This is one entry in a five-part series about where Bryce Harper will land as a free agent after the 2018 season.
D.C. loves Bryce. Since his arrival, Washington鈥檚 yearly attendance has averaged roughly 2.5 million. In all that time, I cannot recall a single instance of him being booed (unless you count fans for the visiting team). Bryce will never feel that lasting, warm embrace in fickle New York or even the friendly confines.
He鈥檚 a foodie. He doesn鈥檛 strike me as someone who eats to live, but rather lives to eat. Why else would someone start their own food blog? The D.C. restaurant scene is burgeoning. This year, two more area restaurants received Michelin stars, joining the eight others already deemed star-worthy. Oh, and let鈥檚 not forget the three restaurants that boast two-star status!
How much money does he need? The fictional Forrest Gump said it best: 鈥淢omma said there鈥檚 only so much fortune a man really needs and the rest is just for showing off.鈥� Call it a gut feeling, but I think Bryce is not entirely motivated by the almighty dollar. I believe if the Nationals make a fair, and I underline fair, offer, Bryce will stay.
Besides, the future is bright for the Nats! Adam Eaton is returning from the DL. Victor Robles shows incredible promise and is likely to be on the big-league roster in 2018. Trea Turner鈥檚 potential has barely been realized. Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are signed to long-term deals.
And finally, Bryce is a traditionalist, a student of the game. Early in his career, he was quoted as saying I think he鈥檒l prove to be a man of his word.
In a 2012 interview with The Washington Post, he鈥檚 quoted as saying, 鈥淵ou look at Cal Ripken. You look at Derek Jeter. You look at all the greats that played for one team their whole career 鈥� I want to be like that. I鈥檝e always wanted to be like that. I鈥檝e always wanted to play with that same team.鈥�
鈥淗aving a community and fans like we do in D.C. that love our players, love everything about us, we deserve to give something back to them,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 want to do that. I don鈥檛 want to do anything else.鈥�
I believe him.
The case for the…
Chicago Cubs | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | St. Louis Cardinals
