Ryan Howard News: Pro Sports Daily

Howard deals with World Series struggles

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November 5

MLB.com

"As Ryan Howard answered questions about the forgettable World Series he had just experienced, he appeared to be every bit as cool as his bat suddenly became when pitted against the Yankees pitchers. Without the offensive prowess that Howard displayed during the second half of the regular season and during the first two rounds of the postseason, the Phillies likely would not have returned to the World Series. But as the Phillies lamented Wednesday night's 7-3, Game 6 loss to the Yankees and began venturing into the offseason, there was reason to wonder if this World Series might have been different had Howard not suddenly transformed from being a record run producer to the latest owner of ..."

Howard's woes hinder lineup

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November 2

Camden Courier-Post

"In the divisional series, to open the playoffs, Ryan Howard went 6-for-16, drove in six runs, scored three and struck out four times in five games. Not bad. In the league championship series, Howard went 5-for-15 with eight RBIs, two home runs, five runs scored and only four strikeouts over five games. Even better. Enough to win MVP honors in the series, in fact. But the World Series has not been kind to Howard, where he's 3-for-17 with one RBI and 10 strikeouts. In Sunday night's Game 4, when the New York Yankees won 7-4 to take a three-games-to-one series lead, it became apparent pretty quickly that CC Sabathia was going to take great care in pitching to Howard. Howard worked a full ..."

Upon further review, A-Rod comes through

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November 1

New York Post

columnist Kevin Kernan

"Never forget that Alex Rodriguez loves being the cen taur of attention. The man knows what to do with the spotlight, and the camera. Though A-Rod continues on his path of a mythical postseason, Phillies slugger Ryan Howard continues to be horsemeat. If this keeps going along the same way, the World Series will be over in five games as Jimmy Rollins predicted. Only J-Roll will have had his money on the wrong horse. It's the Yankees, not the Phillies, who are on pace for a five-game victory after their 8-5 win last night at Citizens Bank Park to go up 2-1 in the Series. And now that we all know what kind of paintings A-Rod loves to place over his bed -- the mythical centaur, half-man and ..."

Howard, Utley being left behind

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November 1

New York Post

"Did you see the guys at Citizens Bank Park dressed up as Chase Utley and Ryan Howard for Halloween? Those two wearing Phillies pinstripes last night had to be imposters. It's the only explanation for a second straight dismal performance from the heart of the Philly order. Utley and Howard were a combined 0-for-8 in an 8-5 Game 3 loss to the Yankees last night with five strikeouts between them. The duo is now 0-for-15 with nine strikeouts in the last two games. "I'm a little bit anxious at the plate right now," Howard said. "It's a matter of calming down." If it wasn't for Jayson Werth, the Phillies would have barely been in last night's game. Werth had two solo home runs to left field ..."

Howard whiffs 4 times

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October 30

New York Post

"So much for pre-Series hype. The talk before the World Series was of how sluggers Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez could dominate the World Series. But neither player has done much in the first two games and Howard had a brutal Game 2 against A.J. Burnett and Mariano Rivera. Howard went 0-for-4, striking out four times. He is batting .222 in the first two games with four RBIs. "Baseball is a game of ups and downs," Howard said. "You're not going to stay hot forever. That's why you have a batting average. One day you can go out there and get three hits. One day you can go out there and get no hits. It's just all about your comfort level. Sometimes you're out there and a guy is dealing, and ..."

Alex Rodriguez and Phillies' Ryan Howard turn playoffs into their own personal showcases

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October 28

New York Daily News

"By the time Ryan Howard was drafted by the Phillies in the fifth round in June 2001, Alex Rodriguez was two months into his record $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers, already a bona fide star withÂ several playoff trips under his belt with the Mariners. When the lefty-hitting Howard made his major league debut at home against the Braves three years later - Sept. 1, 2004 - it was an inauspicious outing. Pinch-hitting for pitcher Vicente Padilla, Howard struck out looking against Jaret Wright. Rodriguez was by then five months into his debut season in pinstripes, the star Yankee third baseman on a team littered with All-Stars. A-Rod already had one MVP award (2003), and was en ..."

OK, world, get ready for a real Fall Classic

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October 27

New York Post

"You can understand why many precincts in Queens will ignore a World Series between the Phillies and Yankees, and why a sizeable amount of Indians fans might not want to indulge in a Game 1 featuring their last two aces, Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia. But the rest of you, America, this is your World Series: 1. Because Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez will be playing anything you can do, I can hit farther. They have been voted most likely to be pitched around in the Fall Classic. Their October stats are Little League outrageous, and now they have the biggest stage in small parks. It could be two-city Home Run Derby. 2. Because -- forgive me, Cleveland -- the last two AL Cy Young winners are ..."

Patient Howard gets NLCS MVP

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October 22

Camden Courier-Post

"During a week in which his name has often been linked with one of baseball's greatest immortals, Ryan Howard had Phillies rooters -- and perhaps all baseball fans -- squirming with anticipation. What, many have likely often wondered, is this guy going to do next? Charlie Manuel, who has never been able to contain his exuberance for the slugging first baseman's ability, would likely answer, "Anything he wants." "I can't say enough about him," Manuel said earlier in the National League Championship Series. "I mean, he's better probably than we even think he is because if you go back and look at things he did in the games, it kind of speaks for itself.""

Phillies' Howard on a record pace

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October 19

Camden Courier-Post

"Sometimes you just have to marvel at what you're seeing from Ryan Howard. There is the prolific power, the stratospheric amount of RBIs, and, of course, the home runs. Howard's representatives have always referred to him as an "historic player" through his previous salary arbitration hearings when he sought a stratospheric contract to go along with his offensive output. During this postseason, we're getting an idea of just how historic Howard has become. Howard had three more RBIs Sunday night, on a two-run triple in the first and a run-scoring groundout in the second, igniting the Phillies on their way to an 11-0 wipeout of the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS on Sunday. He has an RBI in ..."

'Chill' Howard heats up

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October 18

Florida Today

"Charlie Manuel has witnessed this before, this innate ability that Ryan Howard has for lifting the Phillies' offense and carrying it on his broad shoulders. It's what Manuel has come to expect from the slugger he calls "The Big Piece." But over the past two weeks, amid the heightened stakes and blinding spotlight of the playoffs, Howard somehow has been even more impressive. He has nine hits, including four doubles and one home run, a .409 batting average and a .462 on-base percentage. He has nine RBIs and at least one in six straight games, matching Bernie Williams and Ivan Rodriguez for the longest postseason RBI streak in one year, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Howard had the ..."

Howard's heroics

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October 13

Camden Courier-Post

"They were five outs away, with Cliff Lee on the mound, and champagne was chilling in the clubhouse. A second consecutive appearance in the National League Championship Series was within their grasp. And then it wasn't. But once the Phillies returned to their dugout after the eighth inning Monday night, their one-run lead having morphed into a two-run deficit and with a possible elimination game awaiting them at home tonight, Lee spotted Ryan Howard standing near the bat rack, hollering at his teammates. "Just get me to the plate, boys," he said. The Phillies did, and sure enough, Howard delivered. As comebacks go, this was impressive, even for this crew, which makes comebacks seem routine. ..."

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard's calm approach pays off with ninth-inning RBIs

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October 13

Denver Post

"The Phillies surrounded Ryan Howard, waving champagne bottles and spraying suds at the slugger, who unflappably fielded questions about his big at-bat. "I was calm," Howard said of his two-out, two-on, ninth-inning at-bat against Rockies closer Huston Street. "I wanted to be in that situation." The greats don't sweat, not even with 49,940 raucous fans waving towels and screaming as loud as they can for their team to get the final out. Howard certainly wasn't fazed. With the Phillies trailing 4-2, the left-handed slugger worked the count to 2-1, then drilled a 91-mph fastball over the middle of the plate to the warning track in right, driving in the tying runs. Howard then scored the ..."

Howard stepping away from the plate this offseason

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October 12

Denver Post

columnist Jim Armstrong

"Ryan Howard, speed merchant? OK, so that's a stretch. But Howard's uniform isn't. Not after he dropped 20 pounds before the season, going from a beefy 265 to a relatively svelte 245. And wait, there's more where that came from. Said Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson: "He told me he's going to come in next year 20 pounds lighter than now." Who knows? Maybe the Phillies will have four 20-20 men next season, one more than this year. Howard stole eight bases in nine attempts during the season after stealing two in his first four big-league seasons. . . . The weight loss certainly hasn't hurt Howard at the plate. He went into Game 3 of the Phillies-Rockies series hitting .500 (4-for-8). He ..."

Miami girl gets back historic baseball after lawsuit

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October 7

Miami Herald

"Who would have imagined that a home run by Phillies slugger Ryan Howard would turn into a legal tug of war with a 12-year-old kid from Miami? But that's exactly what unfolded in the 2 ½ months since Howard's 200th career home run ended up in the hands of Jennifer Valdivia at Land Shark Stadium. She wanted to take the ball home and show her friends. Howard wanted the ball because it represented a record: He was the fastest player to achieve the milestone in league history. On Tuesday, the little girl got her wish. ``My ball,'' Jennifer beamed as she held it tightly. ``I have it, finally.''"

Ryan Howard, the power and the glory

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October 6

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The sign held up by a woman in the front row of the right-field stands at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday was homemade and simple: "Hit Here, Howard."He didn't. After fouling off a couple of 2-2 pitches, after searing one of the fouls into the stands in right field, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard bombed one over the sign-waver's head, bouncing it off the Bud Light sign above the lower deck, his 45th and final home run of the regular season.Nothing surprising about any of that. "He's swinging the bat real good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said afterward. "Actually, he's hitting the ball to all fields right now. They throw him inside, he's definitely getting around on the ball.""

Howard puts on New York smashin' show in Phillies' win over Mets

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August 25

Philadelphia Daily News

"It's that time of year. The Big Man's time of year. The days are still warm, if shorter. The games mean more, so there's that. He's looser, or he's more focused, or he's benefiting from the erosive effect on opposing pitchers of facing the league's best lineup. Maybe it's all of that. Maybe Ryan Howard just likes crushing come late August. He smashed two more homers yesterday, his 33rd and 34th, and drove in runs 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 - all five that mattered in the 6-2 win over the laughably depleted Mets. "He basically won the game," said starter Cliff Lee, who actually won the game, his fifth in as many starts as a Phillie. New York's Bobby Parnell (3-6), who gave up both homers, ..."

Howard puts on New York smashin' show in Phillies' win over Mets

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August 25

Philadelphia Daily News

"It's that time of year.The Big Man's time of year.The days are still warm, if shorter. The games mean more, so there's that. He's looser, or he's more focused, or he's benefiting from the erosive effect on opposing pitchers of facing the league's best lineup.Maybe it's all of that.Maybe Ryan Howard just likes crushing come late August.He smashed two more homers yesterday, his 33rd and 34th, and drove in runs 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 - all five that mattered in the 6-2 win over the laughably depleted Mets."He basically won the game," said starter Cliff Lee, who actually won the game, his fifth in as many starts as a Phillie. New York's Bobby Parnell (3-6), who gave up both homers, ..."

Howard and Lee lead way for Phils

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August 25

Philadelphia Inquirer

"After all these years, and all those home runs, who knew that Charlie Manuel had a secret, little pet name for Ryan Howard?"That's why I call him the Big Piece," Manuel said after watching his sizzling cleanup man belt two home runs and drive in five runs in the Phillies' 6-2 win over the New York Mets today at Citi Field."He was the game."There was no disputing Howard's importance in the Phils' 11th win in their last 13 games, but there was another significant contributor in this victory, and he deserves a nickname, too.If Howard is the Big Piece, then Cliff Lee has to be the Big Pickup.The lefthander did not allow an earned run in seven walk-free innings as he won his fifth straight ..."

Howard sets mark, Phils 1-hit Marlins

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July 17

Camden Courier-Post

"Raul Ibanez, raised in South Florida and still an offseason resident, needed at least 50 tickets to Thursday night's game, which, at sparsely attended Land Shark Stadium, meant a sizable portion of the crowd consisted of his closest family and friends. So, the least Ibanez could do was put on a good show. And as he rounded the bases after swatting his second home run -- in his second at-bat -- and giving the Phillies an early lead against young Marlins starter Chris Volstad, the familiar "Raaauuuuuuul" chant that has become a staple at Citizens Bank Park began to rise from a sea of mostly empty orange seats. In his first game back from the All-Star break, Ibanez felt right at home. Like ..."

Howard to participate in Home Run Derby

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July 7

Camden Courier-Post

"All along, Ryan Howard said he'd participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby if he was asked by Major League Baseball. Monday, he was asked. So the Phillies' slugging first baseman agreed to swing for the fences at Busch Stadium next Monday night. Howard, a native of St. Louis and the 2006 Derby champion, will join the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, the Padres' Adrian Gonzalez and the Brewers' Prince Fielder as the National League's representatives. The American League participants will be announced today. "It'll be fun to do it in my hometown," said Howard, who entered Monday night with 20 homers."

Illness costs Howard his streak

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June 22

Camden Courier-Post

"Ryan Howard remained ill Sunday, and it had nothing to do with the Phillies losing their sixth straight game. Howard, the slugging first baseman, checked back into Mercy Suburban Hospital early Sunday morning and took a battery of tests to diagnose the illness that left him with a high fever and chills throughout the weekend. The Phillies told him not to report to Citizens Bank Park for the series finale against the Orioles, ending his streak of 343 consecutive games played. According to trainer Scott Sheridan, Howard was admitted at about 6 a.m. with a possible sinus infection, underwent a CT scan and was prescribed antibiotics for what the team is still calling "flu-like symptoms." The ..."

Howard too ill to play as streak ends at 343

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June 22

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ryan Howard's dramatic pinch-hit home run against the Orioles on Saturday night gave the Phillies a temporary boost, but it did nothing for his ailing condition.The Phils' slugger was too ill to make it to yesterday's game at Citizens Bank Park, ending his streak of games at 343, which was the longest in the majors.For the second time in two days, Howard was briefly hospitalized. This time, however, he was even too sick to be available off the bench.The club's trainer, Scott Sheridan, said after yesterday's 2-1 loss to Baltimore that Howard had gone to the emergency room at Mercy Suburban Hospital in Norristown at about 6 a.m.Sheridan said a CT scan was taken to try to determine why Howard ..."

Mystery illness ends consecutive-game streak for Phillies' Howard

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June 22

Philadelphia Daily News

"A continuing fight against an unidentified illness kept Ryan Howard out of the lineup for a second straight day. Unlike Saturday night, when his dramatic three-run, pinch-hit home run gave the Phillies a two-run lead in the seventh inning, the star first baseman did not even show up at Citizens Bank Park after going to the emergency room for a second time early yesterday morning with flulike symptoms.The illness, which the Phillies say included a 104-degree fever, ended Howard's major league-leading streak of 343 consecutive games played. But that paled in comparison to the uncertainty surrounding Howard's health - an issue that manager Charlie Manuel admitted yesterday could prevent him ..."

Phillies' Ryan Howard a big fan of David Ortiz

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June 14

Boston Herald

"When Ryan Howard was rising through the minors, Latino teammates took to calling him "Little Papi." It's easy to see why. The Phillies slugger bears a striking resemblance to Red Sox star David Ortiz, on the field and off. They're both left-handed mashers with prodigious power, bulging biceps and toothy grins. "Oh man, a lot of people say that," Howard said. "We're both big guys that crouch a little. It's kind of cool to hear the comparisons." They're also fast friends who talk or text virtually every day. When Big Papi opened the season with the worst slump of his career, some of the most important words of encouragement he heard came from Howard. "That's my dawg right there," Ortiz said. ..."

Ryan Howard's slam truly grand

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May 31

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Where will Ryan Howard rank among the great power hitters in Phillies history?Last night, he continued to argue persuasively for early consideration as one of the finest. Howard, in his 619th major-league game, passed Mike Schmidt (2,404 games) to claim the franchise lead with eight career grand slams. It was one of two home runs that led the Phillies past Washington, 9-6, at Citizens Bank Park."I've seen Frank Howard, I've seen [Harmon] Killebrew," said manager Charlie Manuel, looking back on four decades in baseball. "Of course, I've seen Hank Aaron and [Willie] Mays, [Carl] Yastrzemski . . . all the modern-day power hitters, Howard is as strong as any of them."Howard, 29, managed many ..."

Howard's slam leads Phils over Cardinals

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May 5

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Joe Blanton stepped off the mound, rubbed his sweaty head, and conferred with his infielders and pitching coach. The bases were loaded with Cardinals in the sixth inning last night, and the pitcher seemed close to spoiling his strongest performance of the season. The righthander has pitched many strong innings this year, but a handful of horrific ones left him with an 8.41 earned average and a 0-2 record. But with three on and one out in the sixth last night, Blanton induced a strikeout and a groundout, and the Phillies went on to defeat St. Louis, 6-1, at Busch Stadium, with the help of a Ryan Howard grand slam in the fifth inning. Blanton allowed only one run on four hits in six innings. ..."

Phillies slugger Howard wants to be All-Star in hometown of St. Louis

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May 5

Philadelphia Daily News

"Albert Pujols plays for the Cardinals. Ryan Howard grew up in the St. Louis area as a fan of the team. They are two of the most respected hitters in baseball. They are friends and have worked out together in the offseason.But only one can start at first for the National League when the All-Star Game is played at Busch Stadium on July 14.However, Howard said last night, he doesn't consciously try to one-up Pujols."I think both of us just focus on going out there and trying to help our own teams," he explained. "I think it would be overblown to say that we don't get along even though we're both very competitive people."He conceded, however, that he has thought about how much fun it would be ..."

St. Louisan Ryan Howard slims down to tune up his game

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March 26

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"After winning the National League MVP in 2006, Ryan Howard spent a hectic winter building a bigger Ryan Howard brand. But after winning a World Series this past fall, he shrank from the spotlight and spent a quiet winter building a better Ryan Howard. He figured less of him would mean more from him. The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman and St. Louis native reported to spring training visibly leaner and more agile, but no less powerful. He cranked his sixth homer of the spring off Adam Wainwright last Friday, and he was tied Wednesday with the Cardinals' Ryan Ludwick for the Grapefruit League lead with 16 RBIs. The shape-shifting this offseason was not about March production. He wanted ..."

Howard waits for questions on steroid use

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February 14

Camden Courier-Post

"As soon as he got the news last weekend that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, Ryan Howard knew what was coming next. "I was like, here we go. I'll be answering questions," the Phillies' slugger said. "We all will." But Howard will get more than most. As the reigning major-league home-run champ -- and the most prolific power hitter of the past three seasons -- he figures to hear the "S" word often during spring training as Major League Baseball grapples with another steroids scandal. Howard, who leads the majors with 153 homers and 431 RBIs since 2006 and reached the 150-homer mark faster than any player, is widely considered to be steroid-free. But Rodriguez wasn't ..."

A slimmer Howard ready to go

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February 14

Camden Courier-Post

"The smile, that familiar cheeky grin, hadn't changed. Neither had the playful barbs aimed at the assembled reporters. But something was very different Friday as Ryan Howard walked through the Phillies' spring-training clubhouse. If Howard got fat this winter, it only was in his wallet. "Jared, my boy, shout out," Howard said, referring to noted weight-loss guru and fellow Subway pitchman Jared Fogle. "I got to see him down here during the Super Bowl. He definitely was complimenting me a little bit." But Howard didn't lose 20 pounds by eating footlong sandwiches. After celebrating a World Series championship for nearly two months with family and friends, he left the house he recently built ..."

Phillies' Howard gets back to work

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February 14

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Over the last four years, Ryan Howard has won everything except a Grammy.Rookie of the Year. Most Valuable Player. Home-run and RBI championships twice each.And, of course, a World Series ring.All this helped Howard land a three-year, $54 million contract from the Phillies earlier this week.How does someone who has done so much stay hungry?"I show up in Tampa on Jan. 5 after we won a World Series,20 pounds, and come out here and just work," Howard said yesterday after a workout at Bright House Field.The 29-year-old slugger appeared at a news conference to make his first public remarks since avoiding salary arbitration and signing his new contract.The Phillies and Howard had failed to reach ..."

A (HR) king's ransom

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February 9

Camden Courier-Post

"On the day he finally signed a multiyear contract with the Phillies, a day many people predicted would never come, Ryan Howard missed the press conference. He was too busy working out. Howard, the strapping first baseman and feared slugger, has been training since Jan. 5 at an exclusive resort in Tampa, Fla., and honing his defense for two weeks with new coach Sam Perlozzo. So, after avoiding arbitration Sunday by agreeing to a three-year, $54 million contract that will make him the Phillies' highest-paid player, Howard passed a physical in Clearwater and got back to work. "Ryan wants to be a complete player," Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said at Citizens Bank Park. "He's ..."

Ryan Howard's big deal

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February 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"With or without the new contract he signed yesterday, Ryan Howard was going to be with the Phillies through 2011. Look at it that way and his big deal - $54 million over three years - doesn't seem like such a big deal, at least to Phillies fans. This contract means a lot more, to Howard and to the team and to the fans, than the numbers after the dollar signs. There is more meaning between the lines than in the legalese hammered out by general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and agent Casey Close. The Phillies could have controlled Howard's rights for three more seasons, paying him year by year according to the potentially divisive arbitration process. Either way, Howard would have been at ..."

Howard signs for three years, $54 million

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February 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was always optimistic.Even with much of the baseball world predicting that the club and slugger Ryan Howard would head back to the arbitrator's table for another salary showdown this winter, Amaro believed the two sides could reach a negotiated settlement and come away sporting big smiles.It didn't matter that the parties, after painstaking negotiations, could not agree on a deal in the previous two years.Amaro just had a good feeling, and it kept growing until a few days ago when "we got to the point where I was confident we had an atmosphere to get it done," he said.Today , Howard passed a physical examination in Clearwater, Fla., and signed a ..."

Phillies, Ryan Howard agree to $54M contract

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February 8

LehighValleyLive.com

"The World Champion Phillies today agreed on a three-year, $54 million contract with slugger Ryan Howard. Howard, who led the majors in homers and RBIs the last three seasons, had been scheduled to have a salary arbitration hearing late this week. The hearing will no longer be needed.

Howard had sought $18 million in arbitration, while the Phils offered $14 million. The average annual value of his new deal is $18 million."

Howard agrees to three-year, $54 million contract

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February 8

MLB.com

"There will be no salary arbitration hearing later this week between the Phillies and Ryan Howard. On Sunday, the Phillies and Howard reached an agreement on a three-year, $54 million contract. The deal buys out the remaining three years of Howard's salary arbitration eligibility, which means financial security for Howard and cost certainty for the Phillies. It means no more worries of possibly contentious talks at the arbitration table. It means Howard can show up to Spring Training the next three years and focus on baseball. It means Howard won't have to worry about another contract until after the 2011 season, when he becomes a free agent. "I'm happy to have this done and to know that ..."

Phils hopeful of avoiding Howard arbitration

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February 2

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Salary arbitration hearings are scheduled to begin today in Phoenix, but the Phillies and Ryan Howard still have time to strike a deal before heading to the table.The date of Howard's hearing has been a closely guarded secret, but people with knowledge of the schedule have indicated it will take place during the second week of hearings - Feb. 9-13.Hearings run through Feb. 20.Howard, who led the majors in homers (153) and RBIs (431) over the last three seasons, is seeking a 2009 salary of $18 million. The Phillies have offered $14 million, a raise of $4 million over the $10 million Howard won in salary arbitration last year.If an agreement is not reached, an arbitration panel will listen ..."

Howard appraisal could land anywhere

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January 26

Camden Courier-Post

"Maury Brown makes his living crunching numbers, studying trends and analyzing the business of sports, particularly baseball. For Brown, salary arbitration season can be as compelling as the World Series. Surely, then, he knows how Ryan Howard's latest salary saga will turn out. "I think it could go either way," Brown told The News Journal in a phone interview Sunday. "It's awfully close. I'd die to be a fly on the wall for this one." Howard, the first baseman with unprecedented power numbers, filed an $18 million salary request for 2009, the third-highest figure exchanged in arbitration. The Phillies countered with a $14 million offer they consider equitable given Howard's limited major ..."

Can Phils afford Howard?

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January 24

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Martin Frank

"Enjoy him while you can because the clock on Ryan Howard's time in Philadelphia is ticking away. In all likelihood, he's got no more than three years left in red pinstripes. Beyond that, Howard seems headed for a $200 million-plus payday once he hits free agency. And there are only a handful of teams who will be willing to pay that money. The Phillies aren't one of them. That becomes clear with every season Howard goes to arbitration and exchanges astronomical figures with the Phillies. Last season, he became the first player to get $10 million in his first season of arbitration. This season, he's trying for $18 million. The Phillies countered with $14 million. At this rate, Howard could ..."

Howard won't hit paydirt as a Phil

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January 23

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Martin Frank

"Enjoy him while you can, because the clock on Ryan Howard's time in Philadelphia is ticking away. In all likelihood, he's got no more than three years left in the red pinstripes. Beyond that, Howard seems headed for a $200 million-plus payday once he hits free agency. And there are only a handful of teams who will be willing to pay that kind of money. The Phillies aren't one of them. That becomes clear with every season Howard goes to arbitration and exchanges astronomical figures with the Phillies. Last season, he became the first player to get $10 million in his first season of arbitration. This season, he's trying for $18 million. The Phillies countered with $14 million. At this rate, ..."

Howard's wish list: $18 million

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January 21

Wilmington News Journal

"Ruben Amaro Jr. chuckled Tuesday night when asked for his reaction to Ryan Howard's 2009 salary demand. "It's a very high number," the Phillies' general manager said. Uh, yeah. Howard, baseball's most prodigious slugger, met the deadline to exchange salary arbitration figures with the Phillies by submitting an $18 million request, the third-highest turned in since the arbitration process began in 1974. The Phillies countered with an offer of $14 million. Last year, the Phils and Howard weren't able to reach a settlement after submitting figures that were $3 million apart. The case went to a hearing, and Howard won a record $10 million award. Bet on the sides going to another hearing. "It's ..."

Howard asks for $18 million in arbitration

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January 21

Camden Courier-Post

"Ruben Amaro Jr. chuckled Tuesday night when asked for his reaction to Ryan Howard's 2009 salary demand. "It's a very high number," the Phillies' general manager said. Uh, yeah. Howard, baseball's most prodigious slugger, met the deadline to exchange salary arbitration figures with the Phillies by submitting an $18 million request, the third-highest turned in since the arbitration process began in 1974. The Phillies countered with a $14 million offer. Last year, the Phils and Howard weren't able to reach a settlement after submitting figures that were $3 million apart. The case went to a hearing, and Howard won a record $10 million award. Bet on the sides going to another hearing. "It's not ..."

Howard seeking $18M in arbitration

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January 20

MLB.com

"Last year, when Ryan Howard went into the arbitration hearings, he wound up winning big with a record-tying $10 million salary for the 2008 season. This year -- arbitration hearing or not -- he'll rake in an even bigger prize. Figures were exchanged between clubs and their remaining arbitration-eligible players on Tuesday, and Howard, fresh off winning the home run and RBI crown for the second straight year, has asked for $18 million. The Phillies, however, have offered $14 million. The suggested salary by Howard is the third-highest figure submitted since the arbitration process began in 1974. But Howard is a special player. In just his fifth year in the Major Leagues, the 29-year-old ..."

Setting the salary bar on Howard

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December 28

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Scott Lauber

"Good news for the Phillies: Mark Teixeira is staying in the American League. Bad news for the Phillies: Teixeira has helped set the salary bar for Ryan Howard. Last week, while the rest of baseball snoozed on the eve of Christmas Eve, the New York Yankees reached deeper into their endlessly deep pockets and agreed to an eight-year, $180 million contract with Teixeira, the prized slugger on the free-agent market. Somewhere in St. Louis, Howard chuckled. Next month, maybe as soon as Jan. 5, Howard will file for salary arbitration. By Jan. 19, his agent will exchange 2009 salary figures with the Phillies. If last year is any barometer, the sides won't be close. And while they try to reach a ..."

Ryan Howard congratulates St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols on MVP

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November 18

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard had a tight but telling take on the hitter who won the National League MVP ahead of him this season. "Albert is Albert," Howard said. Albert is Albert Pujols, and Pujols is the NL MVP for the second time in his career after beating out Howard, 369 points to 308, in a vote of the baseball writers announced Monday. Pujols received 18 first-place votes to Howard's 12, and Pujols was the only name mentioned on all 32 ballots. Howard, who led the majors with 48 home runs and 146 RBIs, was voted 10th on one ballot and did not appear at all on another. The Philadelphia slugger, a Lafayette High alum, had plenty of power to support his candidacy for ..."

Howard, Hamels may be hard to lock up

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November 9

PhillyBurbs.com

"The Phillies know who and why. The what, when and where - and especially how - is another story. But at some point Phillies management is optimistic it'll get superstar first baseman Ryan Howard and No. 1 starter Cole Hamels signed to longterm contracts. "We want to keep 'em," said team president David Montgomery earlier this week. "That's never been a question. I remain confident that somewhere along the road we're going to get them signed past their arbitration years." The good news is the Phillies do have time on their side with free agency not an option for Howard until after the 2011 season and Hamels after 2012. What definitely is a major concern though is neither player has yet to ..."

Howard holds off responding to Garza slight

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October 25

Camden Courier-Post

"Most pitchers have thought about it, but Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Matt Garza actually said it. Pitching against a National League lineup -- without the designated hitter -- is easier than facing an American League lineup. Ryan Howard isn't insulted. "I'm not going to get into the hoopla of talking back and forth," Howard, the Phillies' first baseman, said Friday after taking batting practice at Citizens Bank Park. "He's supposed to be confident. But there's a reason why you go out and play the game." Garza will start for the Rays tonight in Game 3 of the World Series. During his pre-start press conference Thursday, he said facing the Phillies would be easier than facing the Boston Red ..."

Manuel On Howard: I Think I'll Keep Him

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October 24

Tampa Tribune

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