Harper Officially Joins Phillies

2019 Chachi Greatest Moments #1

A signing of this magnitude called for a special Chachi card, so I used the occasion to create a template for a limited edition, one per case, Chachi box topper Greatest Moments card.  The checklist is expected to contain only four cards as I'll use this design to commemorate the retirement ceremonies planned this season for Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard.

I'm still trying to take all of this in, not quite believing that Harper will be the team's right fielder for the entire decade of the 2020s and then some.  As a Phillies fan, I'm thrilled and my sons are excited to finally experience Citizens Bank Park when the seats are full and the team is winning.  As a Phillies baseball card collector, I realize I'll probably need to curtail my collecting habits a little as there's no way I'll be able to keep up with the glut of Harper cards that will make their way into every Topps set for the next 13 years.  Having a mediocre to poor team with a few marketable stars the last few seasons has meant I've been easily and relatively cheaply adding as many Phillies cards as I wanted.  That will probably stop now, but it's a welcome trade-off.

* * *

I'm working a ton these days but I took a break at 2pm today to watch the introductory press conference in Clearwater.  Harper said all the right things.  He's chosen to wear #3 with the Phillies since he said he felt #34 belonged to Roy Halladay.  He wants to recruit Mike Trout in two years.  He wants to be a Phillie for life, mentioning hearing nothing but amazing things about the city and the franchise from Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.  He mentioned that J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies' new catcher is his "favorite player in the game."  He wants to celebrate a Phillies World Series victory on "Broad Street on a frickin' boat or whatever it is and hold a trophy over [his] head, because that's what it's all about."  He was genuine.  And now he's a member of the Philadelphia Phillies for quite a while.

Let's play ball.