But here’s the thing. This team is doing pretty well offensively without him right now. If Jimmy comes back and stays healthy, and if the other guys play to their potential, maybe we’ll be pretty good offensively without him.

Pitching wins championships. Right now, the Phils look like a playoff caliber team. But can they win a playoff series? More importantly (and people are gonna hammer me for this, but we need to think about it), I want all of you to think long and hard about this question:

Can this Phillies team legitimately compete for a world championship?

My answer: No, not with this rotation. The bullpen looks solid. The offense will be fine. But Hamels is somewhat injury prone. I’d pit Myers against anyone if it’s really Myers, but you never know when his evil twin is going to show up. Eaton’s a goddamn joke and we all know it. Kendrick is a good AAAA pitcher. I love Moyer, but he’s a bottom of the rotation guy.

So picture yourself as Pat Gillick. You know there’s a team or two (Oakland? San Diego?) that is willing to part with a solid middle of the rotation guy, and that desperately needs a power hitter. I think you have to consider every possibility to make this team better. I’m just saying that maybe, maybe, the Phils package Howard and Eaton (we might be able to sell Eaton to someone under the “a change of scenery will help him” umbrella), eat some of Eaton’s contract, and get a starting pitcher and maybe a prospect.

I really don’t think this is insane. I think it’s worth considering.

Thoughts?

I was talking about when Pat hit .209 in ’03. You hope Howard has that type of year? Seeming of course your response at 5:05 was for what I said…

I saw Lieber’s stat line today as well…glad I had Joey Votto starting!

Go Phils – no bet because last time after being benched Howard hit a home run. Tonight is a huge game – someone said early that good times do not let a bad game extend into two bad games.

PS Liber gave up 4 HRs today

If he doesn’t came around this year…so be it. He should take less money next year and re-prove him self.

My point is that Howard has shown in his pre and post all-star splits to be a better hitter post-all star game. He is having a season much like Burrell did a few years ago…after a while it got in his head how he wasn’t hitting. Hopefully Howard looks at tape of himself this year and from the past and makes the adjustments.

Since I’m going to tonights game…Howard will hit a Homer! Bets anyone?

Howard / Utley ’08
For the Good of the Nation!

I think the point people are making is not that Howard is a bad player – but right now he is not playing to the level that justifies his contract – even if it is only one year. I think Howard could be a HOF player but right now it is frustrating to watch a player that seeming (and from our vantage point it SEEMS) like he is not making the adjustments that are needed. Therefore, right now he sucks.

Todd you are placing A LOT of HOPE that he will come out of this slump – what if he does not?

Ok funny guy…”you need glasses”…I said a bad YEAR..not entitlied to bad YEARS!

You know I also will include Jason on this one…let me try to see were the both of you are coming from.

Howard has had three years of success in the majors. He went to arbitration after last season and won, going from 900,000 a year to 10 million for this year only. Again…10 million FOR THIS YEAR ONLY!

So to suggest that he got his money and quit than I guess you’re in some way suggesting that his is his last year in the majors. He is still playing for contract as after this year it could go back to arbitration.

Sometimes I wish people would give a little thought to what they write before it’s written!

Trading does little right now – however, I do not think he will resign with the Phillies nor do I think the Phillie will offer him a contract with the number of years and the dollar amount he wants. Therefore, this discussion is not so much should the Phillies trade but rather when?

If you’re suggesting that since he “sucks” to deal him after two months when he has shown, although not to this extent, to have bad pre-all star splits what would the Phillies get in return in your world?

Also a note…if you;re going to jokingaly make fun or compare something in fun…make sure the two go together, if will add to the humor to compare apples with apples.

Ok, so went to arbitration which is based on the PAST and POTENTIAL, but more on the PAST with salary and stats…again, two months in he isn’t anywhere close to A) Deserving that money and B) Being the player that has been for 3 years.

As far as “typical” Phillies fans…or at the very least I don’t think ANYONE likes a player making millions and not performing, but that doesn’t mean we should get rid of him…not a big sample size of horrible stats is it?

The line about the Home Run derby was a joke retard.

big start for kendrick (seems like i say that every time) tonight. real teams can stop the bleeding after one loss and bounce back the next night so that losing streaks dont materialize. this is big tonight. you have to get to micah owings and knock him out early tonight. they need to keep the bats hot going into thursday with brandon webb taking the mound.

If that was true shouldn’t have the Phillies at least made the playoff when Abreu won the Home Run Derby?”

First off those two items aren’t the same. What Howard did three years during a seson has nothing to do with Bobby winning a HR Derby title during an exhibition.

I’ve re-read what you wrote and it really seems to me that you don;t baseball. Are you one of those fans who starts the wave when the other team is up at bat?

Howard will come around…and if he doesn’t he’s entitled to a bad year. It happens, it’s a part of the game!

So Howard is having a poor/slow start to ’08 and you want to trade him? That makes ZERO sense!

You said above regarding the vision for today…well what vision do you have if YOU could trade Howard? What player(s) would you expect to get for him at an apparent low value?