PHILADELPHIA — This is Bryce Harper’s town. And by almost all indications, this is Harper’s time, too.
Phillies star Harper is hitting to chants of “MVP,” all NLCS here, but after the upstart Diamondbacks forced a Game 7 with a 5-1 victory behind Merrill Kelly and some homer heroics of their own, Harper needs to prove he’s truly the October MVP now. Remarkably, it’s the first Game 7 in which the Phillies have ever been involved (and this is a franchise that began in 1883). It would be only fitting if Harper proves to be the man of the hour yet again.
He’s posted a 1.230 OPS so far these playoffs, so he warrants the cheers and adulation of the ultra-enthusiastic Citizens Bank Park, where Harper has been adopted as one of their own since he signed here five years ago. And why not? He and the raucous fans here share one persona. He’s a blue-collar superstar with his eyes on the prize.
“Only one game matters, and that’s tomorrow,” Harper said in the quiet of the Phillies clubhouse after Kelly and the Diamondbacks’ mostly unknown relief corps shut down the team that had been overwhelming everyone in October.
It’s hard to believe Harper’s been here only five years, but he’s so beloved and entwined with the community that by the time his 13 years (or more) are up, he should rank high on lists of things that are quintessential Philly, likely below the Liberty Bell, “Rocky,” the Rocky statue and cheesesteaks — but not all that much below.
But these are the games that really count, as he pointed out, and Harper needs to make the most of these opportunities. Teams have been pitching around Harper to the point where he’s getting fewer and fewer pitches to hit, but Kelly and company handled him Monday, limiting Harper to no hits in Game 6.
It feels like the underdog Diamondbacks have stolen the momentum back a second time. For a young group, they are amazingly resilient. And never mind those 84 regular-season wins. This team swept two division champions, the Brewers and the 100-win Dodgers, who have been the D’backs’ forever nemesis. This Diamondbacks team is dangerous, and the Phillies know that. But the Phillies do still hold one nice advantage.
“We’re at home,” Harper pointed out. “It’s a great place to be.”
The Phillies are an MLB-best 28-12 at The Bank in October. Which is nice.
The other big plus, of course is that the Phillies have the best player, and the most clutch player. And that is Harper, whose numbers lifetime in October are right up there, just below Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, who had each other.
Harper has decent help, but he is the main man here. And he can bolster his Philly legacy further with a big game Tuesday. They already love him here, but if he comes through with a signature performance in Game 7, he will solidify his place in Phillies history.
It’s funny how things turn out. When Harper hit the free-agent market a half-decade ago, he wasn’t thinking Phillies first. They were said to be pretty far down on his list, understandable since he’d only known boos since coming up with division-rival Nats as a 19-year-old.
And at the time the Phillies’ front office was slightly divided themselves. They had money to spend. But they had two free-agent superstars to choose from. A couple seemed to lean toward Manny Machado, and a case could be made that he was the more complete player. But the smart ones in the front office, and ultimately owner John Middleton, were enthused about Harper. Some in the Phillies front office worried about the reaction the first time Machado didn’t run a ball out. Those folks saw Harper as the kind of lunch-pail hero embraced by demanding Philly fans.
The Phillies pursued Machado simultaneously and eventually offered around $230 million with the suggestion they’d go to $250M plus. While Machado’s camp was saying the contract had to be $300M, there was still that chance they might have signed the wrong guy until the Padres gave Machado that $300M.
After Harper met twice on his home turf of Las Vegas with Middleton, both men bought in. Harper got the record deal (for length and total amount) but it turned out to be an absolute bargain. With an AAV (average salary) of $25M, he ranks 28th in MLB, 20 or more spots below where he should be.
Harper even eschewed an opt-out to show his commitment, and then enhanced his value by recruiting Nick Castellanos and Trea Turner. There’s no doubt Harper is the right man for this sports-crazed town. He’s into it like almost no other superstar.
“You would have thought he was born and raised right down the street,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told The Post. “He’s tough. He competes. He cares. He’s a blue-collar guy.”
The fans here love Harper like he’s been here from the start. That love will never end if he comes up big in Game 7, like they all expect.
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