Comments on: Jayson Werth Signs 2Y/$10M Deal

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:07:30 +0000

I’m pretty sure that Howard was the first player in like 30 years to lead his league in HRs and RBIs at the All-Star break, and not be named to the All-Star team??

Utley would be probably 4th on my list of Phillies deserving the MVP last year.. maybe lower.

Lidge, Howard, Hamels, Moyer…then probably Utley…

In the month of September, Utley had 17 RBIs, Howard had 32
Utley’s batting average dropped by a point, Howard’s rose by 17.

Of course there is the arguement that Howard’s average should have been higher all along, but the fact of the matter is that he carried this team on his back.. got us into the playoffs, and the rest is history

By: shag beta sigma delta

shag beta sigma delta — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:15:52 +0000

Ok so I live in Vermont and I just bought season tickets, and I want to see howard on the team for the next two years he has left in arb. Both sides knew he was going to arb. that is why he ask for what he did and the phillies offered what they did. I don’t think he is going to be all pisses if he loses and only makes 14 mil. I thought we all knew he would go year to year until his arb is over then when that time comes you either deal him that year or just let him go. I was never one to agree with the idea that you have to get something for a guy who wants to leave. Be happy the big guy will be here at least two more years and that gives you two years to find a replacement from inside the organization. If the phillies keep their starting pitching and bullpen in tact and they progress like we all hope they will, you can lose some offensive punch after two years. I like Ryan and think he is great for the phillies why all the bitching about what he is asking that is the business side of the game. The guy is going to be a stud for the next two years put up great power numbers and yes strike out a bunch of times, but ever think of the double plays he dosn’t hit into when he strikes out, I know that seems like a lame statement, but think about it and even when he strikes out a lot the if uttly is batting third do you think teams really want to walk him to get to Howard, no they don’t so he will get more pitches to hit. If we keep the core team together whether howard gets 14 or 18 mil. I think this team dosn’t really care what he is getting paid they seem all to get along.
And on JRol calling out the fans, I lived in Philly for most of my life before I moved back to VT and what he said was the truth we philly fans are very fickle and remember we even booed Mike Schmidt, arguably one of the best 3rd basemen of all time. So get off his back he is a competitor and a cornerstone of this team. So why not enjoy being world champions and let these things play out and love the big guy or not, in the big picture he helps this team win games, you want a superstar power hitter you take the strikeouts that is what power hitters do. I will see you all opening day and hope we can all just get along.
One more thing I will be at the sat. before opening day game with the Rays and I want to hear a standing ovation for pat the bat. Never a huge fan of the guy but he did help us win a world series and played well above average for the Phillies and always played hard and we need to show appreciation for his service to this team and to the city.

By: Manny

Manny — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:19:19 +0000

Well said, NJ. Howard wasn’t even a serious MVP contender up to September, when he had this fantastic 1-month… but that’s it… the rest of the season was generally one big slump. We were lucky that Pat the Bat was hot when Howard wasn’t.

Our MVP in 2008 –and in 2007– is Chase Utley. No questions asked.

By: NJ

NJ — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:32:44 +0000

Wow Geoff your getting the Bush treatment tonight.

In fairness Howard didn’t have an MVP year, he had one month where he tore the cover off the ball. Once the Phils were considered to be for real he was the glamour vote, a good year would have seen him produce insane numbers and not fall flat in so many catagories.He has to show a hell of a lot more to be deserving of get paid witht he very top. There’s a system to how players get paid and Howard camp doesn’t like that, they want his money now and will hike up the premium every time his status salary isn’t to their liking.

By: christopher

christopher — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:22:12 +0000

geoff loves to make up the most ridiculous shit. don’t pay him any mind.

By: Griffin

Griffin — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:08:02 +0000

I have no prob with Howard asking for whatever he wants. He helped his team win a WS and he will be a productive DH for an AL team in a few years. I’ll always remember him for the first half of his career, when he was a Phillie, rather than the latter part of his career, when he was an aging, declining DH.
I’ll never love Howard as much as I love Utley or Rollins (b/c I know that Howard is going to leave the Phils soon) but I’ll never ever boo Howard as well.

By: Kevv

Kevv — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:07:17 +0000

Geoff, last time i checked, you weren’t running the team, how do you get him off as being arrogant? If you put up 5 MVP caliber year, why would you not believe you should get a significant raise? And do you actually believe he goes in to Amaro’s office and says, i want 18 Mil. No, he has his agent, and whatever other people he consults, and they look up salaries of other people whom he puts up better numbers than, and they they generate a number. Also, you go take your nice young prospects and pray and hope they turn out to be half the caliber of Howard, and maybe you could be successful, give me a break, you watch him on tv or at the park play baseball, you dont deal with him in the clubhouse and what not, you dont know what his personality is like, nor does it matter, as long as he keeps putting up the MVP numbers.

Also, he can’t be that “arrogant d-bag” in clubhouse, or you would hear about it, plus, rollins, manuel, myers would put a halt to that.

By: Don M

Don M — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:00:18 +0000

If you are talking about the PaddyWhack’s situation, where he “didn’t tip the bartender’s” …. their General Manager came out with a statement right after that story broke

“Mr. Howard was at our establishment as a guest of another patron that was having a scheduled Happy Hour party,” says the bar’s GM Ryan Kilkenny. “The bill of this party was not the responsibility of Mr. Howard. The bill was settled in full and a tip was left,”

Are you ok with him still being on the team Geoff?

By: Georgie

Georgie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:57:11 +0000

Geoff, where did you get that info about Ryan not tipping at the bar? Were you there, did you witness that personally? Because if not, that is just spreading rumors, which is BS.

By: Georgie

Georgie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:54:01 +0000

Don, I was going to bring that up but I don’t live in Philly so didn’t want to cast stones when I wasn’t sure. I don’t think Utley has ever gotten booed in Philly, but yet he sucked just as bad at times, and I’ve heard that McNabb has been called some nasty things, so maybe it is a race issue, but I just don’t want to believe that.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:47:12 +0000

Um no it wouldnt and im not going to stop at all in any way. Ryan Howard makes 10M and wouldnt even tip the bar that was giving him free drinks all night…only a complete and utter arrogrant d-bag would do that, such that i dont want him on my team….ill take some nice young prospects and be gone with him…better for the future of this franchise to ensure new generations of world champions..

By: Kevv

Kevv — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:39:37 +0000

Okay fellas, first comment, but ive been on this site since the trade deadline of last year. Good signings so far, and i commend Mr. Amaro for all his work, after taking some scrutiny about the Burrell situation and Ibanez(Whom i believe will be a big offensive upgrade over burrell). But in regards to Ryan Howard, they should man up, and sign him to a long term contract. I don’t care what they give him, i dont care what they give him in regards to other top sluggers in the game, it doesn’t matter as long as he is happy, and they keep the core of the team intact through many of the players primes. A lot of people say, blah blah ” i dont want him makin 20 mil, he strikes out too much, he goes in slumps” blah blah, well people that what “sluggers” do, they strikeout a lot, and they also give you about 40+ homers, and 120+ rbis, garunteed each and every year through the prime of their career. The money isn’t coming out of you pockets, who cares, they put the product on the field, and if they sign him to a multi year deal, it would be a damn good, championship contending team for the next 3,4+ years.

Without Ryan Howard, the phillies do not come close to winning the NL East Title, and do not go on to win the World Series, pay the man what he earned, come on, ROY, MVP and the top 3 in the MVP selections since then. So please stop saying they need to trade this guy, blah blah, no, they really don’t need to trade him, if would be awfully terrible mistake to do that.

Thank you

By: Don M

Don M — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:38:21 +0000

Rollins said something along the lines of Ryan can hit a home run, but then if he strikes out in his next at-bat, he gets booed… which was and is true.

To say that Rollins and Howard will get booed, and Hamels and Utley won’t shows just how racist this city still is.. which I won’t deny.. I live in the Northeast, which is probably 75% white, and I hear the N-word on a regular basis… but that is a whole seperate issue.

How is Howard “holding the city hostage”….. The Phillies chose to hold him in the minors, which in turn has probably cost him MILLIONS of dollars on a multi-year contract… He could have signed a similar deal to Utley, but thought he’d make more going year to year.. Why are people taking this personally?

By: Georgie

Georgie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:31:46 +0000

If I remember correctly, Ryan didn’t call us out , it was Jimmy who did all the talking on that show. Ryan just kind of smiled and shook his head, never said anything about the fans. Honestly, I just don’t get some of you, these guys just won the WS, quit busting their balls for stuff that happened last year.

Oh, and I don’t think anyone is worth that kind of cash, athletes, musicians, actors, none of them , but it is what it is, and short of boycotting games, concerts, movies, there’s nothing we can do about it.

By: Richie

Richie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:23:43 +0000

I don’t personally sit there and boo its not me, but I know the boo-birds will be holding court on his season given how this process is going for the second year in a row.

By: R. Howard

R. Howard — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:23:34 +0000

All I know is, I wish I could basically only show up for 1 month of work and say ask, and seriously believe, that I should be paid $18 million.
Oh wait, that’s what I’m doing, haha

Go Phils!!

By: Richie

Richie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:13:24 +0000

To be honest with you Don, I think a lot of the hostility towards Howard has to do with the fact that he and Rollins called us out last year. They want a pass when they aren’t playing well and not get booed. Well, to be honest I think Utley and Hamels will get that pass, where Howard won’t and I think it has to do with the fact that he is holding the city hostage when he was offered a “very, very” reasonable salary. Rightfully so, and thats why I say you made your bed now sleep in it. You wanna be the big shot and demand A-rod money fine, but don’t think we are gonna support you if you can’t produce. Right or wrong?

By: Bonezy

Bonezy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:49:04 +0000

If he would just make contact half of the times he struck out his RBI’s would be at least 40-50 more per year. Then I would agree giving him all the money in the world. Oh and if he got a clue how to play the field then he would be fine as well.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:44:27 +0000

Right, but thats also why howard is out of line. Should other taems have to pay oliver perez more money because carlos silva stole 11m a year from seattle? NO…liekwise, the phillies should not validate comparisons to A-Rods contract. If they continue to press the phillies on this and they are forced to go to arb AGAIN like it appears, I think its ok for Ruben to wash his hands of the situtaion and trade the player.

By: Don M

Don M — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:42:58 +0000

That is why there is arbitration, so that players who aren’t yet Free Agents can be compensated and paid fairly.. I don’t think that Howard will win the $18 M, I think he’ll WIN $14 M instead when the case goes to the Phillies.

I think it takes some balls to ask for that much money when you hit .250 and strikeout 200 times a season, and league the league in errors at your position… But if you also lead the league in HRs and RBIs, and carry your team when the games matter most.. ask for whatever you want.. and if you get it, i’ll be shocked… but I won’t be mad

The player I thought would be good would be a James Loney.. somebody that hits for a nice average and can drive in runs. Well we added Raul Ibanez who does those things from a position we needed fill anyway, and people didn’t seem to like that move.. Its the realization that people on here will NEVER be satisfied, and will always find something to bitch about. I want to see Howard in Phillies pinstripes until it just doesn’t make sense to keep him any more… which to me, would be right before you lose him as a Free Agent.. until then, he’ll get paid what he deserves thanks to the arbitration process