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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Howard Wants $18 Million; Blanton, Victorino Avoid Arbitration
Busy day for the Phillies.

First, they exchanged salary arbitration numbers with players still eligible for arbitration. Ryan Howard has asked for $18 million, while the Phillies have offered $14 million. The Associated Press also reports that it is the third-highest figure submitted since the process began in 1974. Houston's Roger Clemens requested $22 million in 2005. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter requested $18.5 million in 2001.

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The Phillies avoided salary arbitration with righthander Joe Blanton, who agreed to a one-year, $5.475 million contract. The Phillies also agreed on a one-year, $3.125 million contract with centerfielder Shane Victorino. That leaves Howard, Jayson Werth and Chad Durbin as the only players still eligible for salary arbitration.
Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 4:45 PM  Permalink | 92 comments
92
Comments   
Posted 04:55 PM, 01/20/2009
Deb in Dixie
Sorry Ryno, you just ain't worth 18 million. He made 10 last year, so 4 million is almost a 50% raise. He wants another 8, and that is like a 75% raise. And that is just plain crazy. It will be interesting to see where this goes.
Posted 04:57 PM, 01/20/2009
ktdb05
I think Howard will lose this year. A $4 million raise seems pretty just to me, even with leading the league in HR and RBI's.
Posted 05:02 PM, 01/20/2009
argandny
don't forget leading the league in K's..The guy barely showed up in the post season...
Posted 05:03 PM, 01/20/2009
RollinsWasRight
See what happens? The arbitrators were wrong to grant him such a ridiculous sum in his first year, and now he's gotten just plain greedy. No thanks. Trade him now.
Posted 05:03 PM, 01/20/2009
RollinsWasRight
See what happens? The arbitrators were wrong to grant him such a ridiculous sum in his first year, and now he's gotten just plain greedy. No thanks. Trade him now.
Posted 05:05 PM, 01/20/2009
Lemur
Just like last year I feel like the Phils would win if they offered a little bit more but since they didn't I think Ryan will win again
Posted 05:07 PM, 01/20/2009
thesoothseer
It's pretty hard to ask for a 75% raise when most Americans are trying to hang onto their jobs. Good luck with that big boy
Posted 05:09 PM, 01/20/2009
Deb in Dixie
Define win? It is only a win for either side if they get what they want. Seems to me the arbitrator has the right to name any prices between 14-18 million. My guess is he will get somewhere between 15.6-16.5. I still think that is crazy. Let's say they recognized in last year's award what a special player Ryan had been for the first few years. Ok, fine. But now it is a case of, what have you done for me lately. You'r past accomplishments are just that, past. What did you do last year? Lead the league in RBIs and HRs. Sure, get a raise for that. But how many K's? How many fielding errors and how many of those lead to runs? I think 14 is very reasonable but I doubt he won't get at least something from the arbitrator (who usually seem to be pro-player in these things) so i perdict 15.5 to 16.
Posted 05:12 PM, 01/20/2009
mikemaddog
Uh, 4 is a 40% raise and 8 is uh, wait a second, an 80% raise.
Comment removed.
Posted 05:13 PM, 01/20/2009
RollinsWasRight
Trade, trade, trade Ryan Howard...before he kills his own trade value anymore. Not only are they risking having to pay him more than he is worth, but every strikeout, every stranded baserunner, every ball thrown into shallow left field, every ground ball off the heel of his glove, every day closer to free agency, every April, May and June that he is completely invisible at the plate, and every ridiculous arbitration demand hurts his value more and more. Not to mention, they just won a World Series largely without him, while the opposition consistently pitched around Utley to get to Howard. The guy is not irreplacable; and he ain't worth $18M. What's he going to ask for next year? $27 million? Take a hike, big guy. I'd give Hamels $18M before I'd give you the $14M the Phils offered you. He has already proved he is far more important to the success of this team. Trade Howard, sign Dunn for the 4 years, $56M he wants. Same player, just on clearance.
Posted 05:15 PM, 01/20/2009
zdog
It's such a hard call though. Howard has proven that when he's 'on', he has the ability to put this team on his back and carry them-problem is, he went such a long stretch last year where he was 'off'. In fact, I'd say one of the underlying story lines from the championship season is that the Phils did it, without a ton of input from Howard, certainly not enough for a 80% jump in pay.
Posted 05:16 PM, 01/20/2009
dmeloche1
Deb, the arbitration panel chooses whichever offer it feels is more appropriate. Consequently, Howard will receive either $14M or $18M unless Howard and the Phils agree to a deal, which is obviously unlikely.
Posted 05:16 PM, 01/20/2009
Vituperator
Wrong Deb, the arbitrator must select one side's number or the other. This is why so many of these cases settle somewhere in the middle.
Posted 05:17 PM, 01/20/2009
RollinsWasRight
Deb - the arbitrators have to pick one side or the other. They cannot negoatiate a "happy medium".
About Andy Martino
Andy Martino is in his first season on the Phillies beat. A former New York City public school teacher and graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he previously wrote for the New York Daily News, where he covered baseball and worked with the award-winning investigative sports "I-team."
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