Dodgers: It’s Time to Sign a Star and Bryce Harper is Perfect

The Dodgers are cautiously approaching the off-season looking to spend their resources wisely.  It’s time for the Dodgers to cash in their savings and sign Bryce Harper.

The Dodgers are in the Bryce Harper sweepstakes but the question remains just how interested they are.  Earlier today, Jack Dorfman made the case for not signing Harper citing the large price tag affecting the Dodgers ability to keep their young stars.  This article is going to make the case for spending the big bucks on Bryce Harper after slashing payroll for the past few seasons.

Hollywood is For the Stars

Let’s face it, the Dodgers play in THE city known for it’s stars.  The Lakers now have LeBron James and before him they have had a long list of star players who make up the rich history of the Lakers.  The city’s new football teams have their own stars in Todd Gurley and Philip Rivers while even the Angels down south have Mike Trout, the best player in baseball.

The Dodgers have several stars on their team already like Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner, but neither have the type of star power that Bryce Harper does.  Harper is one of the five best players in baseball and the cameras go wherever he goes.  How do you get fans to get excited after two straight World Series losses? You bring in one of the game’s best entertainers and that is what Bryce Harper is.

Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw Deserve Rings

There are no guarantees in baseball but for a team trying to get over it’s World Series hump, adding Bryce Harper would be the ultimate upgrade for the Dodgers’ outfield.  Matt Kemp likely emptied out the tank last season, Joc Pederson is a platoon player, and Yasiel Puig is a streaky hitter.  Cody Bellinger is the Dodgers’ best outfield slugger but even he has holes in his swing.

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Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw are in the last few seasons of their career and both deserve a World Series ring.  It’s time for the Dodgers to go get their “LeBron” and bring in Bryce Harper.  I don’t think any Dodger fan would be mad if the Dodgers went for it and signed Harper to try and finally end the title drought.  Championship windows don’t stay open forever and for Kershaw and Turner, they don’t have many more chances left.

Take the Offense to the Next Level

The Dodgers’ offense went ice cold in the World Series and even the game the Dodgers won, they took eighteen innings to finally score a run to end the game and secure their lone World Series win.  Manny Machado had his chance to lead the Dodgers but was a non-factor in the World Series with his biggest moment being him failing to run out a double.

Bryce Harper is an on base machine.  Over the last two seasons he is getting on base at a .400 clip so if he led off for the Dodgers he would set the table and give the Dodgers plenty of opportunities to score. The Dodgers struggled with runners in scoring position last season and not many hitters have been better with RISP over the last three seasons than Harper.  His .301 average and 173 RBI’s with runners in scoring position over the last three seasons would be a big boost for the Dodgers.

The common argument for not signing Harper is that his salary would prevent the Dodgers from making moves in the future or even re-signing parts of their core.  With Matt Kemp, Rich Hill, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, and Justin Turner coming off the books in the next three seasons that will leave plenty of room for the Dodgers to extend their young stars.  The Dodgers reset their tax penalties so they can stay over the limit for a few seasons.

With the new year approaching, Bryce Harper is likely weighing his options of where he wants to spend his playing days for the next decade.  The Dodgers would be wise to throw big money at Harper to get him to come to Los Angeles.  The Dodgers’ title window is open now but it won’t stay open for long, especially for veterans like Turner and Kershaw.  It’s time for the front office to open the checkbooks and bring in a real difference maker in Bryce Harper.