The Zo Zone

Good luck this year, Big Howie.

Show him the money!! He's so much fun to watch.

Looks like he has dropped some lbs.

Great P.R. move by Howard.
If he doesn't deserve 150 mil who in baseball does?

Come on Philly fans show your true colors.

Where's Chase, let me guess tanning at a resort...

jimmymack- I guess thats old news too....

In other news... Curt Schilling is looking like a pretty good non-deal at this point, eh? Though if he listens to his own doctor, who sounds like he knows what he's talking about, he may be ready for the second half.

On second thought lets trade Ryan Howard to the Mets for Santana. Howard will break down soon while Santana will be a picture of perfect health for 7 plus years!

Imitation is by far the best form of flattery.
If you think taking my handle will stop me from popping in on this site and posting as I please your kidding yourself....

...It's not like I have a life outside posting on my computer in my parent's basement anyway. I will continue to pop in and post on this site everyday until the phillies win the world series, which will never happen. I will let everybody know my correct opinions and none of you will be able to stop me...

Truth....Chase was busy filming Public Service Announcements for Animal Abuse. For real!

Thank goodness we didn't sign Schilling. He's been in decline for a while now. He reminds me of Pedro. I wonder what odds Vegas would give on Pedro Martinez pitching the entire season. He's got maybe a 50:50 chance to last the entire season. Realistically, probably less than that.

Does anyone else think the Phils make a move on a pitcher, probably this weekend...maybe Monday or Tuesday at the very latest? Probably Benson but hopefully Lohse settles for less. Both would be great. Especially if Lohse comes down but that probably won't happen.

Here's the scenario I envision. The Phils sign Benson or some other retread. Lohse signs with the Mets or someone else, maybe Boston. Eaton and the said retread pitch pretty well (they have good velocity) in spring training and therefore Kendrick starts the season in the minors. Kendrick is the 1st guy to come up if someone breaks down or can't get anyone out. Benson is strictly a starter and was at one time hightly thought of and the Phils didn't sign Eaton to pitch in the bullpen. Kendrick has options.

It could work out. Providing Benson is fully healed and Eaton bounces back to being a pretty decent pitcher. At least the Phils won't have to count on a guy as young as Kendrick. He's just not as good as the numbers he put up last year. In fact the Phils might go with Chad Durbin before Kendrick gets his shot again. If Kendrick pitches lights out (he doesn't have the stuff to do that) in Spring training then the Phils have a good problem on their hands. I still say he'll get shipped down to triple a.

Everything hinges on the guy they sign. I hope Gillick can work his magic and get 1 more decent starter. A guy no one expects much from. That would solve the questions around Eaton and Kendrick. Then if Eaton repeats last year Durbin or Kendrick can step in.

The Phils probably can't crush the Mets and Braves with Moyer, Kendrick and last year's Eaton as their 3,4 & 5. They need 5 solid starters and their offense, when hot, will take care of the rest. Last years Moyer and Kendrick are solid but this is a new year. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a power pitcher who doesn't have to nibble to be effective.

Unless he's hurt, Kendrick's in the rotation. With the other choices the Phillies have, I can't imagine him pitching poorly enough this spring to not be. Durbin's gonna have to show a lot before he gets another shot. I wouldn't mind seeing them take a flyer on Benson, mainly because he seems to be willing to accept a minor league spot. Lohse isn't worth what he's asking for.

Eaton's likely the Phil's best hope for improvement; assuming he was pitching hurt, and will be back to his normal mediocre self. His strength is that when he's pitching well, he's consistently mediocre and on a team like the Phillies, that can translate into wins, as it did the first half of last year.

Don't take this wrong, because I am a huge Ryan Howard fan, but the funniest part of the video was when he was giving advice on making contact ("the Tony Gwynn approach") instead of emphasizing home runs ("You can't hit home runs unless you make contact"). I don't Howard will ever be mistaken for a contact hitter.

Contrary to my above post...I still think the Phillies should pay the man his money and quit screwing around. He's a stud.

Brian- i understand your point about Howard being a stud and completely deserving the $10million he's asking for, but in reality I have to disagree with your suggestion that the Phils just pony up the dough. salaries in baseball are almost exclusively determined by service time and the flat truth of it is that Howard hasn't played enough to merit $10 milllion/year. and that $3million difference is significant. it'll pay for a Benson or a Colon contract to buffer the rotation or could factor heavily at the trading deadline when the Phils try to add a piece.
the bottom line is that if the Phils gave Howard what he's worth on the free agent market or even the $10 million he's asking for, they'd have very little cash left to improve other areas of the team. the Phils are actually trying to win more games by paying Howard less. and their offer to him of $7million/year is by no means a lowball offer. it's the highest ever offered to a player in his first year of arbitration, same as what the Cards offered Pujols in this situation.

Can everyone relax about Howard's contract? Geez, the guy will be here for 4 more seasons. Let's enjoy this team and rootem' in! With the addition of Feliz and Jenkins, this team is loaded 1-8 in the order. They will score more runs than last season and have an improved bullpen. Victorino is an upgrade in CF (defensively) and Werth came on strong last season after missing all of '06 with the wrist injury. Gillick did a great job putting s solid team together. There are still a couple of moves to make, and Pat will make them when the time is right. Look for Burrell to have a big year in a "contract season."

Howard deserves $10 million. His service time is limited in large part because the Phillies kept him in the minors. He should not be penalized because the Phillies had another first baseman who was keeping him down at the time, not with his huge production in his limited time in the majors

Case: Burrell is an inconsistent hitter and a butcher in the OF. He's overpaid now. I'd let the bum walk.

The last 4-5 posts were telling.
One guy says don't pay Howard the 3 million could go for a retread pitcher. To answer if the Phillies were halfway serious about winning the pennant and not flukily backing in the would do both at minimum. Your BRAINWASHED cubedude..
Another dude says the Phillies are stacked 1-8.
How the hell do you figure? Jenkins avg/ Victorino/avg Feliz/avg Burrell/good 2 mos-a platoon player the rest. Werth/2 mos wonder.
Are you kidding. If R. Howard gets hurt this team is avg at best.
A few sheeple are actually counting on Eaton.
People Eaton sux-it wasn't an injury don't buy that crap. Gillick didn't do his due dilligence with Eaton or Garcia last yr and now he is stuck with Eaton and blames a mid season injury that he will recover from so they don't have to go out and spend the money this year. When is the last time the Phils told the truth about an injury? The only reason they are admitting if true is b/c with his pathetic velocity and numbers he is completely untradeable.
Brian you are right they should pay Howard but you are wrong about him not being a contact hitter. Yes he strikes out alot but in the 06 season he around .300. In 07 the absolutely ridiculous shift took away many hits from him. I hope and pray he worked on that in the off-season. Getting around a little later he may lose some power but if successful he could be 40 homer .350 hitter 160 rbi 200 hit guy. He left alot of guys on base last year as a victim of the shift. Lets hope he practiced situationally poking a few between second base and the third baseman!

Pay R. Howard NOW...

Just remember that most of the players we feel are over-paid is because they are at the end of long-term contracts. And probably at the end of their prime. *See Pat Burrell above.*

I understand the business end of baseball, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why the top salary goes to the final year of a contract!

Hope we don't feel the same way about Chase in 2013 as we feel about Burrell now.

I actually have a TEENY, TINY bit of sympathy for why Gillick doesn't want to sign anyone to long terms!

The Phillies are gonna crush the ball this year!! They have enough arms to patch together some pitching if problems and injuries or poor performance creep in. Who cares if Ryan Howard gets paid this year or in the next few, he WILL get his money, and will be around for 3-4 more years PERIOD!! The Phils kept pretty much intact the DEFENDING NL EAST CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM!!! They will have another great year!!!

Norma how old are you if you dont mind me asking?

The Phillies must pay Howard $25 million plus per year in arbitration!

Joe,

Chad Durbin is not the same Durbin the Phils where forced to use last season. Chad Durbin was a free agent signed the same day the Phils signed Geoff Jenkins. He pitched for Detroit last season. If the Phils are just a little bit lucky Chad Durbin will be a pleasant surprise this season.

The Phils are maneuvering to not be dependent on both Eaton and Kendrick. Despite Eaton's performance last season he's the safer bet to be the better pitcher this year. Kendrick is too much of an unknown. He can get pasted this year. Hopefully, he's the real deal but I don't think the Phils are really counting on it. The kid has guts which you have to love but he just doesn't have great stuff.

I heard Benson still doesn't have good velocity. That hurts because it would have been a break if the Phils could have signed him. If the Phils can pick up 1 more decent starter, somehow, someway, then they might not be dependent on both Kendrick and Eaton. If the Phils don't pick up a starter by the end of spring training then either Kendrick or Eaton has to come thru. I just don't think you can count on both coming thru.

Alright, I in no way think Ryan Howard doesn't deserve to be one of the top paid players in the game, but please stop saying how much they need to sign him now. They don't have to, he will be around for a long time, they will work it out (yes, even if it's not this spring), and judging by the picture above, I'm pretty sure Ryan isn't missing that $3 mil all that much.

clinton, nj.......I don't mind. I'm 59.

Now do you mind me asking why you wanted to know?

Amen, jimmyt63!

I was just curious, have you been a fan of baseball for a long time?

I'm a huge Ryan Howard fan. That said, the best indicator of a fair salary for Howard really should be Pujols. He undeniably sets the standard for 1B in either league. Last year he made between $12 and $13 million in his seventh year of service. I have no idea what he made after three years of service.
A lot of guys argue that Howard was kept in the minors far too long because Thome was on the team. I disagree. If you look at Howard's progression in the minors and his numbers over the years, I think the Phillies largely kept a smart timetbale for advancing him.
Truth, how can you argue that Howard is a contact hitter when he set the Major League record for strikeouts? Strikeouts are bascially the stat that determines whether or not a guy is a contact hitter.

Yo Wizz: Look up last years stats. Burrell will hit 30HR and drive in 100. There aren't too many OF in the NL that produce those numbers. Burrell will play LF 5 days a week and you will see Jenkins and Taguchi get some time in Left. Burrell, Jenkins, and Feliz will hit 25+ Home Runs on this team. Add that production to Rollins, Utley, and Howard and the Phils win the East. Burrell & Lidge are playing for big contracts, just like Rowand was last season. How did that turn out?

Steve, strikeouts don't matter only home runs. Therefore Howard is a contact hitter. He hit .313 in 2006 anyway.

I love Howard's HR's and RBI's but I'm not giving him a long term contract until he cuts down his K's, learns how to throw to second base and gets in shape.

clinton, nj.........I was a *moderate* fan since I was a kid. But I've become completely obsessed the last several years! I think in part, since the current group of guys are such throw-backs to the '93 team. Plus......CBP is THE best! I was hooked the minute I walked through the gates!

Hey truth, are you a soup Nazi??

Thats cool Norma. No offense, but some of your questions made me think you were very young, but maybe thats a compliment lol

Definitely a compliment! LOL! But I'm proud of my age!

Hmmmm? Which questions?

And no offense to the 99% (I'm guessing) male posters on this blog, but sometimes you just need a woman's point of view! LOL!

Tal Smith will hammer Howard in arbritration: Can't field, can't throw, can't run and hit only .225 with 85 strike outs in 209 at bats against left handed pitching in 07. Ryan here's your $7 million. Now go play!

Steve D is right. I just wrote up something but it didnt get saved, so basically I said that Howard should get a little less than what Pujols got at this point. Just look at Pujols stats, they're amazing! If it wasnt for Baroid Bonds, Pujols wins the MVP his first couple years in the league. I love Howard, but overall he doesnt quite match up to Pujols, so Ryan should get less than what Albert got at this point in his career.

Norma, I know the one question about the odds made me wonder, but that stuff can be confusing sometimes I guess. I think another was about the TV income from having your own TV channel or network. There might have been a couple others, but I cant think of them. I agree about this (core)group of guys, its really hard not to root for them. I like the fact that most have come up through the farm system, that always makes it easier to like them for some reason. GO PHILS!!!!

No one seems to mention the loss of Aaron Rowland..who besides being a big part of the offense last year was a leader in the clubhouse. When I look at the overall player subtractions and additions ,if anything, the team is weaker this year.
And with both the Mets and Braves improvement, and with the edge they both have in the critical area of pitching, it looks like a very tough task to repeat. Very tough.

clinton, nj, yeah, I remember those questions. I'm still learning. That's one of the reasons I like this blog so much. I'm definitely getting an education.

And for the most part.....Not as hostile as a lot of other blogs! LOL!

No way Ryan Howard gets 10 million a year. Hopefully they can meet halfway and Howard get 8.5 mil. He does strike out a lot. He also looked clueless against a lot of left handers. He really did take a step back last year even though he put up great numbers. He's a defensive butcher. He runs well for a guy his size which is another way of saying he's a poke. Worst of all is his complete lack of confidence throwing to second base. But man does he hit the ball hard. Howard and Burrell hit the ball harder then any Phillies I've seen since Mike Schmidt. Much like Burrell, Howard isn't really as gifted as Pujols. Here's hoping he comes in in great shape this year and hits for a higher average. It didn't look like he saw the ball as well last year. He did come in out of shape. Hopefully Rollins comes in in great shape.

Well said, Wizard.

And Norma, fret not. You're not the oldest blogger on these threads. I got you by a year! LOL
I've been a baseball fan all my life. I was a NY Giant fan as a child, and was devastated when they left for Frisco. I continued to root for them, along with the Mets, until the greatest player of my lifetime became a Met for his last two years, in May 1972. The incomparable Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays. He was my idol as a kid, and my last connection to the "NY" Giants. I could care less about the Giants from that day on.
Basically, all Met fans back then were either old Giant and Dodger fans who felt betrayed by them going to the "Left Coast".
This year is going to be a tough battle for the NL Pennant. There are a lot of very good teams. The NL East with the Mets, Phils and Braves. The NL West is very tough to, with the Pods, Rockies, D-Backs and Dodgers all very good on paper. Same for the NL Central's Cubs, Cards and Brewers.
It should be a great 6 months+ of baseball. Enjoy!

LOL, AJ!

Now I need to start a poll as to how many other females are blogging here.

And I agree. It's going to be a tough battle for the NL pennant. A friend of mine just sent me an article from one of the Boston papers. Kind of breaking down the NL teams. They were wondering how the Rockies are going to respond this year after their 21/22 run and then being swept by the Red Sox in the series.

Should be a great season!

Well Mr. Wizard, I must disagree with you. I think Jenkins and Feliz will more than make up for Rowands loss on offense. As good as Rowand was in CF, Victorino will be better. Rollins and Utley among others will lead them in the clubhouse just fine.

Spin it anyway you like, but the Wizard is right. Rowand is a gamer and will be missed.

Well I think Jenkins is gamer too!! He sure isnt a Bobby Abreu type