Comments on: Starters Gave Phils Chances To Win In September

By: Chuck P

Chuck P — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:44:21 +0000

The only thing that article intends to do is raise eyebrows. Besides that, it doesn’t make much sense. Howard might be streaky and he’ll ask for a huge pay raise but the kid is money. He’s a marketing dream and you can’t argue with the numbers… we would all love to see him on base more and strike out less but he is what he is. He’s a homerun hitter and homerun hitters strike out a lot. As good as Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are, you would expect the Giants to be better, huh? But they’re not… I like Lincecum and Cain but we have proven winners, folks. At 3B, Feliz is undervalued… why trade him? When he went down with an injury, this team struggled and there’s a reason for that. He calms these guys down, he’s dependable and he does come up with his fair share of clutch hits. Dobbs everyday would be a recipe for disaster. Juan Rivera is not our answer in left field ESPECIALLY without Howard.

Like everyone else, I’m guilty of one major violation of the unwritten rules of “fanhood.” Time and time again, I cross the line of fanhood, into the world of business. It’s in my nature (I’m an investment advisor by trade)… I feel like I need to help allocate the owners’ monies wisely but the reality is I’m just a fan and those owners are doing just fine. So rather than plea for the players that would help my team win a championship, I settle for scenarios that make good business sense. Let me tell you this, I want Ryan Howard on my team no matter what it costs. Yes, it might eat into David Montgomery’s bottom line but why should that matter to me? He might even lose money one year… isn’t that how business works? To say that he’s going to make Yankee-money is a slap in the face to our fan base. Haven’t we earned the right to know that our organiztion is dedicated to winning championships? Ryan Howard’s contract is about this team letting us know that they’re going to do whatever it takes to get us there again and again and again. Sign the kid… and sign Magglio, too while they’re at it! LET’S GO PHILLIES!!

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:14:50 +0000

and yes, I agree with going year to year with Howard.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:14:05 +0000

Geoff, I’ve missed you buddy!

By: Geoff

Geoff — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:07:08 +0000

why do you want to trade the MVP? so you can NOT make the playoffs?

that makes no sense. let it go man. theyre not going to trade him anytime soon its not even worth wasting thoughts on it. it really is better to go year to year with him anyway.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:01:14 +0000

Also, if you’re trading for Howard right now, you’re only getting Howard for two years. So you wouldn’t trade two years of Howard for five years of Lincecum?

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:59:31 +0000

mikemike, I’m not saying that Howard won’t get a huge contract-of course he will.

I also never said that I’d trade Howard straight up for Cain (I’d have to think about it and who the Phillies would get to play 1B), I just mentioned that many sources have said that the Giants wouldn’t do that trade.

In an ideal world, the Phillies would trade Howard for Cain and then go out and sign Texeira, but that’s just not going to happen.

By: mikemike

mikemike — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:50:57 +0000

Griffin I Responed to your remarks without finish the article. Other G.M. will line up to sign him.you must be kidding to think a team with the money to sign him won’t go out and try. put a manny behind him and you will set offense records.

By: mikemike

mikemike — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:44:56 +0000

Griffith. Linecum had 33 starts and 26 were quality I Know how good he is .but he is a pitcher who plays ever 5 th day. Pitcher get hurt easily 4 days a week that pitcher can’t help you. but the remark that Cain wouldn’t bring you Howar is stupid .Howard right now is on a pace to be a hof hitter. how many people can do what he has done in a short time. Numbers that others only dream of 45 hr. and 150 rbi with a bad start. No I think you don’t realize how good this guy is. If he had come up with the teams I mention earlier he would have already been signed.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:54:46 +0000

Of course they would pay him. Buy how much would they GIVE us in a trade knowing that WE won’t pay him? Not to worry, the Yanks and Sox would get in a bidding war. Who is this guy Tim that runs this site anyway? He needs a better set to work from.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:52:31 +0000

mikemike, I don’t think you realize just how good Tim Lincecum is. No one is saying Howard stinks, but if you offered Howard for Lincecum, they would hang up the phone on you.

In the article written, the author acknowledged that the Giants wouldn’t even trade Cain for Howard, let alone Lincecum.

I know you love Howard because he plays for your favorite team and he hits home runs, but he’s more valuable to you then he is to other team’s GMs.

Don’t worry, the Phils won’t trade him, they’ll just let him walk when he’s a free agent.

By: Georgie

Georgie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:51:04 +0000

Dipsy, yeah, the Teletubbies crack me up, and Dipsy is my favorite. One of my cats actually started watching them, so I started too.

By: mikemike

mikemike — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:44:43 +0000

I have never heard crazy talk like this Ryan Howard making 12 million or 15 is worth a lot .the mvp homerun champ two of three years. rbi leader. world series winner, mvp. and we should trade him for lincecum because he has two years on his contract. that is just silly. What you fail to realize is teams would sign him. not all teams are bottom line, like our smallminded owners, Cubs, Yankees Red Sox ,Rangers, dodgers,Houston, Angels, Detroit would pay him.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:43:35 +0000

Me too, Tex is a beast.

Howard wants A-Rod type money and after Tex gets a huge contract this offseason, Howard will want more. So I don’t see the Phils signing him longterm. But the Phillies will go to arbitration with him and Howard will be a Phillie for at least the next two years.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:41:20 +0000

I agree. I guess it all comes down to how you define “a ton”. Would you rather have Texiera at $20m over 5 years or Howard at an average of about the same over the next 5 years (2 years arb + 3 years of front end of long term deal? I’ll take Tex.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:38:26 +0000

At $15 million, he’s no longer worth ‘a ton’. If you wanted to spend 20-24 million, you could get Teixeira without giving up anything.
I’m not trying to say that Howard doesn’t have any value, he just doesn’t have as much value as a star player making less than a million dollars, like Lincecum.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:33:53 +0000

Why do you ask Georgie? Do you like them, too? And griffin, if Howard makes a $15 this year I think he’s still worth a ton in a trade.

By: griffin

griffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:28:06 +0000

When evaluating a trade, you must consider salary. Ryan Howard making the league minimum two years was worth a ton in a trade, Ryan Howard making 12 million and two years away from free agency isn’t worth as much.

He’s a great power hitter, but no GM would take him over Tim Lincecum (and his salary) given that Lincecum is years away from free agency.

By: Georgie

Georgie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:24:34 +0000

Dipsy, are you a Teletubby fan?

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:22:24 +0000

Howard will be traded. Probably after next year. He’s gonna want A-ROD money and he’ll get it. But not from the Phillies. How valuable is a man who drives in 150 runs a year, strikes out 175 times a year, and lets in 75-100 runs with his horrendous play at first base? The man just drops routine throws that are right in his eyes for no reason. How do you value this type of player. If you could do a +/- for Howard, I think that his number would be surprisingly low.

By: Georgie

Georgie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:19:55 +0000

Whoa, Nellie, that lineup does not impress me, and why do the Phillies need to keep their payroll at 103M(umpbump article)? Although I have to admit, and I feel somewhat guilty saying this, I am torn about Howard. I go back and forth all the time with him, love to see a better defensive 1st baseman, but can he improve his defense? Hate the K’s but when he gets in his groove and starts nailing them out of the park, there’s nothing more exciting.