MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

Whatever other doubts there might be about him, I'd challenge anyone to present a current player with more dramatic flair than one Bryce Harper.

 

I am over my boobird stage, and have been for a long time, but I am a typical Phillies fan in that I am VERY demanding of the team's best players. I have nothing but satisfaction with Harper, not a bad word to say. I know down the road his contract will be an anchor on the franchise, but so far, he has delivered the goods.

 

I'm quite curious to see when -- or if -- he gives in and gets the TJ surgery he needs. He has a window of about another month before he begins losing part of next season.

 

$75 million paid and zero playoffs. So far, only 4 games under .500.

I don’t have anything against the Phillies, and will root for them if it otherwise doesn’t conflict with another rooting interest, but I’m loving that Harper is putting up numbers to help a team to mediocrity. Couldn’t happened to a better guy.

 

There's another thing. What makes Harper such a bad guy? I'm not seeing it. Doesn't he drink as much milk as Trout?

 

Apparently a handful of Rays players noped out of the team's Pride Night because Jesus:

 

Rays Players Remove LGBTQ+ Logo From Team’s Uniform — Sports Illustrated

Ignorant cocksuckers using their fake faith to insult LBGQ…. Just wear the uniform and shut up. Stupid cult members.

 

This is a classic flaw in sports analysis shared by fans, writers and even GMs. Teams can ALWAYS get worse from what they are. Minus Harper, the Phils are the Marlins with surlier fans. Harper kept 'em in the race for the division until the last week of the season, a race that team otherwise had no business even watching. Oh, yes, let me add there's a business aspect, too. Harper is a guy people will pay to see or tune in to see in games they'd otherwise skip.

 

This line in Cyd Zeigler's article spoke volumes to me.

 

God I love these ridiculous statements. What should Harper do to make his team better?

I’ll ask you the same about Trout, what more are you looking for these players to do?

 

Which is why I said mediocrity. They aren’t garbage; aren’t great. But almost getting us to the playoffs is damning with faint praise. That contract is great, he almost got us there. He can keep putting up numbers and making hurt less he’s getting $25/26 mil a year if it means he never wins a playoff game.

Sorry, he can suck an egg as far as I’m concerned. It’s coloring what he’s doing for the Phils (taking them from a 65-71 win team to hovering around .500. But it’s really a sign the Phillies could use some help. And he made a business decision. And good for him. But he could have signed with the Giants for just about as much and competed for a title. But those extra few million really make the pain less when you don’t win anything. And watch your original team win a title without you.

 

It isn’t ridiculous when what I’m really doing is LOLing at his pain. League MVP and riding the couch in the playoffs. And I won’t stop LOLing as long as that continues.