Talk » Bryce Harper came to Philadelphia to do t

CLEARWATER http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , Fla. (AP) —he one thing he didn’t accomplish in Washington: Win in October.The Phillies gave him one of the biggest contracts in baseball history to deliver.“I want to be on Broad Street and hold a (World Series) trophy over my head,” Harper said after signing a $330 million, 13-year contract.The 26-year-old slugger was a six-time All-Star, 2012 NL Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL Most Valuable Player during seven seasons with the Nationals. But he couldn’t help Washington win a postseason series in four tries.That won’t cut it in Philadelphia.“We didn’t make this move to win 83 games,” owner John Middleton said.The Phillies have had six straight losing seasons and haven’t reached the postseason since 2011. They were 80-82 last year, losing 33 of the final 49 games after leading the NL East in early August.Expectations already were high after the team acquired All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, two-time All-Star shortstop Jean Segura, 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and reliever David Robertson. Adding Harper skyrocketed everyone’s hopes, especially fans who jumped on tickets and No. 3 jerseys.“You’ll always be remembered for winning and what better place to do it than Philly,” Harper said.He’ll make his debut in red pinstripes when the Phillies host the defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves on March 28.Here’s some things to know about rebuilt Philadelphia:NEW FACES: Harper is the new face of the franchise but he can’t do it alone. Realmuto is one of the best at his position and could raise his offensive production in a hitter-friendly ballpark. Segura solidifies an important spot and bolsters the lineup. McCutchen is determined to prove he’s not done yet. Robertson is a key part of a deep bullpen.THE SKIPPER: Manager Gabe Kapler was heavily criticized and intensely scrutinized in his first season leading the team. He took plenty of heat for using a lot of pitchers, different lineups and some even had issues with his positive approach. The Phillies won the offseason and now it’s up to Kapler to help the team win games.ACES WILD: Aaron Nola established himself as one of the best starters in the majors last year Kyle Hendricks Jersey , finishing third in Cy Young Award voting. The right-hander, who takes the mound on opening day for the second straight season, anchors a questionable rotation. Jake Arrieta got paid to be an ace last year but pitched more like a No. 4-5 starter. His velocity has improved in spring training and he’s feeling better following offseason knee surgery. If Arrieta pitches like he did when he won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Cubs, the Phillies could have a top 1-2 punch. They’ll need more from Nick Pivetta, Vince Velasquez and Zach Eflin or the offense will have to outslug opponents quite often.DYNAMIC LINEUP: Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco are going from batting in the middle of the order to hitting in the lower third in Philadelphia’s revamped lineup. That’s how deep and balanced the new-look offense will be with Harper, Realmuto, Segura and McCutchen joining slugger Rhys Hoskins and Cesar Hernandez. Seven of the eight hitters have hit 20 homers in a season, including six of them in 2018 and Hernandez had a career-best 16 last year.DEEP PEN: Robertson adds depth to a formidable group that includes Seranthony Dominguez, who emerged as the closer as a rookie last season. Former closer Hector Neris rebounded nicely late in the season after losing his job. Veterans Pat Neshek, Tommy Hunter and newcomer Jose Alvarez make this a strong unit that could get the call often if the rotation falters. PITTSBURGH (AP) — Whatever chance the Pittsburgh Pirates have of elbowing their way into the conversation in the NL Central hinges largely on their starting rotation living up to the hype.A week in, all that talk looks legit. Playing the struggling Cincinnati Reds helps.Joe Musgrove allowed three hits in seven efficient innings and the Pirates handed the Reds their third straight shutout with a 2-0 victory on Friday night. Musgrove struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter in his first start Mike Montgomery Jersey , matching and in some aspects outdoing fellow starters Jameson Taillon, Chris Archer, Jordan Lyles and Trevor Williams.Musgrove watched the other four members of the rotation throw gem after gem during their respective first turns through and couldn’t wait for his opportunity. When it came, he delivered, dropping the combined ERA of Pittsburgh’s rotation to 1.25 through six games in the process.“It fires me up,” Musgrove said. “I think we all feed off each other. We’re competing in a sense of wanting to go out and top each other’s outings. Everyone is pulling for each other and this is what we expect of each other every fifth day out there.”Musgrove and two relievers didn’t allow a runner to reach third base while sending Cincinnati to its sixth consecutive loss. The Reds have managed just six runs during their slide, and none since Eugenio Suarez’s solo home run in the eighth inning against Milwaukee on Tuesday.Cincinnati’s scoreless streak reached 28 innings when Felipe Vazquez retired Yaisel Puig to end it, the longest drought by the Reds since they went 30 innings without crossing the plate from Aug. 5-8, 2015. The Reds are hitting just .157 as a team after a pair of blankings at PNC Park.“It’s always disappointing when you don’t win, but there’s only one thing to do and that’s to focus on staying with it and continuing to work hard, which they all are doing http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey ,” rookie Cincinnati manager David Bell said.Jung Ho Kang broke a scoreless tie in the seventh when he lined a double into the left-field corner off Sonny Gray (0-2), allowing 6-foot-4, 240-pound Josh Bell to chug all the way around from first.“In that situation, the way that the game is going, I think everyone in the stadium knows he’s going to send me there,” Bell said. “Jung Ho put it in the right spot. I was able to keep my footwork clean around the bases.”Adam Frazier added an RBI double in the eighth off Reds reliever Zach Duke. Vazquez worked a perfect ninth for his second save.GRAY BOUNCES BACKGray dazzled in his second start for Cincinnati, retiring 16 straight at one point and striking out seven without a walk in 6 2/3 innings. His performance dropped the Reds’ starters ERA to 2.16, a bright spot in Cincinnati’s otherwise bumpy opening week.“I was fine,” Gray said. “I couldn’t command the ball my last start. This start, I could command it a little bit better. I want to go after guys.”Gray arrived in January as part of Cincinnati’s offseason overhaul, an effort by the club to climb back into contention after four straight last-place finishes. His initial start for the Reds was forgettable. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Pirates last Sunday Jose Quintana Jersey , needing 71 pitches to record eight outs.Things were far different five days later at chilly PNC Park.Mixing speed and location effectively, Gray allowed a single to Francisco Cervelli with two outs in the first but Pittsburgh didn’t get another runner on base until Starling Marte led off the seventh with a single. His lone mistake came on a curveball that Kang dumped into the corner of spacious left field, giving Bell enough time to go 270 feet.David Bell called Gray’s outing “a great step.”“He was much more comfortable today than he was the first time out,” Bell said. “We know that he battled that day too. It’s never easy, but I think it was a little bit easier for him tonight with the stuff that he had.”TRAINER’S ROOMPirates: RHP Kyle Crick was placed on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his right triceps. Pittsburgh called up OF Jason Martin to take Crick’s roster spot.UP NEXTReds: Tanner Roark (0-1, 6.23 ERA) makes his second start for the Reds on Saturday. Roark, acquired in an offseason trade with Washington, allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Milwaukee last Monday.Pirates: Trevor Williams (1-0, 0.00) will look to back up the six shutout innings he tossed last Sunday against Cincinnati when he makes his second start of the season.