Ryan Howard and the Phillies met today's deadline for exchanging 2008 salary figures for arbitration.They have a $3 million difference of opinion.
Howard, who made $900,000 last year, filed a request to be paid $10 million, a record for a first-time arbitration-eligible player (Miguel Cabrera got $7.4 million last year in his first arbitration go-around). The Phillies submitted a $7 million offer, which matches the record offer made to Albert Pujols when he was a first-time eligible player in 2003. The overall record for an arbitration award is $10 million given to Alfonso Soriano in 2006, his third (and final) year of eligibility.
So, what's next?
The sides will continue to negotiate until a hearing that will be set for a to-be-determined day in February. If they can't reach an agreement, a three-person panel will listen to arguments from both parties before picking either Howard's demand or the Phillies' offer. The Phillies always prefer to avoid arbitration hearings, which can often be contentious and divisive. They haven't gone to a hearing since beating Travis Lee in 2001.
(Oh, by the way, utility infielder Eric Bruntlett, the Phillies' only other remaining arbitration-eligible player, submitted an $800,000 salary request. The Phillies are offering $550,000. Bruntlett, acquired with closer Brad Lidge in a November trade with Houston, made $525,000 last year.)
OK, how much would you pay Howard this year? And, let's expand the debate: Would you give him a long-term contract extension now, or would you wait a year? (Don't forget: He can't become a free agent until after the 2011 season, when he'll be 32).
6 comments:
I say give Bruntlett about $650,000. As for Howard, pay him $8.25 million. Perhaps talk to him about a potential long-term deal that will penalize him for leading the league in strike outs or things like that. Kind of like a reverse performance-based clause. That'd motivate him to make better contact and try to strike out less.
Stan Musial did something similar to this, giving the Cardinals back some of his earnings for having a down year.
Rob, I really don't think that a 'lack of performance' clause will be any type of incentive for Howard to sign a long-term deal. It seems more like a clear-cut way to offend a player. We've all seen Howard break bats and punch walls after strikeouts in 07, so it doesn't seem like the type of thing he'll likely laugh off to sign a contract in which he forfeits a percent of his earnings based on the number of K's he accumulates.
But at least you think the Phillies should re-sign him. Regardless of strikeouts, he's hit 105HR and 285RBI in 303 games the past two seasons. Hopefully he's been working on his defense during the offseason and taking some of the pressure off himself. It'll be interesting to see what he'll do in 2008.
The unreported factors: What's Howard's mentality regarding his relationship with the Phils & their front office. Let's remember he wanted to be traded when he was in Scranton because he felt he should be in the show. Then after Rookie of the Year and MVP, Phillies continue to pay him well below market value. How would you feel if you were Howard?
Put the organization/ player relationship aside... how confident are you in the future of the organization if you're R. Howard? If I were him, I'm a realist about the mediocre pitching the Phils have brought in for over a decade. Add to that the construction of a hitter's park, and the imbalance of economics in MLB... all odds look to Phillies treating him like managed asset, and underpaying, and Howard leaving after 2011 with no world championship.
As a fan, I hope he's a young kid with heart that blindly follows his team and has an invaluable relationship with his teammates. God knows I have no faith in the Phillies front office.
how is he being underpaid in market value? phillies offered to tie the highest value set in arbitration. you think howard is as good as pujols? no chance. pujols is a GG defender AND a better hitter than howard. if anything the phillies are being fair and howard is being greedy. if they go to an arbitrator howard is going to get laughed at non stop for asking 10m. phillies will win the case ina landslide and howard will look stupid.
howard has a body that doesn't age well. he most likely won't last till he's the mid 30's. they should try to buy out his arbitration years and maybe a year or two of FA. try to trade him then or offer another FA dea.
Are contracts even allowed to have performance-based incentives, positive or negative? I know there can be incentives based on innings pitched and games for pitchers, and plate appearances for hitters. There can also be award performances, like MVP and Cy Young. But I don't think there can be an incentive for anything like strike outs.
I'm not in a rush to resign Howard to a long-term deal. I'd go year-to-year for the next three years, then see how his health holds up. If he won't sign a deal then and is still healthy, trade him.
As much as I like Howard, he reminds me too much of Cecil Fielder and Mo Vaughn, and that makes me leary of locking him up in an Utley-like contract.
Meet him somewhere in between. Make sure he's happy with the deal and KEEP HIM IN PHILLY!!
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