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Las Vegas baseball phenom inks deal
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JESSICA EBELHAR/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Bryce Harper, 17, and Kurt Stillwell, an aide for agent Scott Boras, look over signings Monday at Harper's home after he agreed to terms with the Washington Nationals. » Buy this photo
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Bryce Harper, shown as a member of the College of Southern Nevada team in March, was the No. 1 overall pick in the major league draft on June 7. JOHN GURZINSKI/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL » Buy this photo
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
With the clock about to strike midnight on the East Coast, Bryce Harper was trying to do his best to relax. But he was running out of breathing room.
Finally, more than two months after the Washington Nationals selected him No. 1 overall in the Major League Baseball draft, and after a tense last minute of negotiations, the 17-year-old was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Twenty seconds before the deadline," he said, "we got it done."
Harper, a former Las Vegas High School and College of Southern Nevada star, reached an agreement with the Nationals on a five-year, $9.9 million contract Monday.
"I knew everything would go down to the wire," said Harper, surrounded by his parents, Ron and Sheri, and older sister, Brittany, at their Las Vegas home.
"I've been waiting for this my whole life. I'm really excited about it. I'm going to enjoy it with my family. I'm really thankful for everything that has happened. This is awesome."
On the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 16 because of his extraordinary talents as a power hitter, Harper left high school after his sophomore year and enrolled at CSN amid some controversy. But the plan he laid out paid off.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 225-pound Harper batted .443 with 31 home runs and 98 RBIs last season to lead the Coyotes to the Junior College World Series. The Nationals made him the top pick of the draft on June 7.
"Everything has worked out for the best right now," he said. "It's been really emotional and a lot of fun."
In Washington, where team president Stan Kasten and general manager Mike Rizzo had a news conference to announce the deal, there also was relief after the midnight deadline.
"The truth is, with a full minute to go, Mike and I both thought we were not going to have a deal," Kasten said. "It was inside the last minute."
Harper, represented by agent Scott Boras, monitored the talks at home with Kurt Stillwell, Boras' assistant.
"Suffice it to say, both sides gave up ground at the last second to get the deal done," said Rizzo, who indicated Harper will soon be assigned to a Gulf Coast League team in Florida.
"In my opinion, Bryce is the best amateur baseball player of all time," said his former CSN coach, Tim Chambers, now the University of Nevada, Las Vegas coach. "Nobody did what this kid did, not even Mickey Mantle or Alex Rodriguez."
Harper's contract includes a signing bonus of $6.25 million. He receives salaries of $500,000 each in 2011 and 2012, $750,000 in 2013, $900,000 in 2014 and $1 million in 2015.
"I'm really excited to go prove myself," Harper said. "I want to prove that that's what I'm worth."
If the talks had broken down, Harper said he was prepared to return to CSN for another year and re-enter the draft in 2011.
"I really preferred to play pro ball," he said. "That's been my dream since I was 8, 9 years old. I'm thankful we got everything done, and I want to get (to the major leagues) as soon as possible."
Contact sports reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans @reviewjournal.com or at 702-387-2907.
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Congratulations Bryce! Your season at CSN was remarkable!
Unfortunately, Scott Boras (and people like him) have made attending games impossible for working families. As the economy continues to get worse, you're going to see more an more empty seats at pro sporting events. The TV folks have already backed out of everything except football. It's only a matter of time. Thanks Scott!
Reader hit it right on the head. And he'll be fine, VD.
Yes it is crazy how much money athletes make, like hitting the lottery, but that is the economics of that business. They're getting paid like that because their level of talent is a limited commodity (only 750 MLB players out of 300 million Americans, not to mention Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, etc.) and the clubs are bringing in the money off ticket sales, tv contracts, etc. If attendance and viewership drop enough, the salaries will also go down. So if its a problem to you, just stop going to or watching the games, and trying convincing another couple 100,000 people to follow you. The league has not been immune to the recession. In October 2009, it was reported that MLB attendance finished the season down 6.6% from the previous year. In April 2010, USA Today reported that MLB salaries were down 17% from the previous year, as teams cut back. At the same time, we all know what they make and have the right to try and work towards being a professional athlete. But even if you win the genetic lottery, you still have to have the discipline and work ethic to make it to the pro's to be one of the .0003% of Americans that make it to the Major League level, and even then you generally have to be one of the top 10-15% of players within the Major Leagues to make the multi-million dollar salary. The skill set is a highly limited commodity in good demand, and so they get paid. Economics man, economics.
His agent will get 5%+, and the Mormon church 10%, still leaving a tidy sum.
I will take nothing away from Bryce, he's obviously a very talented kid and no doubt deserves to play in the majors. That said, he's only 17 years old with no education and he starts out with $6.25 million in the bank. This has disaster written all over it. I don't care how many money mangers he has or will get or how much his parents will be there to help him keep things in check, this kid will most likely never learn the meaning of a buck or what it means to really work for it. (not saying him playing is not work) I hope for his sake that he is able to make it full legnth of his contract and not get caught up in the hype of everything and he is smart with this cash so he can build a life after baseball, because it will end at some point with nothing to fall back on.
It is quite disturbing how much money these athletes are making while the rest of the country is struggling just to feed their families. It only proves that the divide between rich and poor is only growing; for some that may be good news, for others it may not. Someone is going to these games. Someone is paying the high ticket prices. If we aren't cautious and we continue to be cavalier with how much they pay professional athletes, we may just see people getting desperate and turning their desperation to crimes against the athletes and dare I say the rich. Intimidation is not necessarily something that comes from an extrinsic factor, but more from an intrinsic factor. Quite frankly, those that have nothing to lose...or to be more blunt..those that don't give a ...
Wonder how much of that Boras gets?
Poor guy...he's only $9.9 million richer.
@dodgerchuck, He's a position player and not a pitcher. Actually, his contract is the largest position player contract of all time. Position players are only 1 of 8 others in the field. It is more difficult to make a huge impact as one player. However, a pitcher has the ball in his hand on every play for 100 pitches. Rookie pitchers always get paid more. Plus #1 pick pitchers make it to the big leagues much faster than position players.
Roger, I used to live in san Diego and there are $8 tickets for games. Not every stadium is ridiculous. I do agree with you concerning NFL. It costs a fortune to take a family to the games. however, the NFL could, and should, care less about your family. They still sell out the vast majority of games and you still wacth on TV. That brings in the big bucks; i.e., advertising money. It's a brilliant economic set up. Gouge the 70,000 who go to the games and gouge advertisers and networks for the millions who watch at home.
Congratulations to Bryce Harper!
Professional sports and the money they throw around makes me sick. You can't take your family to an event anymore without spending $100+... money that goes to support these overpriced athletes. Throw actors into this tirade also.