Harper Rumors, He Wants to be a Cub
Sep 26, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) looks into the stands while standing on the field after the Nationals' game against the Miami Marlins was called for rain in the eighth inning at Nationals Park in what may be his final home game for the Nationals. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
I am not in the “insider” game, and I do not have a means to confirm the information that I have seen. But, I am seeing some very interesting information regarding Bryce Harper, the Philadelphia Phillies, and how the Chicago Cubs could be involved.
The first thing I hear… The Phillies ownership and executives began to become aggravated with how the Harper courtship was going. If anyone recalls, they have been on the forefront and have been very vocal about trying to acquire the all star slugger. Because the Harper camp hasn’t been as excited to call Philadelphia home as the Phillies have been in pursuing Harper, they changed course, are jumping back into the Manny Machado race, and signed Andrew McCutchen to the three-year deal.
Why has Harper been reluctant? He wants the Cubs to get involved.
He absolutely wants to be a Cub, but if that cannot happen (which it does appear that even with money being made available, the Cubs will still need to become creative in adding that large of a contract), Harper and Scott Boras need the Cubs to be involved. Right now it looks like the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers as the only teams pursuing the slugger. If LA wanted, they can squash anything the White Sox put up (I understand the Sox have a ton of room available) and it is still questionable if Jerry Reinsdorf would chase Harper at any cost. Boras and Harper need another large market team, that is in their window to win now, to publicly be involved. What’s better than a club he’s been tied to for three years?
Again, this is information that I am seeing. This isn’t confirmed, this hasn’t been told from one of the big insiders, but sometimes this sort of information does in fact get out and does in fact get pushed around the inter-webs via people that have no public ties to anyone close to the situation. I trust this source only because they were correct about the Cubs signing Yu Darvish last year.
This does not mean he will sign with the Cubs.
This does not mean you will hear it publicly.
This does not mean anything more than what we might have already assumed.
This is interesting news, and perhaps the first peek at the set of cards Harper and Boras are holding. It doesn’t bode well if they are showing their hand, and at least whispering that they want to hear what the Cubs have to say before any decisions or further negotiations are made. It is interesting that the Phillies just signed Jake Arrieta (Boras client), and their superstar in the making Rhys Hoskins signed with Boras as well. You would think that they would be playing along with him, ensuring that the future conversations around Hoskins go well.
