Bases Covered is a roundup of the most interesting stories in baseball.
A year ago, there was speculation that Bryce Harper might become baseball’s first $500-million man. But the Washington Nationals outfielder didn’t have the 2016 season he’d hoped for, which led some observers to question his value.
This year, though, Harper looks like he’s regained his MVP form. So as he approaches free agency — he’ll reach the market following the 2018 season — can he still expect a history-making contract? How much does a lacklustre 2016 affect his prospects?
ESPN’s Eddie Matz spoke with one American League GM, who told him Harper’s 2016 season won’t affect how much he gets paid.
“He is going to get paid,” the GM said. “Like, paid paid.”
“Four hundred million is light,” he added. “It’s going to be more than that. If you could sign him to a 15-year contract, you do it. I would say something in the range of $35 million a year, maybe closer to the high 30s. It could approach 40 million dollars a year.”
Return of the two-way player
Will modern-day baseball welcome the return of the two-way player? With players like Shohei Otani, a star hitter and pitcher in Japan, and other young draft-eligible two-way talent, there’s a real possibility that the big leagues could make room for the sort of star we haven’t seen since the Babe Ruth era.
The Wall Street Journal’s Jared Diamond had a look at the possibility that teams might embrace a two-way player. Padres GM A.J. Preller told Diamond: “It wouldn’t shock me if at some point in the future somebody does find their niche as a guy who can do both. We’d be open to at least going down that path with certain guys.”
Return to the Red Sox?
David Ortiz met with reporters in New York on Monday while attending a charity event put on by Yankees hurler CC Sabathia. Asked whether he had any regrets about calling it quits, Ortiz responded: “No, not at all, man.”
“Big Papi” says he’s happy in his retirement, though he did add that he’s been speaking with the Red Sox about the possibility of a position within the organization.
“We’ve been talking. But right now I’m very busy,” he said. “We’re going back and forth, and at some point it’s going to happen. That organization is what I am. We’ve been talking.”
Extending the streak
The Houstron Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 7–3 on Monday, extending their win streak to 11 games — the longest win streak for any team this season.
The Astros are unstoppable, but are they good enough to win 116 games, as the Seattle Mariners did in 2001?
From great to terrible
It’s no secret that the New York Mets have struggled mightily this season. One of their biggest problems has been terrible pitching, which used to be one of their biggest strengths.
From FiveThirtyEight: “After injuries to Syndergaard, Lugo, Steven Matz and closer Jeurys Familia, to go with an underperforming campaign by Matt Harvey, the Mets are on track to get about 13 fewer WAR from their staff this season than what was conservatively expected in spring training.”
[relatedlinks]
