Phillies turn attention to offseason needs
PHILADELPHIA >> Bryce Harper spoke so highly of his newly adopted baseball home that you get the idea maybe he and his young family are going to stick around here for at least a little while until the time comes to return to his offseason palace in Henderson, Nev.
Nice digs, but not the same vibe.
“I love this place,” Harper said Sunday of the city with the baseball team that lost its season finale, 4-3, to the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. “Like I say, they’ve welcomed my family and myself like I can never imagine. I’m so excited to be here, I’m excited to be part of this organization. I’m excited to see what’s ahead for us. I know the type of team we are and the type of organization we are.”
Harper spent time after the game talking up the city, certain teammates, a certain manager who may or may not return next season and his own shortcomings after a season in which he hit .260 with 35 home runs, 36 doubles, 114 RBIs and posted a Grade-A .882 OPS score.
Gabe Kapler, moments before he would be defended by Harper
in the clubhouse down the hall, liked Harper’s last at-bat as much as all the other more successful ones of the season.
The Phillies were down 4-3 when Harper started the ninth inning with a deep drive that Marlins center fielder Harold Ramirez would track down on the warning track. Harper flashed a disappointed look as he returned slowly to the dugout while fans at Citizens Bank Park gave him a standing ovation.
“Bryce is feet away from hitting a home run in that situation, and he reacted as if it was a playoff game,” Kapler said. “That’s how much he cares. I was so happy to look out to right field (earlier in the game) and see the fans chanting ‘Thank you Bryce,’ because he deserves that. He played his ass off all season long. He didn’t take an inning off the entire season.
“Believe me, there’s a lot of superstars around the game who wouldn’t give what he gave this year.”
Harper thinks there’s so much more to give. He mentioned talking to his father this weekend about near-miss fly balls, the same kind with which he ended his season Sunday.
“Shoot,” Harper said, “I’ve had maybe 30 to 40 that I can think of off the top of my head that I just missed. We need to work on that this offseason, not miss as many next year and get better and be better next year.”
As impressive as his numbers were, everyone is aware the power numbers were way up in MLB this season. Heading into this final game, Harper’s home run total wasn’t as high as 23 other guys. But considering his defensive improvements in right, which he attributed to Kapler leaving him alone in that position, good coaching from Kapler’s staff and plain, hard work, Harper essentially gave the best of himself to Philadelphia fans in the first year of his 13-year, $330 million megadeal.
And now in the offseason, he expects to give more ... right to the team’s management and owner John Middleton, if he’s asking.
“Whenever they ask, whatever it is I’ll be there, no matter what,” Harper said. “There are decisions that are going to absolutely need to be talked about with myself, I would think. So whoever calls or asks, I’ll be there.”