Bryce Harper Talks Staring Down Orlando Arcia, Says Phillies Have "The Right Vibe" To Win It All

Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is not only a guy who is incredibly handsome, his hair flow is something that every guy desires and every lady also desires. He's a guy who's a lefty who is not only just a player of a sport, but an absolute dog of a competitor. He's the leader of the Philadelphia Phillies who have moved on and will start the next round against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday on TBS, ladies and gentlemen, Bryce Harper. Thanks for that intro fellas, I appreciate that. Thank you for joining the show, bro. We are massive ******* fans. Thank you so much for joining us, dude. I got to say, man, I'm a huge fan of you guys too. I have been watching you forever and Hawk, I love you at Ohio State, man. You know, Pat, I just I love your show. I love you guys vibe. Always fun to watch and I'm excited to to be on. So thank you for having me. No problem. You can come on whenever you want. Don't have to start this thing with a bunch of bullshit. Sounds like that's what that was, but let's move along. We appreciate the compliments. Let's dive into this, OK, because I think like in football, there's like bulletin board material and it's a physical sport. You can actually put your hands on somebody and do this whole thing. I think basketball, there's bulletin board material in baseball. I didn't play it growing up. I didn't know that it was possible. But Orlando Garcia allegedly, you know, put some bulletin board into the material, into the world. So whenever somebody talks ---- or says something you don't like, does the baseball just look like a beach ball the next night? How does that how does that work? Like, how do you get more pissed off from what somebody says and see the ball and hit the ball better? Two homers stare his ass down. That's a dog mentality. I didn't know was possible in baseball. So what was it? You just saw the ball better because that happened because he talked his ---- or what was it all together, Bryce? Now, I mean, it's just it's the competitive nature of the game. You guys know. I mean, playing sports, you're always going to be competitive no matter what anybody says or anything like that. I don't think you ever need that extra fire or anything just because I mean, you guys know how Philly is. I mean, being able to play in front of a fan base like that, there's nothing like it. So, I mean, just more and more as you play as a team, I think just the vibe of our team, if anybody says anything or anything goes, you know, crazy or anything happens, our team is going to come back and do those things. And, you know, kind of just worked out for the best for for all of us. And I mean, just a lot of fun to be able to be part of that. Bryce, yeah, but how does you specifically, but obviously the rest of the team, too, like you guys seem to not understand what nerves are. You don't feel nerves. You guys seem to thrive when the lights are brightest, when it means the most. And that's what that's what's crazy about baseball. Like you guys fail a lot up there, like you fail a bunch. But you guys seem to hit dingers in the biggest moments in the biggest games. What is it about your team? I think that kind of has that whatever that it factor is. I think just the vibe, like our whole team has a vibe. Every single guy I feel like in our clubhouse is meant to play in Philly. And it's crazy to say that, right? I mean, because Philly is such an insane place to play. I mean, we have some of the craziest fans in the world. And that lets you know when you're playing bad, but they let you know when you're playing well also. And that's the best part about our team is one through twenty five. Each guy has a vibe on our team. Everybody looks in the mirror and says, hey, what can I do to do my job well today to help us win? And if I don't get it done or somebody else doesn't get it done, that next guy will. And you guys saw that in Castellanos last night. Trey Turner as well. And it's just the vibe of our team. It's an electric vibe. And we just we want to play this game. We play it hard. And like I said, each guy is built to play in Philly. And I mean, that's that's the best thing I can say is each guy does their job well. And when they do, you win games. Hey, we were talking to Lane Johnson earlier. Big time Philly show today. Wow. Yeah. Huh? Yeah, it's big Philly. Shout out to Philly. Interesting. Shout out to Philly. We didn't expect this. Thank you for coming on late. But he talked about how last year, end of the season, they obviously ended with heartbreak. You guys, same exact thing as it felt like your team's been on a mission this year when playoff baseball started, you couldn't wait to get in here because watching you guys do your I'm not a big baseball guy. I love you just because you're a dog. You know what I mean? Like, I love the fact that you're like any sport. I do that. But watching your fan base in those playoff games has made me that's like a football game. That was the excitement on every single pitch was real. But then I think I've seen Stott hit a grand slam out of nowhere. Then you're hitting dingers. Like, has your team thought about how last year ended all year? And how does that work whenever the season is so long in baseball? Is it just a momentum that's able to be carried? Yeah, I mean, I think every team, I feel like, got to the to the finals last year and lost in this city. And that's that's really tough. I mean, for for a team that's going through it and you get so far, you get in the World Series and you lose. You have to kind of flush it as quick as possible because you want to get back. And being able to do that as a team, have the guys that we do. We just said, let us get in. Just get us in. Doesn't matter for the one, the two or the three wildcard. It doesn't matter. Get us in. Of course, your plan is to win the division and to to win a World Series and do all that. But we just want to get in because we know what our fan base is like. We know what our stadium is like. We know how hard it is to win in our stadium. And there's nothing like it. There's nothing like playoff baseball in October in Philadelphia. And Garrett Stubbs said it best, man, if you don't like it or you don't like us, get out. We don't want you here. We don't need you here. We don't want you here. It's all about Philadelphia. And we have the best fans in the world. I'm telling you guys, if you have an opportunity to come see playoff baseball in Philadelphia, you got to do it. There's nothing like it. I mean, just just the emotion, the vibe of the city, the the the crowd. I mean, I it's unbelievable. Like it's it is unbelievable how great it is here. Hundred percent. You don't see that much in baseball, right? Like you don't see that much. Like you see the football, you see that dynamic. And every Friday you're sitting there. Sorry. Every Saturday, Sunday, you're sitting there and you watch, you know, you watch football and you see the the emotion and that one game a week and going out there and trying to just absolutely hammer somebody and playoff baseball is like that every single night. All I can like kind of the same, it's kind of the same thing as NHL, right? Like you're playing each night, you're going in, you're trying to do it. The crowd's going crazy because it's such a nightly basis of doing it. And there's nothing like it. It's so much fun, man. Game one of the NLCS between Phillies and Diamondbacks start Monday night at 8 p.m. on TBS. The ALCS begins this Sunday. It's only heating up. Ty has a question for you, Bryce. Yeah, Bryce, obviously, you know, being in Philly is kind of you've said it. It's basically like a match made in heaven. But there are some tweets going around X last night. And I don't know if you want to just confirm or deny this as a Yankees fan. It says when you were kind of getting ready to make your decision that you wanted to be a Yankee and that sack of ----, Brian Cashman wouldn't even meet with you. So I don't know if that's true or not, but if you could just answer that so I could go find a bridge to jump off of. And then also I think people forget that you played catcher in high school and in college. What is the transition been like moving to first base? Has it been more difficult than you imagined or no? So Yankee, right. I grew up a Yankee fan my whole life. Everybody knew that. I grew up, you know, watching some really good Yankee Yankee teams. Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Hori Posada. I mean, I love those teams, but I couldn't imagine not being a Philadelphia Philly. There's nothing like it. So if you want to come be a Philly fan, come on, hop on. Hey, I think I am. Hey, Bryce, I won't let you know. I think I am. Just because I think I tweeted this as well. Like, I don't know how to watch, but I don't even know. Like, I grew up in Pittsburgh. OK, like the Pirates have been the Pirates for my whole entire existence. I guess before I was born, the Pirates were great is what I've been told. But baseball is never something that I got. I got into, you know, and I always just assumed like, ah, it's a little bit too slow for me. I have ADD. I can't pay attention. That first game I saw you guys play this offseason, this postseason. It was awesome. Every pick, Miles Teller's big face was on the screen like every four minutes about going nuts in the crowd. And the way you guys play, it's like I think I'm a Phillies fan through. And especially you joining our show. Like no baseball people come on our show other than Jet Passant. So I appreciate you doing this for me and for me of this, because I am an idiot. Are there some nights where you're just seeing the ball better? Like for me as a kicker and a punter, there's some days where the ball just goes further. There's some days where for whatever reason. Yeah, here it is. For whatever reason. Like I'm just hitting a ball better than maybe on other days. You've got to play a lot of baseball. But whenever you're in that batter's box, is there days that you're just more locked in? The ball does look like a beach ball there. Maybe your swings more fluid or. And do you know going into the night that you're going to be hot? Like, is that something you can tell whenever you start the game? Have you ever like before the game thought to yourself like you hit the upright or something and you thought to yourself, man, it's going to be terrible tonight? Like you felt that like and then you walk into the locker room and you come back out and you're pissed. And it's just like, man, I'm be awful tonight. Like I hope these I hope these guys score a lot of points and I'm going to be terrible. That's how I felt the other night before we before that game against Atlanta. I walked out of the cage about three times and said, I got no chance tonight, boys. Like you guys go out there, do your thing. And and then I go out there, I punch out my first Nevada. So I told you guys like like it's all about you guys because I got nothing. And then next to the bat, I'm casting at the homer fired me up. And I'm like, all right, here we go. Bam. Homer felt good. And then I hit another one and I was like, it just doesn't matter how you feel. Like it doesn't because you go out there and you play the game and it is what it is. So, I mean, but yeah, I mean, there's other nights where I feel good going out there, but I could go over for a four punch outs, too. You know, it kind of just depends on the vibe and depends on how you're playing. And but each night I just I feel like the confidence is always there. You know, I have confidence in the ability to go out there and play the game. And there's nothing like it. I just I really enjoy this game. I really enjoy playing the game of baseball. And of course, like Hawk said, man, like you're going to go up there. You're going to fail three out of ten. And everybody knows that, you know, seven times you're going to fail. And it's mentally what you can do to come back from from that in any situation, because each each at bat, especially in the postseason matters. So, you know, if you're over one or over two or over three, it doesn't matter. What have you done for me lately, you know, in the game? And what can you do to help us win this game? What year is this for you now in the MLB? This is year eleven full. So twelve. Wow. Way to go, dude. I remember I remember back whenever you came in and it was like, hey, this is the next American great hope. Right. I mean, that's kind of what it was kind of being proposed as. And here you are now the face of a team that is hotter than everybody else. Job well done, brother, especially in a sport that is so punishing as baseball. I think you should be incredibly proud of yourself, Bryce. I think you should. I appreciate that, guys. It means a lot. You know, I I just I'm so thankful to play this game. I really am. I enjoy it. I love it. I got a long ways to go. So, you know, it's I'm just really grateful to play in the city of Philadelphia with the great team that I do have. And I just love it. Yeah, but you're old as ---- now. You're old as ----. I am. I am. Yeah, that's why I watch you guys. And that's why I watch, you know, college football on Saturday. I got nothing else to do. Bryce, last question for me here. So I'm trying to picture myself like I grew up playing travel baseball. That stuff didn't didn't play past high school. So nothing like that. But I'm just thinking in baseball for a playoff game, you have all these fans. Everyone's watching. We see the reaction when you do. You connect on the dinger and the place goes crazy. How do you harness that and actually dial in? I feel like I'm in there. I'm all jacked up. I'm swinging every pitch I see. I have no discipline. I have like how do you harness that energy and actually use it for focus in those moments? I think the you being prepared for that, right? Like you prepare so much. You work hard all the time. And then the game, it's just you go out there and play. You play the same game you've been playing your whole life. And, you know, the lights might be brighter. It might be 45,000 people in there. But I love that. I'm all about that. I love going on the road to get booed. I absolutely do. There's nothing like it. I mean, I, you know, growing up, you play all these games when you're younger, 10, 11, 12 years old. I was talking to the media the other day and I dropped out of high school at 16. I got my GED, went into JUCO and it was like I have to be the number one pick. That's the pressure, right? That was the pressure. I have to be the number one pick. I have to go in there. If I'm not, I'm a failure. I'm the failure. You know, I have to be able to get my my family out, take care of them and do the things I can to to, you know, just take care of them forever. And that was the pressure. Now, all this is cake. This is what it's all about. This is the this is the fun part of that. Going out there and playing in front of 45,000 people and harnessing that energy into hitting a baseball. Understanding, letting the game come to me and not worrying about anything else, not worried about the outside or the inside, just worried about what I can control. And that's hitting a baseball and playing and doing the best I can for my team and my city. And the pressure is all behind me. You know, this is this is what I love to do. And there's nothing like it. There's nothing like hitting a baseball in a big spot or a big moment with 45,000 strong behind you and 25 guys in your dugout cheering you on. And I mean, that's that's that's what it's all about. You know, and the pressure, the pressure is gone, man. It's just about playing now. You know, you guys get it. You prepare all week to to play in a football game. And then you go out on a Sunday or Monday and you just play the game. You just let it happen. You let the game come to you. And no mistakes or anything like that. You have to know, too, like sometimes you're going to make those mistakes. Sometimes things are going to happen. And that's part of the game. Don't let that don't let that dwell or don't let that impact the way you finish your game. You know, I think there's so many times where young kids or athletes and oh, one little thing will impact your whole career. No, it's it's over. That moment's over. You know, take take another step, take another step in the right direction because all those, you know, ups and downs are all those moments. Those are what's going to lead you to a stepping stone of being great. And that's where greatness comes from. And that's what that's what it's all about. I love I love playing, man. And I just this is all cake to me right now. This is all the fun and all the hard work and everything. This is what it's all about, guys. That was one of the greatest answers I've ever heard in my life. And I hope at one point with all the money you've made, you obviously take care of your family, your dad. Hell, we watched you in that home run derby with the old man. Obviously an awesome moment. I hope you get a chance to get a time machine. Go back to that 16 year old kid one time and say like, hey, just relax, dude. It's all going to work out because I couldn't even fathom how the pressure was for you to be where you are now. And now that you are where you're at. How about these shots of the of the what is a locker room? I don't want to. What the **** do you guys? This is awesome, bro. This is the greatest in all of sports that you guys have this. And I feel like you said all your guys are supposed to be in Philadelphia. For me, that means a lot of things. Top 30, but also have a great time. How are the boys in the celebration? And how does everybody feel afterwards? There's nothing better, dude. We have the best celebration party team. If there's a team that anybody wants to hire for a wedding, we're the team. We'll bring the vibe. We'll bring the playlist. We'll bring it. We'll bring it all. Just show up. We got it. From Garrett Stubbs to Castellanos to Marsh to Trey. I mean, it is it's unbelievable. We we have such a great team to be able to party with. And Broad Street, man, there's I hope it happens because it's going to be insane. I don't know if I don't know if any of my teammates are going to wake up for a month. So, well, hey, that's what so that's what you're supposed to do. You earn that hangover. And we know that the the series with the Diamondbacks starts on Monday, 8 p.m. on TBS. But we're going to try to get to a game over there in Philadelphia, I think, here in this next series. We're going to try to get over there. OK, and now you might have to you might have to use some of that money that you have to find a suite because I think that thing sold out probably the whole place, right? How are we going to get in there? Yeah, definitely sold out. I got a couple of tickets in the suite. Maybe I can help you guys out. My man, we appreciate the hell out of you. Keep killing it. We appreciate your, you know, like your ascension to where you are right now. I hope you get a chance after that. I'm not now. Don't be, you know, looking back at how great the run is right now. OK, we need you to still hit some ******* baseball. OK, but at some point, I hope you get a chance to look back and say, Bravo, you've done good. A lot of Americans look up to you and a lot of people around the world keep handling adversity, keep bombing balls. Ladies and gentlemen, Philadelphia, Philly superstar Bryce Harper. Thank you, buddy.