Report: Lot of ‘Momentum, Traction’ on Harper Signing Soon with Phillies

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Bryce Harper could be signing sooner than we think, and to the Philadelphia Phillies' delight, "momentum" and "traction" suggest it will be with them.

Saturday afternoon, CBS Sports' Jim Bowden reported that while the Washington Nationals remain in the mix, he keeps hearing that Harper "could be rounding third and heading to home shortly" with the Phillies.

"I'm hearing they're pretty well down the process, here," Bowden said. "I tried to reach out to Scott Boras and the Boras Corporation, I tried to reach out to GM Matt Klentak of the Phillies this morning. I've not been able to get in touch with either one of them, but I keep hearing there could be momentum there in Philly."

Bowden continued:

"I think Harper's ready to go. I don't think he's going to sign a short-term deal. That's what the San Francisco Giants offered him. There were many other teams, including the Dodgers, that also did the same thing — offered a short-term deal.

Every indication I get is that he's going to get at least 10 years, and he's going to get more than $300 million. That has not changed, and nor have my two favorite places for him. Philadelphia one clearly, and a distant two Washington. That's where I have him right now."

Bowden said he is not sure how short other teams' short-term deals are to Harper, although he guesses it's around five years with opt-outs:

"I think the reason San Francisco's [betting] odds are what they are, is because the media attention that those meetings had.

I think Harper and the Boras Corporation did a smart play — meet with the Padres, meet with the Giants, prove that there were mystery teams, which they did. Do the best you can to get the teams that are bidding to maybe up their offer, give that extra year and add that extra zero at the end of the offer.

That's what it's all about — trying to create leverage here. They want this leverage; it works well in a negotiation.

But, I kept being told over and over again Bryce Harper wants to go to a place where he can win a world championship. He really doesn't want to wait 3 or 4 years. He wants to have a chance to win right now, 2019. When you look at the teams the odds markers are looking at, the Giants are years away. The White Sox are years away. The Padres at least a couple years away. It's back to Philadelphia, and it gets back to Washington, for me, once again."

The Phillies' first full squad workout is set for Monday. If Harper signing with the club is imminent, he will miss hardly any spring training action, if any at all.