PhillySportsJunkie.com

Last week a historical baseball arbitration case caused quite a stir in Philadelphia.  With spring training on the horizon Ryan Howard was awarded $10 million, a record for a player with less than three years of major league service. 

The decision sent the Phillies to their first ever arbitration defeat and raised a number of comments on the urgency of structuring a long term deal for Howard. 

He is the fastest to 100 home runs!  He hits more home runs per at bat than Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds!  This is the 2005 Rookie of the Year and 2006 MVP we are talking about!  He has averaged 52.5 HR and 142.5 RBI over the past two seasons!

Scanning the Internet blogs and forums, Philadelphia is clearly worried about losing their prized slugger.  In addition to Howard’s statistics, age-old fan favorite themes are used as support:  the Phillies brass is cheap and they won’t do what it takes to win.  It is the same old story.

One word – relax.

Focus your worries on something legitimate.  Brad Lidge and his balky knee.  The 5-spot in the starting rotation.  Kyle Kendrick being traded to the Yomiuri Giants. 

Why?  It’s simple – the Phillies are doing the right thing.

The Phillies are in full control of Ryan Howard until the 2012 season.  That is 4 guaranteed years of Howard, Utley, and Rollins anchoring the lineup.  What is the rush?

If you have not noticed, Ryan most likely doesn’t mind a good cheesesteak.  Would you be surprised to see him in line at Pat’s or Geno’s?  For a man hitting the scales at 250+ pounds and having a Subway campaign alongside Jared under his belt, it is not a bad thing to keep him motivated. 

Knowing full well he would be heading to arbitration, Howard reported to spring training looking svelte after a winter of hard work.  If the Phillies had inked a fat contract extension, would Howard show up in the same shape with the same motivation?  Maybe, but it’s a fair question.

Fans commonly compare Ryan Howard to Chase Utley, using Utley’s $85 million dollar extension as a baseline to lock up Howard.

The fact is that the two are very different players.  Taken in the first round of the 2000 draft, Utley had the pedigree and the performance to be a stud second baseman for years and never faltered in his big league ascension. 

Howard was a fifth rounder in the 2001 draft and according to Bill Conlin, was described by Dallas Green as someone who “strikes out a ton, can’t run or field” but has “a puncher’s chance.”  He has since turned out to be a late bloomer and exceeded all expectations.

Before the Phillies are willing to commit to the kind of money agent Casey Close will demand for his client, which is being rumored as a scary amount, they are and should be seeking further consistency.

This time next year Phillies fans could be singing a different tune.  Howard may be sitting on a record contract extension after dominating for another year.  The Phillies brass may be earning praise for holding off after a subpar and strikeout plagued 2008 campaign.  Or it will again be time for arbitration as Howard banks a cool $15 million and shows up motivated and hungry to spring training.

For now stick a wiz wit in the Howard talk.  Haven’t you heard?  It’s Pat Burrell’s contract year.