[Phils20]

Phillies: Ryan Howard on getting back into the swing of things -- 2/28


He says his new phrase for the year is, "work in progress". Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I have a feeling that is one phrase he heard during the hearing that stuck with him.

Or just I just say got him hacked off!!!

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, I bet your right, Phils. Whatever gets the big guy motivated, though, eh?

[Phils20]

I hope so! They said the only thing that kept that ball from bouncing over the highway was hitting the swamp!

I just hope they find a way to sign him, and get this contract done.

The Phillies have this idea that they can do this contract deal for 3 more tries. I think they will burn this relationship to a cinder by then!

[njpsufan]

My point exactly. He has 3 more years of arbitration.... let's see how his numbers look over the next two years. If the K's continue to climb, the average does not come up and his power numbers drop.. why would you sign a 31 yr old with declining numbers to a long term deal?? We could trade him to any number of teams for several players. Would I prefer to see the PHils sign him now.... of course I would. But the guy has 2 1/2 yrs of playing time. I am not yet ready to crown him king of Philly yet.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by njpsufan

My point exactly. He has 3 more years of arbitration.... let's see how his numbers look over the next two years. If the K's continue to climb, the average does not come up and his power numbers drop.. why would you sign a 31 yr old with declining numbers to a long term deal?? We could trade him to any number of teams for several players. Would I prefer to see the PHils sign him now.... of course I would. But the guy has 2 1/2 yrs of playing time. I am not yet ready to crown him king of Philly yet.

I'm not ready to crown him King, but I'm not ready to lose him and have those homers hit for another team.

Just pay him It's not my money, and who do we have to replace him???

Just another slight of a player by the Wal Mart Phillies.

If they let him walk, so do I. At the end of this year, they need to sign him, if not before. It's really going top cost them now. I think the rolled the dice and lost at the hearing, and now that the meeting didn't go thier way, they need to just pay him. His contract demands will be 15-20 million next time, and if he has a season like last year, he will get it, strikeouts or not.

Sad but true.

[njpsufan]

At the end of this year you have Burrell's contract up. That will free up money to give to Howard...if he shows signs of turning it around. To me this is the big year for him. If he K's 200+ times and hits below .290 then I say let's look to trade him to the Yanks. I don't care if he hits 60 HR... he is on the cusp of turning into this generation's Dave Kingman. He needs to stop trying to pull everything and go the opposite way more.. and not just for HRs. He has the make up to be a truly great player, and playing on a team with Rollins and Utley he does not have to be the "go to guy". Stay healthy, drive in runs and hit for a good avg while putting the ball in play and not striking out so much. If he wants to get paid like Pujols then take a page out of his book and play like him.

[Phils20]

A good point. I think he will turn it around this year, not that there is much to turn around. His fielding isn't great, but it may never be.

He needs to cut those K's down by about 35-40, which is a big task. But I thnk he can do it.

[njpsufan]

I don't know. Howards K's have gone up each year, where a guy like Pujols has only had more then 70 K's once in his life... his rookie year. Granted they have two different swings but Howard has got to get that total down from near 200 to under 125 in my book. Thats 75 more times he puts the ball in play. That and bring his avg up to at least .285. Again he is never going to be a Triple Crown guy like Pujols, but .285 with a .600 slg ,45-50 HR, 120RBI and only 125K's. Those number will put him in MVP territory every year, and more important, put the Phils in the playoffs.