By: Tim Kelly, managing editor 
Yesterday's news that the Philadelphia Phillies are considered one of the top five most likely teams to sign reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper after the 2018 season wasn't a surprise to anyone that's been paying attention. I discussed the possibility last summer, and whether or not this was their original plan, the Phillies' actions in recent years have set them up to be a realistic player for Harper.
Though the countdown suggested that the Phillies have the fifth best odds, it's early and the events that transpire over the next few seasons may better set the Phillies up to chase a player that now looks like an inevitable Hall of Famer.
What would a contract look like?
When 26-year-old Bryce Harper becomes a free-agent after the 2018 season, he will become the top free-agent in American sports since 25-year-old LeBron James became a free-agent in the summer of 2010, eventually bolting the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. Though James has since returned to the Cavs, the peak of his Hall of Fame career came with the Heat, as he won two regular season MVPs, went to four consecutive NBA Finals and won two championships.
Harper would be reaching free-agency potentially in a similar situation, with teams willing to work a contract in whatever way they need to in an attempt to land his services. Given inflation, I think it's fair to think that Harper will blow away any modern baseball contract and make close to $50 million per season on the open market.
It's not exactly clear how many years Harper will sign for — it could be anywhere between eight and 13 years — but given that he will be 26, it's likely he'll have an opt out after either the fourth, fifth or sixth season, which he will exercise the way Alex Rodriguez did after 2007 season to get a contract that will likely finish out his career. So Harper will be paid at an unprecedented clip, but if the Phillies sign him they will likely be doing so for just his peak, and then they would be able to re-evaluate again at the back half of his prime.
Why would the Phillies be attractive?
The Phillies could sell themselves as a young team that Harper could put over the top and turn into a multiple time champion.
They seem to have three long-term cogs in their rotation in Vince Velasquez, Jerad Eickhoff and Aaron Nola. Mark Appel and Jake Thompson are among the pitchers in the team's farm system that are also thriving. And the Phillies own the No. 1 pick in this summer's draft, where they are expected to select a starting pitcher.
Lineup wise, the Phillies have Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera currently in their lineup, both of whom appear to have long-term futures with the club. In the minors, the team has J.P. Crawford, Nick Wiliams, Jorge Alfaro, Cornelius Randolph, Roman Quinn, Andrew Knapp and Jhailyn Ortiz, all of whom figure into the team's plans in the next five years, with many expected to debut within the next season.
As mentioned above, the Phillies would have to essentially write Harper a blank check, but they are in better position to do that than any team in the league. As Joe Giglio of 94 WIP pointed out, the Phillies don't have a cent on the books after 2018. It would seem that money alone wouldn't be enough to lure Harper, though if the Phillies have a talented young team and Scott Boras is still Harper's agent, the Phillies having a ton off money to spend would seem to work in their favor.
How would Phillies fans respond to Harper?
Since he was 20-years-old, Phillies fans have been trained to dislike Harper. He had a mini-beef with Cole Hamels. He made a joke about Phillies fans throwing batteries. Above all else, Harper, who seems to embrace the villain role in a way that's probably very good for baseball, has killed the Phillies.
But if the Phillies got a chance to be Harper's version of the San Francisco Giants to Barry Bonds, they would be foolish not to take it, and fans would be foolish not to embrace Harper.
The nuggets
- Could the Phillies season be going more according to planned? The club is hovering around .500 right now, which probably won't last, but like many locally predicted before the season, the team's young players are shining and the club is playing at a higher clip than most national pundits thought they would.
- It's kind of interesting to think about who the Phillies starting pitchers will be in September. Charlie Morton and Jeremy Hellickson may both be traded during the summer. Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff may be on strict innings limits, if not altogether shut down at some point. The Phillies have solid pitching depth in the upper levels of their minor leagues, though the organization will probably be careful not to push the innings of those starters. So pieces like Adam Morgan and Alec Asher — who are young, but not necessarily top prospects — may see a lot of innings late in the year. Even then, the Phillies may be left piecing together a few more starts.
- Tom McCarthy made note of Carlos Ruiz's increased bat speed on Saturday night's telecast, and I agree. Though the Phillies organizational catching depth makes it a near lock that this will be Ruiz's last season in Philadelphia, it appears that the 37-year-old may have another season in him after 2016.
- I was asked the other day who the Phillies first-baseman will be next season and I'm not entirely sure. Ryan Howard won't be with the team. Darin Ruf may be with the team, though I wouldn't call that a lock with how slowly he's started this year. Cameron Rupp probably isn't going to be with the team long-term, but with the catching depth that the team has in their minor leagues, I wouldn't be shocked if they considered playing him at first at some point.
