How Howard Can Get Repaired

[jvett77]

Howard knows that he has a problem. Advice from a dozen people won't help him. Going to the batting cage daily is a waste of time. The only way he can work it out is to admit that he's lost at the plate and demote himself to triple A where he could spend a few weeks bashing balls at a lower level.

He'd likely rediscover his batting stance and natural swing. Ryno and the coaches should demand that Howard do this. He'd likely agree to it. And while he's down there, Franco could come up and get a taste of the real world. This is probably too simple for the front office to understand but it's only common sense.

 

[Retroram52]

I like that scenario jvett and in the Atlanta series, the announcers were discussing this very topic and you are spot on. He knows he has a problem and he is stuck. Plus he is not getting any younger. That contract is so bad that we are going have to endure this for two more years.

Perhaps he just needs to get away from the pressure-cooker that is Phily for awhile and work on his technique. As you stated, Franco could then come up and we could get yet another younger player started.

 

[Davis_Mike]

Go back to a period prior to PED testing & penalties. It's not a coincidence that his numbers started taking a nosedive in 2010 after the testing was strengthened & more drugs added to the list.

In other words, he is done. He can't stay healthy. He will be 35 here shortly. I just don't see him being anything more than a DH or platoon 1B anymore.

The best thing Philly can do is eat 75% of the money owed to him & trade him to an AL team for a lower level fringe prospect & hope you get lucky in 2 years.

 

[jvett77]

Go back to a period prior to PED testing & penalties. It's not a coincidence that his numbers started taking a nosedive in 2010 after the testing was strengthened & more drugs added to the list.

In other words, he is done. He can't stay healthy. He will be 35 here shortly. I just don't see him being anything more than a DH or platoon 1B anymore.

I think Howard is reasonably healthy. He runs the bases OK (when he ever gets on). I hadn't thought much about Howard and PEDs. There were never any rumors about it.

 

[fordman84]

Howard knows that he has a problem. Advice from a dozen people won't help him. Going to the batting cage daily is a waste of time. The only way he can work it out is to admit that he's lost at the plate and demote himself to triple A where he could spend a few weeks bashing balls at a lower level.

He'd likely rediscover his batting stance and natural swing. Ryno and the coaches should demand that Howard do this. He'd likely agree to it. And while he's down there, Franco could come up and get a taste of the real world. This is probably too simple for the front office to understand but it's only common sense.

Not sure he would accept a AAA demotion, so I think the only way to fix him is to do the ultimate humiliation and cut him. Force him to address the issues. I'm sure someone would scoop him up and think they could fix him, but if he bombed out for them then he would be on the path of having to prove to a third team he can still play. THAT is when he gets serious about things and would be willing to listen to help.

Not saying he doesn't want to fix whatever is wrong, but some people just have to be broken down before things sink in.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea fordman and Davis Mike, those are excellent points because right now, the 800lb elephant in the room is an aging, pedestrian first baseman that can no longer hit and the Phillies are going to have either cut him or send him down to bring in what we need. They are going to have to eat a goodly portion of that contract because nobody in baseball in their right mind wants any part of it.

 

[Progeriakid]

Unfortunately he's on the wrong side of 30 and is to bone headed to accept that something is wrong and try to correct it. The PEDS point really is something to shake your head at, it makes sense, just because he was never linked to any PEDS issues in the past doesn't mean he wasn't on them and just never got caught. Most big men when they begin to decline it's very very ugly as they deteriorate very fast, it's not a pretty sight as we have seen. The odds of him figuring it out and fixing his defeciencies in his form, swing, etc are very very low. Seems as though a cut is on the horizon, saw on CSN this morning that if Howard is in clearwater next spring it's a miracle, his days in philly are numbered!

 

[jvett77]

Not sure he would accept a AAA demotion, so I think the only way to fix him is to do the ultimate humiliation and cut him. Force him to address the issues. I'm sure someone would scoop him up and think they could fix him, but if he bombed out for them then he would be on the path of having to prove to a third team he can still play. THAT is when he gets serious about things and would be willing to listen to help.

Not saying he doesn't want to fix whatever is wrong, but some people just have to be broken down before things sink in.

I'd rather see him try to work it out by voluntarily going down. They could call it what it really is - a hitting rehab assignment. In fact such things should be more popular in MLB not just following injuries. Guys lose it sometimes then spend weeks on the bench just listening to advice.

 

[Retroram52]

Spot on Progeriakid. Well stated as well!! jvett, I think fordman is closer to reality. Suggesting sending him down is one thing, getting him to do it would be difficult and quite another.

 

[fordman84]

I'd rather see him try to work it out by voluntarily going down. They could call it what it really is - a hitting rehab assignment. In fact such things should be more popular in MLB not just following injuries. Guys lose it sometimes then spend weeks on the bench just listening to advice.

Yup. If he really wants to help the team, he would do that. It would show, even if it didn't help that much, that at least he is out there doing anything asked of him.

Getting a pro ballplayer to do it is another story, though.

 

[Macho Row]

Buy him out. He's done.

I have done my best holding out hope he could regain some of his old form, but he's cooked. His legs are shot. A 34 year old isn't suddenly gonna retool himself.

It's a shame the Phillies held him down for so long, we were robbed of potentially something even greater than what was.

 

[Retroram52]

Yes Macho, that ridiculous albatross of a monstrosity of a contract has walked this guy into a corner he may never emerge from and the next two years are going to be ugly if we keep Howard. Fordman, Davis Mike, and others suggest that cutting him would be possibly the best thing to do to save face for everyone but I doubt Boobens has that kind of understanding.

 

[jvett77]

I like that scenario jvett and in the Atlanta series, the announcers were discussing this very topic and you are spot on. He knows he has a problem and he is stuck. Plus he is not getting any younger. That contract is so bad that we are going have to endure this for two more years.

Perhaps he just needs to get away from the pressure-cooker that is Phily for awhile and work on his technique. As you stated, Franco could then come up and we could get yet another younger player started.

Exactly, retro. And Howard seems like he has the right personality so I think he'd agree to a hitting rehab in AAA ball without an ultimatum. Platooning won't help. They should act now.

 

[Macho Row]

Yes Macho, that ridiculous albatross of a monstrosity of a contract has walked this guy into a corner he may never emerge from and the next two years are going to be ugly if we keep Howard. Fordman, Davis Mike, and others suggest that cutting him would be possibly the best thing to do to save face for everyone but I doubt Boobens has that kind of understanding.

He's gone at the end of the season. It's just a matter of working out the financials.

 

[Macho Row]

Exactly, retro. And Howard seems like he has the right personality so I think he'd agree to a hitting rehab in AAA ball without an ultimatum. Platooning won't help. They should act now.

Going down to AAA solves nothing. It won't help him. It wont clear that contract. Let him play out the rest of the year in the bigs then cut bait.

Ideally he would retire, but he's way too smart for that.

 

[Progeriakid]

I can see Booben cutting him and resigning him to a new team friendly contract! I mean we know Boobens affinity towards signing dudes in their mid 30's who are washed up.

 

[Macho Row]

I can see Booben cutting him and resigning him to a new team friendly contract! I mean we know Boobens affinity towards signing dudes in their mid 30's who are washed up.

So then they'd owe him the old money and new money?

 

[Progeriakid]

So then they'd owe him the old money and new money?

I was being sarcastic but it wouldn't surprise me at all since Booben is braindead.

 

[Retroram52]

I could not have stated it better myself, Progeriakid!!

 

[Macho Row]

I was being sarcastic but it wouldn't surprise me at all since Booben is braindead.

What makes him so bad?