Dodgers: Bryce Harper Talks About Turning Down Big Money Contract with LA
Before Bryce Harper signed his massive 13-year contract with the Phillies, many in baseball felt that the Dodgers had a good chance to sign him. Rumors flew all around Los Angeles media about him being close to making a decision to play for Los Angeles, but he ultimately took a longer deal worth far more guaranteed money.
Harper talked about his decision to go to Philidelphia with Barstool Sports recently, including why he didn’t want to play in Los Angeles. Apparently, the Dodgers weren’t willing to commit as long as Philly was.
Then at the last second, the Dodgers came in with a four-year offer with a super high AAV with opt-outs. I got so tired of my whole career in DC even after my first year, all anyone talks about ‘is where is he going?’…When they came in with opt-outs, the Dodgers, I was like ‘I don’t want to do that because I just don’t want the opt-outs…I want these people knowing that I’m here. The good, the bad…
The Dodgers wanted to go very high on the annual average, rumored to be somewhere in the $40 million per year or more area. Harper ultimately took a deal with the Phillies that is valued at just over $25 million a year but also does not have any opt-outs. Harper made it clear that offering opt-outs, something his agent Scott Boras loves to do, was not want he wanted. He wanted to make it clear that he was there to stay, wherever he ended up playing.
Interestingly enough, Harper also talked about his experience with the Houston Astros, and that he almost took a deal with them. Harper said the Astros offered him a one-year deal with a ridiculously high annual average, which we can only guess must have been in the $50 million range, give or take. He obviously turned that down, which worked out great for his career.
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Good he’s obviously a curse. DC won immediately after his departure
I wish my Phillies had been as smart and fortunate as the Dodgers. We’re stuck with the most overrated player in history for a dozen more years. There’s a reason Dodger fans were chanting “overrated” at Harper in his home stadium. It’s indicative of why the Phillies have not been a serious contender in 7 years while the Dodgers are the best team in the NL. We wasted 13 years and 330 million on mediocrity while the Dodgers have the best player in the NL and the. Pick up a player of Mookie Betts caliber.
Dodgers dodged a bullet!TOO much money for a lousy outfielder with a big bat.not worth 30 million a year.
Have fun in Philly you pompus, overated. Jerk!
Considering each WAR is supposedly worth about $8 million a year and he is usually about worth 3-4 WAR even in a mediocre year, he’s not widely overpaid by the Phillies. When the Dodgers offered $40M+ that was an overpay but I guess the adage “there is no such thing as a bad one year contract” is now “there no such thing as a bad four year contract.” It will be interesting to hear what the “faithful” have to say if the Dodgers win the bid for Betts in the $350M to $400M range. Lotta money, lotta years. Yet if the result is two or three titles in a ten year period, I don’t think it matters. Same way that if they don’t win any titles in the next 10 years it won’t matter what they pay for anybody.