Howard’s Arbitration Hearing Nearing

Ryan Howard is seeking $18 million dollars in arbitration for 2009 booze money.

Ryan Howard is currently asking for $18 million in MLB salary arbitration for the 2009 season.  The Phillies in turn are offering a paultry $14 mill for the one year services of the pictured slugger.

To place how ridiculous these numbers are, Howard’s arbitration request is the 3rd largest since the inception of the program in 1974.  The two larger requests came from Roger Clements ($22 million) in 2005 and Derek Jeter ($18.5 million) in 2001 immediately following a Yankees World Series loss to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling of the Arizona Diamondback’s.  The Jeter offer can be looked at as a more comparable situation, as Jeter was coming off three straight strong seasons and a World Series MVP in 2000.

However, Derek Jeter is no Ryan Howard.  The two are polar opposites at the plate, though both amazing at what they do, and Jeter can anchor an infield for a decade while many consider Howard to be a has-been (never was) in the field at 29.  Jeter’s situation was resolved when the two sides came to agree on a 10-year, $189 million long term deal.

I’m not sure that the Phillies are committed to Howard for the long term.

I’m not sure that they should be.  Howard’s power is one in a million, but the prolonged slumps, record strikeout totals and ineptitude in the field are hard to overlook.  Although the long-ball erases all wrongdoing in the eyes of the casual fan, Howard sure is looking like a AL-only DH in the making.  If Howard does sign a long-term deal, the Phillies may end up handcuffed to an aging slugger who forgets his stroke and can’t work the field.

If a deal is not struck and Howard does reach an arbitration hearing, there is no middle ground.   Howard will either receive $14 million or $18 million.  My guess is the Phillies win this time around and Howard gets a $4 million raise - not too shabby coming off of his $10 million arbitration win last year.

Although the actual date of specific player arbitration hearings is kept secret, hearings begin Feb. 2 and conclude Feb. 22, so expect resolution shortly.