said, give them a job with the organization where you make $20 million a year once you're done that doesn't go against the freaking luxury tax. Like I just think it's a mistake. Well, yeah. I mean I think financially, sure. It's a mistake

because it's taken $25 million off in 2031. I just don't think you get bullied around by everyone. Scott Boris knows that anytime he wants to do this with a player who's valuable, he can do it to you. Yeah, but I just think that I think this is

a unique situation. I think it is a unique situation. It is. I just think it's eight years out. It's crazy. Be good for a couple more years. years be really good if he's good for three more years and he's closer to that age then it makes sense then it's like all right you could be good in four years now it's eight years i i missed half the like the last two seasons practically like i just again i love bryce i'm super happy he's here for the next eight years i think it is insane to

tack on stuff to this country. I honestly think it's crazy. Huh? So you disagree? I just don't care. Okay. Whatever. That's fine.

Whatever keeps Bryce happy. Yeah, I get that, man. I know you're worried about your 50s. Dude, look, I've only got how many more seasons do I have left in my life? All right? I want to maximize them. Yeah. And look, those years are already going to be tough.

We all know the back end of the Trey contract and the back end of the Bryce contract in tandem are going to suck. That's going to be $60 million a year to two guys who can't play close to that level. It is what it is. That's what you do with these contracts. But that's why you sign them so that you get the value early. And then you pay it off late by having to pay guys who are not as good as that money. Like that's the way it works.

Yeah. Sign a 13 year deal, Bryce, sign a seven year deal and get another contract. Yeah. But I just think that when, cause he knows right now that when he's 38, 39,

he's never going to get $25 million a year. He's getting 330 million. Yeah. But he's also... On top of all the other money that he's already made and all the other money. And look, I get it. I'm not ripping someone for going for more money. He's an athlete.

I'm just saying I wouldn't give it to him. And I think it's crazy to think to give it to him. I just think the downside of possibly causing any rifts is not worth it. So if it keeps him happy, it keeps him happy. If it's $25 million eight years from now, then whatever i i think that's a really bad way to do business you talked about being a winning organization like winning organizations don't do that organizations also keep their players happy and he's he's an all-timer and he will be happy i agree he'll be happy but i think they'll be

happy either way like yeah he's making money in this year he's getting a chance to win he wants to win guy wants to win he also wants to make sure he's you know he's getting a chance to win. He wants to win. Guy wants to win. He also wants to make sure he's, you know, financially stable. Yes, is he going to be okay with that $330 million plus all the money he already made plus whatever endorsement? I mean, the guy's probably going to make $500 million in his life without this extra money.

Well, he has to play through his 40s in the Phillies. It's all right. Yeah. It'll be okay. And if you're still good in four years, Bryce, we can talk. That's where I'm at. Well, I don't know if he gets it.

I don't know if he gets it. It sucks for you, Bryce. I think this is crazy to me. I think this is nonsense as far as I'm at. Well, I don't know if he gets it. I don't know if he gets it. Sucks for you, Bryce. I think this is crazy to me. I think this is nonsense as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't give it to him. That's how I feel. Well, it seems like John wants to. Do you think he's going to?

Because I don't think it's a lock that he's going to give it to him. What if Bryce held out? Does Bryce hold out? I don't think Bryce would. I don't think it's that big a deal. I think Scott's taking a shot. He's going to miss, hopefully, and then we move on. That's what I think.