Those are some amazing numbers. I guess it must be a seller’s market, because Harper has been hot and cold. The biggest plus is that he’s only 26 and probably has his best years ahead of him, but he has batted below .250 in two of the last three years, and is averaging only 29 homers and 91 RBI per year in that period.
If that’s Harper’s market value, how the hell much would Mike Trout be worth on the open market?
Anyway, back to the point …
The White Sox are supposedly pursuing Harper, but several people have concluded that only about three or four teams in the game (1) can afford him; and (2) can offer him a chance at a ring. The Sox are never mentioned in that group. NBC Sports thinks he’s destined for the Phillies, but acknowledges the interest shown by the White Sox.
I have stated this many times, but if I were his age and had his talent, I would proactively try to play in Colorado, where my talents would produce the best results. Coors Field is a place where a hitter like Altuve could approach .400 and a slugger like Stanton could challenge Bonds’ homer record without any help from the needles. Playing there for a decade would punch Harper’s ticket for Cooperstown. All of that would be true at any time, but there is a special bonus in doing it now, because the Rockies already have a contending team without him, so he could be their entry pass into the post-season.
Can they afford him? I dunno. That part of the equation is beyond my pay grade, but if I were their owner and knew that Harper was interested, I’d try to find the money.