Each day for the next two weeks leading up to the Phillies opener on March 28, we'll be covering the biggest questions and storylines surrounding the 2024 team.
Some baseball players avoid the attention as if it were a pesky heater going 98 miles per hour, rising like a heat-seeking missile and heading straight for the coconut. Immediately after a big hit, some feel embarrassed about being in the spotlight and limit their reception to a short, perfunctory curtain call.
And Bryce Harper.
Somewhere along the way, the Phillies first baseman was given the nickname “Showman.” It's perfect. If all the world were a stage, he would audition for the lead role. He wore custom lime green Fanatic cleats for his first game at Citizens Bank Park in 2019 after signing a 13-year, $330 million free agent contract. It's already part of the franchise's lore. And that was just the beginning.
When he hit his 300th career home run last season, he not only rushed out of the dugout to a standing ovation from the home crowd, but also posed, groomed himself and kissed the Phillies logo on his jersey. When he hit a home run on his 31st birthday, he pantomimed blowing out the candles on a cake as he crossed the plate.
When he gets a key hit, he can't contain his joy. He gestured toward the dugout, raised his arms in triumph, and shouted joy to the heavens.
Showman? Heck, he often wears a headband proudly emblazoned with that nickname during games. And even if some people find that offensive or think it's pandering, baseball is part of the entertainment industry. Harper is very funny. And there's no sign that it hurts his performance. End of discussion.
And that ultimately becomes the most important piece of the puzzle. This flamboyant personality works because he tends to act when it matters most. He's not just meeting the moment; He looks it in the eye, shakes your hand, and takes a selfie with you.
| P.A. | Human Resources Department | RBI | BA | OBP | S.L.G. | OPS | |
| Lisp | 1,587 | 59 | 540 | .292 | .438 | .512 | .949 |
| RISP/2 out | 641 | twenty two | 194 | .281 | .465 | .499 | .964 |
| high leverage | 1,228 | 48 | 312 | .280 | .404 | .507 | .911 |
| post season | 215 | 16 | 31 | .276 | .383 | .613 | .996 |
A question arises here. Is there a connection between the types of people who not only can handle the intense scrutiny that comes with celebrity, but also embrace it? Maybe that is also necessary? Consider Curt Schilling, perhaps the best big-game pitcher of his generation. Think Reggie Jackson, Mr. October. Both had extraordinary personalities and a supernatural ability to always rise to the occasion.
On the other hand, soft-spoken introverts can be just as reliable when they're feeling down. Chase Utley was considered the best second baseman in the game, as well as being the quintessential strong, quiet type. Joey Votto, a six-time All-Star and 2010 National League MVP, has a career batting average of .294 and a lifetime batting average of .920. Those numbers jump to .321/1.042 with runners in scoring position and .313/.999 in high leverage situations.
Dr. Joel Fish is a Philadelphia-based sports psychologist who has spent over 25 years counseling youth athletes, Olympians, and professionals, including a period working directly with the Phillies. And his answer is no.
“In my experience, there is no relationship between clutch performer and personality,” he said, adding that he did not know Harper and was speaking only in generalities. “I think between players who are more sociable and players who consistently perform well in pressure situations, they have very different qualities.”
Dr. Fish believes it all comes down to mental strength.
“When you look at Major League Baseball players, they have different types of personalities that were able to perform over time and under pressure,” he continued. “There are more outgoing players out there like[Harper]. We're drawn to them in a way. But when you ask me about the relationship between performance and personality, I don't see that. I think there are different personality types that can perform well in the moment.
“In sports psychology, we say it's a package deal. Every trait has its benefits and flipsides. Sometimes, but not always, players crave the spotlight or step out in bold ways. Players like to use that boldness as a way to mentally prepare for big moments and challenge themselves in such special ways.
“And some players like to be more introverted before big moments. Keep it simple, focused and off the radar.”
Whatever the explanation, it's clear Harper isn't upset about living through someone else's eyes. That's good. He has been working on this issue since he was 16 years old and has appeared on the cover of magazines. sports illustrated The headline read, “Baseball's Chosen One.”
As he approached 300 career home runs last season, he downplayed the significance of the accomplishment and portrayed it as a relatively small milestone. And from a certain point of view, he's right. He enters next season as one of 159 players to achieve the lofty goal of 3-0-0.
But there's another way to frame this. He has 23,114 players in Major League history, according to Baseball-Reference.com. And only 159 home runs have been hit this many times.
The Phillies' 2024 season opens on March 28th against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Harper doesn't turn 32 until October 16th, so there's every reason to believe he'll continue to climb the charts if he stays healthy. If he does, the clubs he will be admitted to will become increasingly exclusive. Currently, 58 players have reached 400 home runs, 28 have reached 500 home runs, nine have reached 600 home runs, and only four have reached 700 home runs: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Albert Pujols.
Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt currently ranks 16th all-time with 548 career bombs, and Harper believes he will easily surpass at least 500 in the next few years. “There's no doubt in my mind that he would do that,” Schmitty told the Philadelphia Inquirer last year. “And I think Bryce will win a few more MVPs in the meantime.”
Wait, what? Did he really just say that? Let's rewind the tape and make sure we hear it correctly.
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Yes, he said. Let's consider for a moment the weight of this seemingly rude comment. Harper already has two Most Valuable Player awards in his trophy case, one with the Nationals in 2015 and one with the Phillies in 2021.
One more addition would add to an ultra-high-end roster of 11 players capable of at least three MVPs.
And two? Now, if Schmidt turns out to be Nostradamus here, Harper would ride shotgun only to Bonds in the MVP award stacking contest.
Players who have won multiple Most Valuable Player awards
Seven
Barry Bonds
three
*Mike Trout
albert pujols
Alex Rodriguez
mike schmidt
mickey mantle
yogi berra
Roy Campanella
stan musical
Joe DiMaggio
jimmy foxx
two
Shohei Otani
*Bryce Harper
miguel cabrera
Juan Gonzalez
frank thomas
cal ripken jr.
robin yount
dale murphy
Joe Morgan
johnny bench
frank robinson
roger maris
ernie banks
Willie Mays
Ted Williams
Hank Greenberg
Hal Newhauser
Karl Hubbell
Mickey Cochran
Lou Gehrig
rogers hornsby
walter johnson
*Current player
He should have ample opportunity to do that. He has four seasons left before he turns 35. There are 11 players who won MVP even older than that arbitrary standard. And since Harper is known as a fitness freak, there's no telling how long he'll be able to compete at the highest level.
Oldest player to win Most Valuable Player Award*
| Year | player | Year |
| 2004 | Barry Bonds (SF) | 40 years and 71 days |
| 1979 | Willie Stargell (Pitt)** | 39 years and 208 days |
| 2003 | Barry Bonds (SF) | 39 years and 66 days |
| 2002 | Barry Bonds (SF) | 38 years and 67 days |
| 1992 | Dennis Eckersley (Oak) | 38 years and 1 day |
| 2001 | Barry Bonds (SF) | 37 years and 75 days |
| 1986 | Mike Schmidt (Finance) | 37 years and 8 days |
| 1952 | Hank Sauer (CHC) | 35 years and 195 days |
| 1943 | Spud Chandler (NYY) | 36 years and 21 days |
| 1981 | Rollie Fingers (Mil) | 35 years and 41 days |
| 2022 | Paul Goldschmidt (STL) | 35 years and 25 days |
**Co-winner with Keith Hernandez
Even excluding Bonds, who continues to deny that his late-career dominance was fueled by steroids, this list still relies on the premise that there's no magic line on the calendar where a player is disqualified for being top-voted. Provide sufficient ammunition. A performer in his league.
The thought of having four MVPs is daunting, but sometimes it seems like Harper can do anything with a bat in his hands. Of course they can't do that, but they often give off that aura.
The Phillies lost to the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series last October. Not only that, but the match ended in ugly fashion.
In the top of the 9th inning, Harper led off with one out and Nick Castellanos hit a long line drive deep to right-center field. Instead of going halfway and waiting to see if he could be caught, Harper lowered his head and ran as if pursued by a pack of barking hounds. When Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II made an incredible leaping catch, he was on his way from around second to third. He was easily hit with a double, and the Braves tied the game at one apiece for five consecutive games.
Later, in the jubilant home clubhouse at Trust Park, Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia merrily paced the room, laughing out loud over and over, saying, “Ha ha! Atta boy, Harper!”
When these comments were reported, Phillies teammate Spider-Man went on high alert. “They looked at me and said, 'What are you going to do?'” Harper said.
What he did in the very next game was hit a three-run homer in the third inning…and glare at Arcia, who was spinning at second base.
In case anyone missed the point, he hit a home run in the leadoff of the fifth inning, starting at shortstop again as he rounded the bases.
The showman responded by putting on a show, and that's what he did. No one in the clubhouse was surprised.
