MLB Bullets makes a deal

I’m reporting in the best shape of my life.

• We’ve got two behind-the-scenes looks at the negotiations and the decision of Bryce Harper to sign with the Phillies. Tom Verducci gives one look at the negotiations and Harper’s desire to have a record contract, as well as a long-term commitment from one team.
• Or if you’d prefer, Jeff Passan gives a similar take on the negotiations, with a bit more on where Harper fits in with the Phillies. If you only want to read one, Verducci’s is more in-depth and Passan’s gets to the point faster.
• Jayson Stark writes that the Phillies badly needed the “star power” that Harper brings to Philadelphia. (The Athletic sub. req.) Stark also looks at where Harper fits in the Phillies lineup and notes that the team badly needed his talent on the field as well as his “star power.”
• Of course, Harper got off to a flying start when he announced at his press conference that he “wants to bring a title back to D.C.” Harper apologized for the gaffe and clearly it was just a slip of the tongue, made out of habit.
• Dayn Perry writes that even without Harper, the Nationals will be just fine.
• The Nationals are reportedly interested in free agent closer Craig Kimbrel.
• Sarah Langs looks at the ten players in MLB with the highest salary in 2019. Surprisingly, Harper is not on the list. (Of course, Harper’s actual 2019 salary is artificially low because he got a $20 million signing bonus instead.) The top two players both play for Washington.
• Harper will wear number “3” in Philadelphia instead of 34 out of respect for the late Roy Halladay. The number hasn’t been retired, but it’s generally thought that it will be one day. However, I’m pretty sure that if Harper had said he wanted the number, the Phillies would have said that the retirement could wait.
• The Phillies have seen a big surge in ticket and jersey sales since the announcement.
• The Giants fairly miserable offseason just got worse as team CEO Larry Baer was caught on video getting into a physical altercation with his wife in public.
• The Giants held meetings over the weekend on the situation, which includes the option of Baer stepping aside, at least temporarily. Also, MLB’s domestic violence protocols apply to front office personnel as well as players.
• Giants fan Mike Oz says that the Giants’ organization and fans deserve better than Baer’s behavior and his attempts to minimize what happened.
• Back to contract talks, the Angels are reportedly considering offering Mike Trout a ten-year, $350 million extension. Trout would likely get a lot more than that on the open market, however, so it’s unlikely he’d accept.
• MLB reportedly is willing to re-open collective bargaining talks with the union now instead of waiting until 2021. Of course, as Craig Calcaterra notes in that piece, it’s hard to know how much of this is a serious offer to tear up the current agreement and how much of it is just public relations.
• Rangers pitcher (and former Cub) Luke Farrell was struck by a line drive in the jaw in Spring Training. He has a “non-displaced fracture” (or in layman’s term, a broken jaw) and will see a specialist as to now how to proceed from here.
• Royals catcher Salvador Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery and will likely miss all of the 2019 season. As if things couldn’t get worse for the Royals.
• Reliever Bobby Wahl, who was traded to the Brewers this offseason, will likely miss the entire season with a torn ACL.
• And in good news, Yankees pitcher Danny Farquhar pitched in a game for the first time since suffering a cerebral hemorrhage last April.
• The Padres have signed former Cubs pitcher Adam Warren to a one-year deal.
• Spring Training is for two things: getting the players back into game shape and overreacting by the fans. Anthony Castrovince has the top seven overreactions so far this spring.
• Doug Glanville wrote something. You will read it because Doug Glanville wrote it. If you must know what it’s about before clicking on the link, it’s about what players think about in Spring Training and the constant fear that this time might be the last.
• Paul Sullivan profiles longtime White Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard, his career and having to deal with snow on the field in Arizona.
• Ken Schultz has a piece on Hall-of-Famer Ted Williams and how baseball’s “unwritten rules” changed Williams from an exuberant and enthusiastic kid into the well-respected but sour grump that all of us old enough to remember Ted Williams remember.
• Jake Mintz wants to know why Hollywood keeps putting the Mets stadiums (both Shea and Citi Field) in post-apocalyptic settings? Hey, The Handmaid’s Tale used Fenway Park.
• And finally, he’s a chip off the old block as Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blasted this one-handed double off the outfield wall.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.