Howard Wants $18 Million; Blanton, Victorino Avoid Arbitration
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Howard Wants $18 Million; Blanton, Victorino Avoid Arbitration
Todd Zolecki
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.
Comments (91)
take him through all of his arbitration years then trade him that last summer before he is a free agent. This guy and his family are pure greed. I hope you all agree.— gulls3012- Are you people stupid? The guy hit 20% more Hrs and had 20% more RBIs than anyone else in baseball. Who the hell cares what the Phillies pay him? You guys & gals think you know what he should be paid? Whatever you guys are getting paid (assuming you work) is too much - especially if your job requires you to think...which I doubt. What a collection of jealous ignorant nitwits you all are.— KarlMarx
- These people are stupid. They loved the WS win, but don't want to pay the price. Sounds like Phils ownership. Howard is a prolific player who has done nothing but put up the best power #'s over the past 3 seasons. This is the price the Phils should pay for not getting a deal done earlier. They love to reap the rewards, but they don't want to pay the price.— jonnyb0916
- Aside from question of 14 million vs. 18 million......Is anyone else out there who is working his/her tail off for a 5 figure salary SICK AND TIRED of these escalating salaries?--------------Problem is, there is nothing in place to stop this nonsense. And even if you could level off or decrease the salaries for players, that just means the owners will get richer (and they don't even have to slide or anything). You could say "stop buying the overpriced tickets" and owners will be forced to cut back salaries, but that isn't going to happen (someone will aways buy the tickets). SOLUTION: Let's form a FAN UNION to compete with the PLAYERS UNION and OWNERS. Imagine that....a united group, under centraluzed leadership, with one voice to finally look out for our interests. Tell them: Reduce the ticket prices or the fan union will strike (no one buys the tickets). I say...let me pay HALF of what I am paying right now for my ticket and let Howard's arbitration be for 7 to 9 million instead...— Fo Fo Fo
- pay him and move on. if texieira makes 22.5 ryan is worth at least 18.— snakeplissken
- This is what the Phils should pay for not getting a long term deal done sooner. They are cheap and now that they have a WS, they are only gonna get cheaper. I hope he has an even better year in '09 so he can go back to arbitration and win again.— jonnyb0916
- $18 million?????? Give me a break!!!!— Norma
Comment removed.- Compare Howard's #'s- 2007 v. 2008- his RBI's are up, his strikeouts are the same but his average, on base, walks slugging pct. and OPS are down. I don't think that production merits an 80% raise. Having said that, we are the defending champs, we're making a run to repeat and I see us as having a two year window- unless someone overwhelms us with a trade that helps us today, Howard has to stay.— KMG
- I thought the arbitrators ruled right last year, but there is no way he gets $18 million in his second year of arbitration. If he can focus and hit .290 with a .400 OBP again, he might be able to get $18 million in arbitration next year.— jtj06
- This is a team game and no one player is above the team. They won the World Series without him ever showing up - yeah, great two home runs in WS game #4 which was a blowout. True, he came up big in the regular season - at times - but then he piled up lots of strikeouts and the batting average was abysmal. Furthermore, his defense has not improved. Sign him for whatever this year and then trade him away. He doesn't like the negative attention in Philly? Just wait until he starts striking out with a huge contract in a place like New York.— aspatton
- He is going after market value for someone putting up his #s, dont take it so personally. His strikeouts drive me nuts too but guys this guy has put up offensive #s that no one in baseball has ever put up their first 4 years in the league. Its tough bc he is going to cost a ton but you cant say hes not worth the money. The past few years his #s have been monsterous and he's hit hot streaks to put us into the playoffs both years we went. I understand the arguements but look at guys who are making 12M per year and they are not even in his ballpark for #s.— philsfan in the atx
- If Mark Teixeira is worth an average annual salary of $22.5 million, then Ryan Howard is worth $18 million. This team is nowhere w/o his RBIs, and his presence in the line-up which causes all sorts of paranoia in opposing pitchers. If J-Roll had had his usual year, Ryan would have had maybe 165 or 170 rbis.— FrankGruber
- Strike Out King!— MIKE IN NY
- The problem isn't how to replace him. Move Utley to First and put Donald at second. The problem is who can afford him and can offer us anything in return. Boston and NYY don't need him. Can't give him to the Mutts (that's stupid)Perhaps the Dodgers, but what do they have we want? Personally, I'd Manny him. Pay him now and next year and then watch him go FA and have no one offer him a contract. It's amazing that he is the best player on the team (NO arguments there) but unlike Michael Jack, or even ROse who were paid huge salaries (for their time) the fans HATE him. What bad advice this young man has received. He could make $15 a year for the next 10 years and be secure and loved like Phillie greats, instead of chasing an extra penny and ending up being hated like LIndros— jeff gross
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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