Bryce Harper has been mired in the worst slump of his career since returning from the IL, and the Phillies have been in the worst stretch of their season, most recently being swept by the Yankees at home.
Harper has just one hit in his last 30 at-bats, and went 0-for-5 on Wednesday, including bouncing into a game-ending double play when he represented the winning run.
Harper, a Philly superstar who owns some of the best moments in recent Phillies history, is beloved in the City of Brotherly Love, but Spike says Harper deserves some criticism for the way he has played, and the way he has led of late.
“Rightly so, we’ve given Bryce Harper a lot of credit. But Bryce Harper has to be the player to pull the Phillies out when the Phillies are in the dumps,” Spike said. “That is when the star player, from an on-field perspective and a leadership perspective, has to shine the brightest.
“I don’t think I’m out of line in saying that Bryce Harper, for the last six weeks, specifically since he came off the injured list, has not shined the brightest.”
Spike doesn’t hear any criticism of Harper when he’s going poorly, though the critiques are often loud for other players when they are struggling. Regardless of Harper’s superstar status, it shouldn’t make him immune from scrutiny, especially with the standard he has set for himself since arriving in Philadelphia.
“He has not shined from a leadership perspective,” Spike said. “From not hustling this ball out and maybe costing the team a game or two, to temper tantrums on the field due to his frustration from not performing. He has not been the leader of the player we have come to expect…when that happens, it’s crickets. I listen on WIP, I listen to the fans, and it’s crickets.
“When Bryce Harper is great - which he often is - we shower him with praise…but in July, when he stinks the place up and doesn’t pull the team out of this malaise, we don’t have any criticism.”