The 2019 Free Agency has many big signings throughout the MLB. The top 3 free agent signings have been Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Patrick Corbin. Patrick Corbin signed a 6 year $140 million deal with the Washington Nationals, Manny Machado signed a 10 year $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, and Bryce Harper signed a 13 year $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryce Harper’s contract tops Giancarlo Stanton’s contract, that was a 13 year $325 million, for the biggest baseball contract of all time. Bryce Harper has played in the MLB for 7 years and has a career batting average of 0.279 and a total of 184 home runs. Over 7 years, Bryce Harper has been named an all-star 6 times, and he was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 2015. At the age of 16, Bryce Harper was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Featured as “Baseball’s Chosen One,” he was known as “Baseball’s Lebron” because he was surpassing records that were set in the MLB before he even entered. He threw the ball 96 mph and hit a ball 570 feet – at the age of 16. Now, at the age of 26, Bryce Harper is still dominating the MLB.

Although it is obvious that he is a spectacular baseball player, questions arise on whether or not he is worth the $330 million that he was given with his new contract. Bryce Harper has had some conflicts with past teammates and has been prone to injury. For example, in 2015 he got in a fist fight with another player on his team by the name of Jonathan Papelbon.  Through his 7 years in the MLB, he has injured his hip, thumb, neck, shoulder, and knee. Bryce Harper is well loved by many fans; however, he is also hated by others.

What do members of the Cape Henry community think of Bryce Harper?  Bryce Jones (‘21) replied, “He’s an athlete offensively and defensively. He hits for power and contact and makes plays in the outfield. I feel as if one day he will be elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.”  The baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, New York; only the best of the best make it to the Hall of Fame, so someone saying a 26-year-old is going to make it to the Hall of Fame is a great compliment. Dane Hoggard (‘20) recently committed to Seton Hall to play baseball. When asked for his thoughts on Bryce Harper, he replied, “He is good. I’ve always enjoyed watching him and the way he plays especially when he was young. He puts in 110% every play, and I’ve tried to play that way myself.” There are 162 games in an MLB season, so playing 110% for 162 games in one year plus the playoffs is an extremely hard task.

When Amberly Butler(19’), a Cape Henry softball player, was asked for her opinion of Bryce Harper, she responded, “I think he is a really good hitter. He is also very good looking being on the cover of ESPN’s Body Issue in 2015. He is very young, and I know that he will only continue to improve in the future.”

For the answer to the question is Bryce Harper Worth the Money? I’d Say So!