(Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
It doesn’t take a genius to understand the impact Bryce Harper will make in the lineup for the Phillies. He is one of the best players in baseball, and his bat will have a trickle-down effect throughout the rest of the lineup. However, what has me just as excited is the impact he has already had off the diamond.
Signing Bryce Harper has lifted the fan base. People haven’t been this excited about the Phillies in a decade. I remember the glory days of the Utley and Howard era. Everyone in the park was hanging on every pitch. The ball park was sold out every night, and it was the place to be. Everyone wanted to go to the Phillies games. It was a great atmosphere in a great stadium. The years since those days have been anything but. It’s been filled with apathy and no real interest in the product. I am glad to say those days are behind us.
When I go to games this season, I will once again see parking lots filled with tailgaters. The Utley jerseys that everyone wore last decade will now be Harper jerseys. He has given the fan base a reason to believe that the Phillies can win something this year. People want to see two things: they want to see a winning team, and they want to see stars. Everyone will get what they want this season with the Phillies. There will be a buzz around this team once again, and it will truly be something special as the calendar turns to spring and summer.
