The Philly Phanatics

I cannot believe I am actually writing about this. This preaches to incompetence and not learning from prior mistakes.

Why the hell haven't the Phillies signed Ryan Howard yet? Could someone please tell me. It's driving me insane. Ryan Howard has insane career numbers (albeit in a short career thusfar), and probably should set aside a room in his house for the awards he will receive in the future.

Oops, there's problem with the sentence I just wrote. He should set aside his entire house to the awards he will win, because one room is too small...just like his current and previous contracts and his current house.

The Phillies have lowballed their superstar first baseman at every turn in his career. And that is just plain crazy. Trust me, I'm a business major so I know that the Phillies are cutting expenses to increase profits and giving Howard contracts that border between stingy/inexpensive and absurd because Howard cannot go anywhere else. But I also know enough about business that I can tell you that disgruntled employees make for terrible employees and often are the competition. (See Schilling, Curt; Rolen, Scott; and Owens, Terrell)

Howard wins the Rookie of the Year Award in 2005 despite playing only 88 games in the majors while pounding 22 home runs and 62 RBIs. His reward from the Phillies, a contract for $450,000 the next season. Yeah. That makes perfect sense. Posts a career that David Bell could sniff in a few years here and gets 1/10th as much money.

Most Valuable Player Award in the NL in 2006. He hits a legue-leading 58 home runs, most of which flew so far they probably had flight attendants on them and had in-flight movies. The boy's baseballs flew out of Philadelphia more than Southwest Airlines. Led the league with 149 RBIs. Earns a Silver Slugger Award. His reward: 1 year, $900,000.

The Phillies have the best 3/4 of an infield in baseball (let's not talk about 3rd base...and, yes, I'd love to debate that with anyone from the Big Apple who is delusional enough to believe that either of their teams have a better infield than the one in Philly). The Phillies have been building a team around Utley (7 yrs./$85 million) and Rollins (5 yrs./$40 and a 2011 club option for $11.5 million). What about Howard? Howard is getting low-balled again with a $7 million/yr. offer. This is the best first baseman in baseball (don't give me Prince Fielder...Ryan is the King) and the Phillies have failed to lock him up for the rest of his career.

Schilling and Rolen left this town disappointed in management's lack of commitment to winning and signing premier talent to make this team competitive. Now, they have the talent on their roster, but they are trying to run yet another superstar out of this town.

Howard should get a contract along the lines of what Utley has already received. Imagine Rollins, Utley, Howard and Hamels on this team for years to come. That is the cornerstone of a potential contender every season for years.

I sincerely hope that Howard isn't pounding balls out of that little bandbox in South Philly in a Mets jersey in a couple of years. Management has to seize this opportunity now. Preferably before Howard goes to arbitration.

Until then, I guess management is content to piss on and try to piss off Howard and run him out of town.


Side Notes while writing this:
First, isn't it funny that Rolen and Schilling both have World Series rings since demanding an exit from Philadelphia - Rolen in '05 with St. Louis, and Schilling with the D-Backs in '98 and again with the BoSox in '04.

Second, with all of the publicity surrounding Howard's contract situation, when are people going to wake to the fact that Cole Hamels is in the same situation. Hamels needs a new contract befitting his recent dominance almost as badly as Howard does. He's worth far more than the $400,000 he was paid last season.