The gap between the Phillies and slugger Ryan Howard is bigger this year than it was last year, when the two sides took their $3 million difference into the court room. There, Howard was awarded a record $10 million. This year, he is seeking $18 million, which would make him among the game's highest paid players.
The request is a monster. Not only is it the third-highest arbitration request ever (behind Roger Clemens' $22 million in 2005 and Derek Jeter's $18.5 million in 2001), it would make him among the highest-paid players in the game - at least in terms of 2009 salary - period.
An interesting note: Jeter was represented in 2001 by Casey Close, who is also Howard's agent.
If Howard wins, he will earn the second-largest annual salary amongst major league first baseman, behind only the Yankees Mark Teixeira, whose average annual salary is $22.5 million. Howard would earn more annually than Albert Pujols ($14.285).
The Phillies are offering $14 million. There is little optimism at this point within the club that it will be able to avoid another arbitration hearing with Howard.
According to the Associated Press' salary database, only five players earned more than $18 million last season: Alex Rodriguez ($28 million), Jason Giambi ($23.4 million), Derek Jeter ($18.929 million) and Carlos Beltran ($18.62 million).
Ten players currently have contracts whose average annual value is $18 million or greater:
Alex Rodriguez, NYY 2008-17 $27,500,000
CC Sabathia, NYY 2009-15 $23,000,000
Johan Santana, NYM 2008-13 $22,916,667
Miguel Cabrera, Det 2008-15 $19,037,500
Derek Jeter, NYY 2001-10 $18,900,000
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs 2008-12 $18,300,000
Andruw Jones, LAD 2008-09 $18,100,000
Vernon Wells, Tor 2008-14 $18,000,000
Barry Zito, SF 2007-13 $18,000,000
Ichiro Suzuki, Sea 2008-12 $18,000,000
Torri Hunter, LAA 2008012 $18,000,000
UPDATED: After doing some research, I've added Torri Hunter to the list, who signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Angels last offseason. Not sure why he wasn't on the AP list.
Source: Associated Press
^
More arbitration fun:
Joe Blanton is in the fold at one year and $5.475 million.
That means, besides Howard, only two arbitration-eligible Phillies remain unsigned: right fielder Jayson Werth and righthander Chad Durbin.
Durbin should be a relatively low-maintenance process, and the Phillies don't seem too concerned that Werth's contract will drag out.
Posted by David Murphy @ 5:16 PM
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51 comments
I rest my case.
Hmmm.....very tough. IF they aren't going to sign him, then a trade for prospects is a must...and I'm not talking baout the Travis Lee and Nelson Figueroa type either.
Based on that list he desreves $18M. (I can't believe I said that)! Maybe the Phils win arb. this year
Give it to him!
earn that much more than Pujols? I don't think so.
Ha! Learn how to field first and then we'll talk about 18 mil.
That's too much. He bats like .220.
The list speaks volumes. He deserves to be that range when you look at who is on there.
If you are going to base this on the list how about also factoring in Cole Hames THREE YEARS $20 MILLION..
Howard 1 year $18 Million / Cole Hamels 3 years 20 million..
$18 is too high and he will lose this year.....
Considering who's on that list $18 million is fine. They need to consider him already on a deal that will run through his arbitration years and top out at $24 million, if he continues to put up his monster numbers. Then he'll be, what, 32 years old and headed for the American League to take David Ortiz' spot. It's too bad, but it beats signing him to the long-term deal he'd command if he were actually a free agent today.
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Phils offer of $14 mil is more than fair. Then trade him right after the ink has dried. This guy is insane to even ask for $18 million! inquisitor, your point on this would be most of these guys actually are over the hill or grossly overpiad, what makes you think Howard won't be right there after he gets his money. He is no young stud and has the body of an elephant. Don't forget the record number of k's this guy has had! I'd rather have Pujols at $14 mil.
Save the big money for the pitchers
I thought it would end up at $15 mil. After looking at this list, the first thing you have to do is throw out all the Yankees and Mets. They skew the payroll curve unrealistically because, well they are the Yankees and the Mets. Who's that leave? Cabrera, Det $19,037,500
Zambrano, Cubs 2008-12 $18,300,000, Andruw Jones, LAD 2008-09 $18,100,000, Vernon Wells, Tor 2008-14 $18,000,000, Barry Zito, SF 2007-13 $18,000,000, Ichiro Suzuki, Sea 2008-12 $18,000,000 - Nobody on this list is work the money. If you follow baseball even a little more than the average fan, you know that the only person really worth the money on this list is Suziki and that because of the money he generates out of Japan for MLB and Seattle.
$12 to $15 seems about right, based on market conditions, but noone should make more than Albert Pujols.
I'd like to see the Phillies lock him up for 4 or 5 years, but I think Howard wants more years than that and he will want an annual salary well above $20M. He's really playing Russian Roulette by not signing long-term and going to arbitration every year. He may get his $18M this year, but if he gets seriously injured or has another year in which his BA and OBP decline, he could be in big trouble. If I were him, I would take the guaranteed money at this point.
Look at the list, and then pay Ryan Howard. He's THE most productive hitter in baseball and the Philliess gypped him out of two years by keeping him in the minors too long.
None of the players on this list matter one bit for the arbiter. In the hearing, they are NOT ALLOWED to bring up any players other than those with similiar service time and those salaries. Howard completely eclipses this.
18 million dollars? is that, along with other things, the reason why in a recession the phils have raised their season ticket prices? its getting harder to be able to afford these games
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I have no problem paying him. He always plays well in Sept. and puts up monster RBI's, and hits well with RISP.
Nice probelm to have. So many good ballplayers. How do you fit them into your budget? Howard is worth the money. He's one of the best power hitters of alltime. However how can you pay someone that kind of money in these economic times? I guess they don't have these problems in Pittsburgh.Lets face it we were cursed by having someone this prolific at hitting homeruns and driving in runs at a histortic pace right from the start.
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Totaly ridiculous. No one on this list and no one in the world is worth that kind of money to play a game.
If I can equal his strike outs but not his HR/RBI totals; can I please have 9 million?
Ryan Howard is a reason to go out to the ballpark. He's a reason to buy a jersey. He's a reason to turn on the TV. Is he worth $18 million? I don't think all the numbers are really public, but I'd be surprised if he weren't. He also happens to be a terrific player who's only going to get better (in my opinion). But that's really beside the point. Even Cole Hamels, who proved a lot last season, can only get people to pay attention once every five games.
I'd rather have Pujols too. The only probelm is we don't have him. We have Ryan Howard. He hits homeruns. He drives in runs. He strikes out alot. He's going to be grossly overpayed. Welcome to the world of Major league baseball. What a probelm to have. He's one of the best players in the game.It's a sin he's asking to be paid like it.
I would rather have Mark Teixeira for 4 mil more. I would rather have a first baseman who can field.
Bobwhiskeybreath, obviously you are trying to be funny with your first comment, so whatever. In regards to your second comment about Howard should get A Rod money and it is coming out of the Phillies pockets, not ours. 1st, I hate the Yankees, I hate New York in general. But there is no way you can compare Howard to A Rod. Ryan Howard is just another Andruw Jones. A guy who starts out pretty hot and watch as his numbers are dropping off. He is still hitting the long ball and knocking in runs, but look at him, he is getting fatter. He can't field well and he will strike out more and more. A Rod is older, quicker, more productive in different areas. 2nd) where do the Phillies get their money to over pay for people like Ryan Howard or that prize signing Adam Eaton? The answer my friend is revenue. They get the revenue from us the fans. Therefore, in this circle of life, we are contributing to his salary. Not just that, but the folks that live in Philadelphia and pay city tax are contributing to the payment of Citizen's Bank Park, as well as funding that World Championship parade after the World Series. If I were Howard, I would sign long term, like CC Sabathia did, because Sabathia is another flavor of the week, who will be awful in a couple years.
Leave it to the arbitrator the next three years. Guarantee he walks after 2011 and that's as it should be. He'll be 32 and headed for DH-land and way more money than the Phillies should pay him. That's the way it works.
Howard's supporters point to his HR and RBI stats to support the idea of giving him the big raise. OK, but my problem is that both have been in decline for the past 3 years - so why is he worth so much more now? Here are his stats over the last 3 years
'06 159G 104R 182H 58HR 149RBI 108BB 181K .313 AVG .425 OBP .659 Slug
'07 144G 94R 142H 47HR 136RBI 107BB 199K .268 Avg .392 OBP .584 Slug
'08 162G 105R 153H 48HR 146RBI 81BB 199K .251 Avg. .339 OPB .543 Slug
As the stats, show, he hasn't even come close to matching most of his numbers from a few years ago. 2007 was even a much better season for him than '08 once you consider that he played 18 less games that year and still nearly matched his HR and RBI totals from this year while posting a better average and slugging percentage. For once, I think that the Phils have to win arbitration based on the numbers, but I still think that there is no way that Howard settles and he'll be very bitter after his lost. Oh well let's hope that some Subway sandwiches can cheer him up.
A few thoughts... if makes no sense for the Phils to sign Howard to a LT deal unless its at a discount. Why should they take on all the injury risk, when they can control his rights for 3 more years? Now, if Howard wants to sign a reasonable contract (ie - 3 yrs $45M), I am sure the Phils would take it. Otherwise, why bother?
Second, he's not worth A Rod money - A Rod isn't worth A Rod money. If Howard was smart, he should see how much the Phils would pay him for an 6-8 year deal - if he could get 8yrs @ $150M, he should take it and run. It really depends on if he cares about allowing the Phils to countinue to field a winning team, or if he just wants to grab as much cash as possible (but in reality, who could spend $150M?) Otherwise, the Phils should trade him the in 2010 and get what they can.
If he waits until he is a FA, he will be 32 and possible a lot slower with his bat speed. Who knows what the market will look like (look at Pat Burrell). Additionally, the Yanks aren't going to need a 1B with Tex signed for 8 years, so the Red Sox won't have to overpay as much.
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They should offer him 5 years, 80 million and end this foolishness
Howard is not worth 18 million dollars,maybe 14-16. But the front office knew this was coming especially after winning the Series. I'm a Phils fan, but Howard has only played three full seasons and he should be making what Pujols is making,Nah. There were other guys who helped carry the team when Howard was slumping during the season and even the postseason. Most of the guys on that list aren't worth what they're getting paid:Andruw Jones was a bust and A-Rod is overrated. Victorino didn't get an 8 million dollar raise.
Hey whiskey, crawl back into the bottle. Not our money? Who do you think gives money to the Phillies? What, they have a mint in the basement? We pay the Phillies, each and everyone who buys a ticket, buys a jersey, buys Phanatic dolls, food, beer, parking, etc. Why does Pittsburgh have cheap players? Because no one goes to the games. Here, the Phillies have put a good team on the field in their amusement park stadium. But, last year, MLB attendance dropped with the high gas prices. This year, with the economy the way it is, it will drop further. But to pay for all these high salaries, prices will go up and less people will be able to attend. I like Howard, he isn't worth that kind of money. Also, glad to see you inject your racist rant here. Proves what a boozer you are.
So much for that impending depression. If the Phils were smart, they would sign him and trade him. Sure they will miss him, but this is too much money to give to one player when it takes an entire team to win. At that salary (or more), I am not sure how much longer the Phils can hold onto him. I mean, you can get two Jimmy Rollins for one Ryan Howard. (Or, 30 odd Victorinos). Shame the Yankees don't need him now. The team has to continually rebuild. Be more like the Twins and Marlins then Mets. I guess they will pay him for one more year and hope revenues hold up in the WS honeymoon year. But if they don't win this year, he's as good as gone.
i'm a big howard fan, but there is no way he should be making more than pujos. howard was hot at the end of the season, then went ice cold in the playoffs except for game 4 of the series. if he was in better shape and could give the phils a little more in the field, then maybe he's worth it. he should have took the opportunity to play in the world championships to work on his swing, but he didnt.
PuPuMan - Howard wouldn't take $80M for 5 years, otherwise it would be done by now. He wants at least $20M per. for 10 yrs. The Phils would gladly give him $80M or an Utley deal.
Give it to him, but don't go long term. He doesn't appear to stay in great shape and is a butcher in the field. Keep going to arbitration. He's a DH in waiting.
Lets give him 18 million in citigroup stock certificates.
Trade Him
can't trade this guy, are you kidding? They don't contend in '06 or win the division without him in either '07 or '08. What they need to do is sign him to a 6-year, $100 million contract, front load it so he makes $22 mil the first two years, $15 mil the next two years, amd $13 mil the last two years, when his production will drop. God, it's easy. People who hit the ball as hard as he does don't come around too often. Or were you happy with Travis Lee and John Wockenfuss at first base?
Pujols ($100M/6) and Chase Utley ($85M/6) are two of the most, maybe the two most, underpaid stars in baseball. Both will do better at the table the next time around. In the meantime, I think the Phillies have a better chance to win arb this year. You'd have a hard case to make that Howard improved from a $10 million player to an $18 million player in 2008.
The pride comes before the fall. Don't give him 18 million.
Last year I sided with Howard. This year I side with the team. Howard puts up big numbers but is maddeningly ineffective at bat in some key situations, due to his strikeouts, which is something he doesn't seem to worry enough about. His defense can be quite good but is inconsistent, at best. If Pujols makes $14 million, then $14 million seems generous for Howard.
I think Im going to got tell my boss I want an 80% pay raise this year......
Pujols should get 30million a season when he is eligible for free agency. He's the best player in the game.
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