Chicago Cubs Rumors: Why going after Bryce Harper would be a bad move
Is the juice worth the squeeze?
We’ve already discussed how an acquisition of Harper would come at a substantial cost for the Cubs. So the only question that matters is whether he’s worth it. The short answer is ‘no.’ The costs simply are not outweighed by the value he would bring to the team.
First, he plays a position at which the Cubs are pretty full. Specifically, they have the aforementioned financial albatross currently playing right field. Even if you assume they can move him around the outfield, the Cubs still have Ian Happ, Albert Almora, and Shwarber in the outfield rotation. Now Joe Maddon has proved masterful with his ability to move players all over the field.
However, if you look at it strictly from a position of need, the more logical free agent the Cubs should pursue is Manny Machado. First, the shortstop/third baseman plays a position of need for the Cubs, especially with Addison Russell‘s uncertain future. Second, and most importantly, he is better than Harper.
His 2015 MVP season was absolutely spectacular. However, if you take away that season, his statistics don’t seem to warrant such a lucrative contract.
Harper has only hit more than 30 home runs twice in his career, and in four of his seven seasons, he hit fewer than 25. You can also see that this was the first year in which he drove in more than 100 runs. Part of the problem is that Harper has struggled to stay on the field in his career, averaging only 132 games per year.
And if he’s missing (on average) 30 games per year in his teens and early twenties, how do you think he will hold up in years 6-10 of his inevitable 10-year contract? Just ask the Los Angeles Angels about Albert Pujols or the New York Yankees about Alex Rodriguez.
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Harper is charismatic, plays with reckless abandon and hits moon shots when he connects with one. For those reasons, he is beloved by fans of the game. However, when you dig deep into his numbers, you’re left with slightly more sizzle than steak for a player who is looking to secure $400 million this offseason. If the Cubs have a desire (and ability) to spend that kind of money, it should be on Manny Machado, not Bryce Harper.