“You want to go 2-0 at home, but being able to go 1-1 into New York …” he mentioned, earlier than pausing a second.
“I imagine it’s going to be pretty hostile there,” he continued. “And a lot of fun. So, really looking forward to that.”
Harper in New York in the postseason looks like the right match. He is a famous person participant who thrives in massive moments, and he hopes to create extra massive moments this week on baseball’s greatest stage.
Harper can be booed at Citi Field, like he's at all times booed in New York (and similar to he has been booed in each ballpark throughout baseball since his rookie season in 2012).
But the boos can be louder this week as a result of that is the postseason, and these fan bases don't like one another.
“It’s definitely different,” Harper mentioned. “Obviously, if you go into an surroundings — San Diego, New York, L.A., Atlanta — there are particular locations you simply have enjoyable, man. It's enjoyable to type of trip towards them and do sure issues in the sport that upset them or make them blissful or no matter.
“I really feel just like the respect is there, clearly. I've grown to respect lots of followers and perceive their ardour they've for his or her groups. It's simply at all times enjoyable coming in right here and enjoying. Obviously, proper now being the postseason, it is going to be fairly hostile. It must be enjoyable.”
Harper hit a mammoth two-run dwelling run midway up the batter’s eye in middle area in the sixth inning in Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park, chopping the Mets’ deficit to 3-2. It energized the group, whereas Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto mentioned it relaxed all people in the dugout.
The Phils are 11-0 when Harper homers in the postseason. They are 9-12 when he doesn’t.
Harper would love nothing greater than to hit a pair homers and quiet the Citi Field crowd on Tuesday in Game 3, and Wednesday in Game 4.
Don’t put it previous him. Consider the highest 5 gamers in profession postseason OPS (minimal 150 plate appearances):
Harper can also be tied with Pete Rose and Albert Pujols for fourth with 2.6 Wins Probability Added in the postseason. The solely gamers forward of them are David Ortiz (3.2), Beltrán (2.9) and Lance Berkman (2.7).
What makes these numbers extra spectacular is that Harper will get virtually nothing to hit. There have been 131 gamers since 2008 to see 250 or extra pitches in the postseason. Harper ranks 129th in pitches in the strike zone at 39.5 percent.
Harper has seen solely 13 of 48 pitches in the zone (27.1 p.c) in the primary two video games of this sequence.
But can Harper do it in New York? It can be a problem. Perhaps it's a fluke, however since he joined the Phillies in 2019, Harper has not hit properly at Citi Field.
Harper’s common season stats in NL East parks since he joined the Phils:
Interestingly, Harper carried out properly at Citi Field when he performed for the Nationals (.877 OPS, 12 HRs, 35 RBIs in 245 PA). He additionally has hit the Mets at dwelling since he joined the Phillies (.991 OPS, 13 HRs, 32 RBIs in 184 PA).
This season, Harper went 3-for-23 with 10 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit at the Mets’ dwelling park. And but …
“I think it's a great park,” Harper mentioned about Citi Field. “I believe the followers at all times present out. Even once I was first developing, I assumed the Mets followers have been fairly loud and positively loyal to their group. I like coming right here. I like enjoying right here. I might have liked to play Shea. I believe that may have been actually cool, however I missed that. But yeah, this can be a nice ballpark.”
And that is the postseason. So it could be sensible to throw these regular-season numbers out the window.
