Is Werth ready for a leading role?
Thought I'd pass this along...
Is Werth ready for a leading role?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Thought I'd pass this along...
Dave Sheinin has a story in today's Washington Post about Jayson Werth's departure from Philadelphia.
The mourning period in Philadelphia over the loss of Jayson Werth lasted exactly nine days. On December 5, the 31-year-old slugger signed with the Washington Nationals, ending a productive four-year run for the Phillies that coincided precisely with the franchise's four straight division titles. Then, on December 14, the grieving over Werth's departure ended with the arrival of this bit of news:
The Phillies took the money Werth turned down, added a lot more money, and pried ace left-hander Cliff Lee out of the hands of the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, at a price of $120 million over five years - a development that stunned baseball and made every Phillies fan from Conshohocken to Runnemede a whole lot less nostalgic for the lanky, graceful, wild-bearded right fielder who had gone away.
"Getting Cliff," Phillies closer Brad Lidge said this week, "kind of made everybody forget about losing Werth."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/19/AR2011021904162.html
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
I personally do not think Werth will succeed in DC because he doesn't have the lineup surrounding him that he did in Philly and therefore will be exposed— hrlevine- I can't disagree with these failure comments any more. Jayson Werth will succeed, just maybe not $126 million "worth". He is an extremely talented player both offensively and defensively! Was he worth that kind of money? No. Was Alfonso Soriano worth #135 million? No.
However, Soriano didn't fail in Chicago, but wasn't worth that kind of money.— drhoffman - I personally do not think Werth will succeed in DC because he doesn't have the lineup surrounding him that he did in Philly and therefore will be exposed— hrlevine
- Agreed. Not to mention, they can just walk him as much as they want. Still don't think he's an upgrade over Adam Dunn for that team. And they won't be good for a few years still, when he'll likely compare to Rowand on the Giants last season.
- The article pretty much attributes to Jason, or strongly implies, the idea that he was miffed that the Phillies didn't want to spend the same amount for him that they spent for Cliff Lee. That's a false equivalency, in my opinion, but if that's the question, I think just about every team would make the same decision the Phillies did. Werth was a very good part of the mix in Philly, but just as he complemented the other players here, I doubt DC has the other players to complement him there. That's sometimes the choice free agents make.— ijj
- Don't cry for Werth. He found someone idiotic enough to pay him more money than he deserves. By July 2012, the Nationals (who will be no better than they ever are) will realize "what the hell are we doing paying him all this money?" and pawn him off on a playoff-bound team, most likely the Yankees or Red Sox. Good for Werth, but nobody should feel bad for him that he will be saddled playing for the lowly Nats.— jman
- Werth is crying all the way to the bank (not CBP); don't feel bad for him - his choice - our gain (CL).— M60tanker
- I have NOTHING of a negative nature to say about Werth-it. I wish he was still here, playing right field and hitting fifth. But he isn't...he took the gigantic pot of money offered by Washington, same as ANY sane person would! I wish him nothing but great success...except when he plays us of course(!) Our offense WILL suffer somewhat without him....but will be made up partly by whoever goes out there. I don't know what Charley's gonna do about the lineup, but with our starting pitching, THAT won't be a huge problem. Granted, it would have been a little bigger problem without The General coming back, but that's life in the Big Leagues. I find myself staring at the calendar, and counting down the days till we start the season...can't wait! GO FIGHTINS!!!— TBear
- no offense but, who cares? how about we focus on current Phillies players— NovaNation1024
- Nats will find out that jason is not werth it.— NewMick314
- Does everybody forget how (pardon the pun) worthless he was in the clutch? .139 BA/RISP(2 out) -- worth nine figures? Please.— ejc527
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- unfortunate, the story originated in the Wash Post. Nobody cares about Werth and haven't since Lee was signed. Seems like you have to always be debbie downer, even when totally wrong.— mike l
- I wish Werth the best but I bet his #s will be a down a bit this year...He helped us win a world series and at his age, I probably would have taken the money as well and hope I get traded to a contender by Washington within 2 years. I wish him the best of luck..— briman
