It is official: The Bryce Harper Saga has dragged on and reached spring training.
The offseason has been miserable slow for the 26-year-old former MVP and things have gotten a tad silly. Some Nats fans have spent part of their week tracking a private jet, hoping it gives them some details.
Provided by 1 of our readers. Someone(s) took a private jet leaving Las Vegas and went to West Palm Beach and someone(s) are now loading from West Palm Beach to Washington DC? Was told it was a Nats executive who was in Vegas yesterday but don't know who else was on the jet. pic.twitter.com/s4nBGDFA2d
— Talk Nats ⚾ (@TalkNats2) February 13, 2019"I like that stuff, I like that speculation," Eric Bickel of The Sports Junkies said Thursday.
To which J.P Flaim replied sardonically about prior instances of rank speculation: "We were speculating (about) the video game, MLB The Show. Are we off that, now? The news isn't breaking on the video game?"
To recap news in the last week: There was a cryptic instagram post from Harper, news about possible mutual interest between Harper and the San Francisco Giants, and Jim Duquette saying, not only are the Nats still in the hunt, but Harper will end up back in D.C.
"I truly believe the Nats don't want him unless they really get a discount," Bickel said. "They don't want him that bad."
And judging from some calls Thursday on Grant & Danny, many Nationals fans wouldn't be too disappointed if Harper left.
It stuns me how little sadness there is about Bryce Harper's seemingly inevitable departure. Future HOFer is walking out the door and nobody is gathering around the door to see him off. Sample of today's calls. pic.twitter.com/v22KnWnKPe
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 14, 2019One of the main contenders for Harper's signature have been the Nationals' NL East rivals in Philadelphia. However, Bickel contends had Harper wanted to sign with the Phillies he would have signed there already.
"I think if he wanted to go to Philly he would have done it," he said. "It shows he doesn't really want to go to Philly."
Bottom line: Nobody knows anything.
"I don't know what to believe," The Junks' Jason Bishop said. "I've heard so many different reports, I have no idea what's going on."
"I don't believe anything until he actually signs," Bishop said.
What is known: Pitchers and catchers reported Wednesday and the Nationals held their first workouts Thursday.
Baseball will return in a few months. But there's still no guarantee Harper will.
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