Philadelphia Phillies: Why all the hate for Bryce Harper?

Bryce Harper has had to deal with high expectations throughout his professional career. The first overall selection in the 2010 MLB Draft, Harper was expected to change the Washington Nationals. Those same expectations followed when Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, his 13 year, $330 million deal fueling the belief that he would bring the franchise to the postseason.

Harper has certainly done his part during his time in a Phillies’ uniform. He has taken his game to another level, posting a 151 OPS+ while hitting 87 homers and 83 doubles in his 1525 plate appearances. He was the 2021 NL MVP last year, and one of the few reasons why the Phillies were relevant in September.

Bryce Harper has been everything Philadelphia Phillies hoped for

Despite his strong performance, Harper is still receiving plenty of hate, both from Phillies’ fans and in general. He is viewed as overrated, someone who has not lived up to expectations. Some Phillies fans consider his contract to be the worst in franchise history, an absolutely baffling statement.

Maybe the complaint is that Harper did not drag the Phillies into the postseason. Baseball is not a one man sport; if it was, Mike Trout would have more than three postseason games on his resume. Harper can hardly be blamed for the Phillies’ inability to find a bullpen, center fielder, or more than two other players around him in the lineup.

Or maybe the complaint is that the Nationals won the World Series right after he left. Let’s ignore the fact that the Nationals were below .500 on June 26 of that season and managed to catch lightning in a bottle. Or the fact that the Nationals finished in dead last in the NL East in each of the past two seasons. Clearly, letting Harper go was the reason why they won the championship.

Or maybe it is a long standing fatigue when it comes to Harper. He had been a hyped prospect since he graduated high school a year early and went to Junior College. Prospect fatigue happens, even with stars such as Harper.

For whatever reason, Harper is viewed as overrated and a disappointment. While he may not be Mike Trout, it is difficult to imagine that anyone who has captured two MVP awards, been a six time All Star, and the NL Rookie of the Year has had a disappointing career. That is the type of resume most players would dream of.

Perhaps it speaks to the expectations that surrounded Harper. Maybe he had to be one of the greatest players that we had ever seen in order to live up to those expectations. If so, it is unfortunate as it ignores what has been an excellent decade in the majors.

Bryce Harper has had an excellent career thus far, including his time with the Philadelphia Phillies. That has not stopped the belief that he is a disappointment.