Bryce Harper gives Phillies the star power they craved

He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16. He became the first overall pick in the draft at 17. He reached the majors and made the All-Star team at 19. He won an MVP Award at 22. He became one of the most coveted free agents in history at age 26. Now after a wait that lasted into spring training Bryce Harper is headed to Philadelphia.

Harper's $330 million contract with the Phillies will keep him in the NL East, where he spent the past seven seasons mashing 184 home runs for the Nationals.

That Harper landed with the Phillies isn't necessarily a surprise. Harper might have had hopes of signing with the Yankees or Dodgers, but the two franchises with big-spending ways in their…