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We're writing plenty of times about the potential of Bryce Harper's Washington Nationals career. We have looked into what we have seen at Nationals Park, where we have looked at where we have come from.
Over the race of a few posts, we're taking a look at some of the highlights of the last half-decade. We're breaking this up into a three-act series, but who knows? If he ends up re-signing in D.C., we may end up looking back on 2012-18 altogether as the first act of a storied career in the nation's capital.
Whether it's clear that we're going to Washington, DC is baseball and Harper's career, so it's a natural point to take a step back and review where we've come from so far. We already highlighted his early and middle years.
Act III: The (Maybe) End? (2017-2018)
The hype surrounding baseball's 2018 free agency years ago, especially when it came to Manny Machado, late Jose Fernandez, and of course, Bryce Harper. Everyone had 2018 circled on their calendars for a while, knowing that the teams like the Cubs and Yankees were out waiting, biding their time until it was time to wage a bidding war. The achievement that Harper's time in D.C. has become more fully formed by fans in the last two seasons, which colors the lens by which we examine Harper's most recent (and potentially final) two years with the Nationals.
Another Record-Breaking Opening Day
There's no bigger game than Harper's, and there's no bigger game than Opening Day. In 2017, Harper once again went to the city, and this time, it was historic.
Bryce Harper's HR: 107.2 mph exit velocity, 419 feet (per @statcast) pic.twitter.com/Acwn06vYDo
– Neil Greenberg (@ngreenberg) April 3, 2017
Harper's blast against the Marlins was the fifth Opening day home run of a career, a new record for any player under 25. It makes sense that it would be difficult to achieve each year, and most do not get their first chance as 20-year olds. Harper hitting his homepage in the first five days of his life.
It would not be the only record he set in April 2017. On the final day of the month, Harper scored four runs, pushing his total to 32 on the young season. It was the first time in Major League history has played at least 30 runs in baseball's opening month. The key to his record? Getting on base. Harper's on-base percentage that month was a whopping .510. When you're on baseball, it makes scoring runs a whole lot easier.
Another Brawl
In May 2017, Harper once again found himself in the middle a brawl he did not want. A fight he was not interested in having, but was forced upon him by a middling reliever. This time, at least, the reliever was not on his own team.
In 2014, Harper had hit two titanic blasts off Giants Hunter Strickland. Harper enjoyed one of the following for Strickland's liking, and because of the unwritten rules of baseball are essentially just an excuse for growing up in the form of hard baseballs. Later, just for having a good time at home.
Yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.
Bryce Harper goes after Hunter Strickland after an HBP Mike Morse and Jeff Samardzija are collateral damage. pic.twitter.com/jton90huP5
– Nick Bromberg (@NickBromberg) May 29, 2017
Harper's teammates were rightfully incensed at both Strickland's shares and how long he held his grudge. It's a thing to throw at someone later in the same game. It's still a stupid thing, but it's at least a thing. Waiting this long though? That's a bit of a stretch.
The Nats slugger reacted most of us would be someone at 98 mph. He stared, took the mound, threw his helmet, and got a few good punches before being pulled apart. Unintentional instigator, and unfortunately Major League Baseball decided to be punished simply for defending himself.
Eventually, Harper ended up being suspended for three games, which in the grand scheme of things is not much. It did, but give to the fans of opposing teams more than that accuses Harper of being cocky and brazen, no matter how clearly false statements may be.
Another All-Star Game
As mentioned above, Harper's 2017 got off to a torrid start. After April, it looks like a second MVP. Instead, he fell in May and June, hitting "just" .256 and .287, respectively, to go along with nine combined home runs over the span of two months.
Now, these numbers certainly are not terrible. Many hitters would be happy to have them. Overall, it was a strong first half for Harper, although given the expectations it felt like a disappointment. He had dealt with injuries and inconsistency after April, and fans who had hoped for a 2015 2.0 season were let down.
And yet, despite his "down" season, Harper has been leading the vote for the 2017 MLB All-Star Game in Miami. His 4,630,306 votes represent Harper's status among the faces of the sport.
Being named an All-Star is one thing. In fact, it takes place for the most part MVPs to be named to the team. But leading the whole league in fanaticism is not something that can be done by name alone. It was not his best season. It was not his most prolific. But it was a coronation of spells, symbolically showing that it was a bigger than his stat line.
Another Postseason Disappointment
The Nationals won the NL East by a jaw-dropping 20 games in 2017. Seriously. It was only a year ago, but it's still hard to believe just how much they dominated their competition.
Given their regular season success, expectations were high as the Nats tried again to break the D.C. sports curse and break though the first round of the postseason. They found themselves facing the Cubs, who had broken their own curse the year before.
Harper had missed a big chunk of the second half with an injury, but he was back at the end of September, and most fans were ready for him to take the team to the next level.
Instead, Harper hit just .211, with a .304 on-base percentage. His struggles at the top of his teammates, and the series went to Game 5. Harper went 2-for-4 with a walk in the back-and-forth affair, but with two outs in the ninth and the Nats trailing 9-8, he came to the plate against Cubs closer Wade Davis. Who else could be a fan of their beloved slugger? The man who was born in the spotlight, With everyone in the stands intently hanging on to every pitch, Bryce Harper worked the full count, and on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, he struck out swinging.
It was the biggest at-bat in his career, and he gave it his all. Just like that, however, another October has been pretty much done.
Another Home Run Derby
2018 Harper's potential walk year. That said, the highest high in the world came to the baseball world to go to Washington for the All-Star Game and festivities.
It was the festivities that served as the backdrop to Harper's special moment, specifically the Home Run Derby. He had participated before, and he had done a lot of work in the past. Harper got his opportunity, and needless to say, he took full advantage.
His numbers from that night were plain silly. His total distance for all home runs combined up to more than 19,000. He hit 10 home runs in 11 swings. He won as the hometown representative for the third time in Derby history.
None of the numbers, however, can not catch the incredible atmosphere as he climbs his comeback in the finals. The energy in the crowd was electric, and it was there in person or watching on TV, it was obvious how to experience the baseball fans in the city.
As the American flag-themed beats swung through the air over and over again, fans were not thinking about the disappointing first half of the season. They were not thinking about how Harper might eventually leave for New York or Chicago, and they were not thinking about a potential home run derby curse. All they have been thinking about the biggest game in the game, but they have never thought of it, all while having fun and doing what they do best on the biggest stage.
It was a night that Bryce, his father (who pitched for him), and every single fan watching will never, never forget.
Another Farewell
In terms of what happened on the field, Harper's final home game (potentially) with the Nats was fairly unventful. The most notable moments to come out of the 9-3 Washington, DC, Juan Soto and Victor Robles, going to combined 6-for-9 with 5 RBI, in addition to the game being shortened by rain with Bryce Harper. It's probably fair to assume he's hoping for a last chance to show off for fans in D.C.
We covered the game at the time, but it is still worth emphasizing that final sentence. The game represented an opportunity not only for fans to show Harper's appreciation, but also vice versa.
At every opportunity, despite his 0-for-4 afternoon, Harper was given a standing ovation. The stadium was only filled halfway, understandable considering the team was well out of playoff contention. Still, the fans that stuck around were heavily invested in Harper's every move. During the hour-long rain delay, the first time in the world, the most important of all the fans, knowing that the best of luck and success.
There are many people in baseball who have this kind of sweater. It's the ultimate sport team, a title claimed by many. You can not force the ball into the hands of your best baseball player. All you can hope for whoever is up next in the order is up to the task. More often than not, when that player was Harper, he was ready for the challenge.
More so than other sports, fans of baseball are looking at the teams above the individual. And, at the end of the day, Nats fans know that regardless of what happens, Max Scherzer will still be excellent next season. So will Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Juan Soto, and Stephen Strasburg.
But none of those guys is Bryce Harper. None of them so much for the changing fortunes for baseball fans in D.C. None of them grew up under the microscope playing for a franchise. That's the type of player who could bring a bad luck to the world. an eliminated team against a bottom-five team, get one final at-bat in his first home park.
It was the perfect example of what Harper has meant to the fans. The city has seen plenty of supremely talented players come through town, but not many others have been the moment of adrenaline that Harper was. And the fact that fans * did not * get to see that final at-bat was somehow fitting too. Like every other part of Harper's career, fans do not get quite everything that they hoped for, but it was still worth coming along for the ride.
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