Howard still in Philly despite redoing trade list
Veteran slugger Ryan Howard is still with the Phillies, but it isn’t for a lack of effort on his part.
While Howard has many reasons to prefer to stay in Philly, the first-base fixture redid his nine-team list of approved trade destinations early this winter, specifically to accommodate his longtime team, by replacing National League teams that had long populated his list but had no interest to include nine American League teams that might provide better fits.
Yet the Phillies, in the midst of rebuilding, still are unable to trade Howard, a former NL MVP.
Howard’s new nine-team approved list included at least three teams identified by the Phillies as possibilities — the Orioles, Royals and Rays. Howard originally was said to have had an NL-heavy list with teams like Cincinnati (who has Joey Votto at first base), but he changed the list to include all AL teams with seemingly more reason to acquire him because of the presence of the DH and possible needs.
The Royals, Orioles and Rays are believed to have had contact with the Phillies regarding Howard, yet all settled on other hitters with Kansas City signing Kendrys Morales, Baltimore bringing back Delmon Young and Tampa Bay adding John Jaso via trade.
The Orioles would be one team, with losses of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis, which still could make some sense for Howard. But there’s been little buzz about any Howard trade, and one rival executive speculated the “Phils are married to Howard.”
Nonetheless, the Phillies’ rebuild seems half-finished, if that. While takers were found for star shortstop Jimmy Rollins, veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd and lefty reliever Antonio Bastardo, the Phillies still possess aces Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, closer Jonathan Papelbon and Howard, who had 23 homers, 95 RBI and a .223 batting average last season as he seemed to finally fully regain health following his devastating Achilles injury on the last play of the 2011 NL Division Series vs. St. Louis.
The Phillies are in a tough spot as an almost certain also-ran, to the point Hamels suggested he wouldn’t mind a trade, though there’s no evidence anything is hot with him despite being the one available and healthy star starter across the majors. Lee has an arm ailment that requires several weeks rest and renders him untradeable (along with the $37.5 million remaining on his deal through this year).
Howard’s full new nine-team list of teams to which he could be traded without his approval also contains the Tigers, Angels, Mariners, Yankees, Rangers and Red Sox, as Jerry Crasnick of ESPN first reported.
Early speculation regarding the list centered on reasons why those teams might not be interested, which is the usual purpose of trade lists. But in reality, those teams were apparently selected for the exact opposite reason. At the time Howard was trying to help the Phillies find a suitable trade partner.
Howard may actually have been somewhat reluctant to rewrite the list since he has showed throughout the years how committed he was to Philly. In fact, he may now have more reason to stay, having married a young lady from Philadelphia and built a large home in Clearwater, Fla., where the Phillies hold spring training.
First baseman Ryan Howard changed his 9-team trade list to include AL clubs. (USATSI)
Beyond doing his longtime team a favor, it’s possible Howard was concerned about his playing situation in Philly, as team higher-ups publicly suggested he may lose his full-time job last summer, though Howard maintained his spot on merit. It’s also possible that public negativity regarding the team’s opinion of Howard didn’t aid efforts to deal Howard.
The Phillies may simply have been asking for too much in return, though MLB.com recently reported the club may be willing to pay $50 million of the $60 million remaining on Howard’s $125 million, five-year deal through next year to facilitate a deal.
Had that been the case earlier, it seems Philly may have had an opportunity with Kansas City at least, which wound up paying $17 million over two years for Morales rather than trade for Howard, a Missouri product (though they may have preferred the switch-hitting Morales). And while the Phillies didn’t seem anxious to play Howard last summer, they don’t have a lot of in-house options to replace him.
“We are open-minded on all opportunities to improve our club long-term,” is all Phillies GM Ruben Amaro said via text about the Howard situation, or any of the other remaining untraded, high-priced veteran players.
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