Bryce Harper left the 2018 season screaming from the rooftops he would love to remain a National, if... "I'm in those plans," a polite and public way of putting the ball in the club's court.
That after, during All-Star Week, Harper dropped a trail of clues behind him signaling, for the optimists, that he preferred to return. There was also of course his very public profession of love for Washington, D.C. throughout the entire Home Run Derby, sporting a D.C. flag headband and pointing to it as he recorded his heroic comeback victory.
Who could forget the time he blocked out his entire Instagram with a mural of him thanking D.C. fans?
A post shared by 106.7 The Fan (@1067thefan) on Sep 27, 2018 at 10:31am PDT
So what – if anything – do we make of this Instagram Story featuring nothing more than one screen? A Nationals outfield of Harper, Juan Soto, Victor Robles, with their handles included so there's no room for confusion.
Bryce Harper just put up a new Instagram story. This is it. One screen. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/lKybkgzgJm
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) October 15, 2018At the bare minimum, this is an expert-level troll by Harper, as fans can read into this pretty much any way they want. Correction: Top-flight troll!
The obvious presumption would be to take away that the future is becoming more clear, negotiations are going well and the Nats have secured a "top flight" outfield for years to come. Perhaps flight is a double entendre, also meaning he's en route to D.C. to sign his next contract?
There's no shortage of fans taking up this cause.
He’s staying. That’s our top@flight outfield for 2019
— ⚾Christy⚾ (@twopookies) October 16, 2018Be still my heart https://t.co/eo22TP66iJ
— Jeff Adams (@El_Jeffe304) October 15, 2018Told y’all he was resigning https://t.co/1nmsCj6xC6
— Jamie™ (@jdrive14) October 15, 2018It’s official he’s staying
— 3-2 ----♂️ (@DCsniks) October 16, 2018But others see this as just as obvious a sign that Harper's decided to leave, the "top flight" signifying what the Nationals could have had.
He's running. https://t.co/VBtIXPFhXa
— Andrew Coleman Francis (@AndrewCFrancis) October 16, 2018And then there are those observing this as, at best, a careless omission of Adam Eaton and/or Michael A. Taylor. Nats GM Mike Rizzo views Eaton as a corner outfielder at this point in his career, which makes re-signing Harper and keeping Eaton in the lineup every day... difficult.
“Oh.” - Adam Eaton https://t.co/LFsrn2QjJU
— The D.C. Universe (@dcuniverse) October 15, 2018first Denard Span, now Adam Eaton and Michael A. Taylor ... #TheDissedByBryceOutfield https://t.co/ecpGdlrbVH
— Victor Morton (@vjmsports) October 15, 2018How do you think Eaton and Taylor feel? --
— Just Dave (@hokieheel2) October 16, 2018Bryce then started shopping Adam Eaton. https://t.co/HKpwNJdR12
— Brent Sower (@brentsower) October 16, 2018So what does it all mean?
For now, the same as the rest of the rhetoric. We really know nothing more than we did before and still won't until Harper's next contract – with whomever – is announced.
Whether you believe he's staying or going, this serves as further confirmation.
In the meantime, Harper sure made us all think for a moment.
I hope he stays in DC - but I really hope whatever happens happens fast. Every time he breaks wind it is going to be scrutinized for "a sign." https://t.co/BIOO5DIHG1
— Mike Harris (@TheAthleticMike) October 15, 2018Maybe there will be a continuation of the Story tomorrow...
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