Phillies Nation

53 Responses to “Phillies, Victorino Agree To 1-Year Deal”

1. Jason B. Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

   I honestly think that Vic is unrivaled defensivly, and his offense is coming around. Good signing, although I would have liked to see a few more years added to tis deal.

2. Russ Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:30 pm

   Hopefully we can lock in the Flyin’ Hawaiian for a longer term deal after 2009.

3. Steve Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pm

   Does Vic have just one year of arbitration left?

4. Andrew Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pm

   I was hoping Vic would get more than just one year. He is a huge energy boost to the lineup, and one of the only speedsters we have on the team.

5. JohnKruksLoveChild Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:40 pm

   Every signed player reduces my post season heart attack factor. If only they had thrown in some SPAM wrapped in seaweed, could have had Vic for two more years, no questions asked.

6. Brooks Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:49 pm

   Well, he is signed, that is the important thing.
   If Shane keeps on improving (which he has each year he has played), I hope the Phils can ink him to at least a 3 perhaps 4 year deal and I figure the deal will cost them a lot more money then than now.

7. Manny Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:53 pm

   It’s a good one-year deal. $3M for one of the best outfielders in the game… I’ll take it! Would definitely like to see him with a long term deal, but oh well… that could still happen later in ‘09.

   Now: WERTH. 3-4 years: do it.

8. christopher Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 3:53 pm

   jason his offense is “coming around”? he was the phillies’ best hitter regular season and post season.

   i also would have liked a few more years but it’s still good to see him signed.

9. Doug Says:
   January 20th, 2009 at 4:18 pm

   Great to see the Flyin’ Hawaiian signed. It sounds like a good deal for both parties. Since this was Shane’s first year of arbitration eligibility, there was no need or urgency to sign him for more than one year. This way, the Phils get to see Shane’s continued growth as a player, while he gets a nice bump in salary. He’ll more than likely get locked up for a number of years after the ‘09 or ‘10 season…I look for Werth to get signed for a multi-year deal since he can become a FA after the ‘09 season.

10. Jh Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    nice

11. Griffin Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:22 pm

    Howard has asked for $18 million in arbitration and the Phillies have offered $14.

12. Geoff Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    yeah you know what? 18 million? who does he think he is? ive had enough of that…get him out of here. bring in someone who loves the game of baseball and will bring a positive attitude to the clubhouse….

13. Dennis Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:34 pm

    Howard should be making $20 million a year by now Geoff….
    Remember we wouldn’t have made it through September without him.
    Stop being a hater and give the man his respect!

14. David W Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:36 pm

    Get that money Ryan….lmao

15. Frank Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    Geoff u should stop he leads the majors in homeruns and rbis almost every year since he has been a pro man 18 mil…..look what tex and all the other guys are looking for that cant hit as well as him…and positive attitude he is 1 but nice try

16. Don M Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:40 pm

    He’s going to lose… $18 M is crazy.. for a guy that just about leads the league in errors and strikeouts, along with his HRs and RBIs..

    $14 M is a nice salary.. Im almost positive the Phillies come out ahead with this one guys

17. Frank Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

    Howard wins or he gets 16

18. Geoff Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

    guys..i know how good he is but im so sick and tired of these jackasses trying to hold teams hostage for outrageous money. at this point with howard is it ALL, ALL about money. anyone that cant see that has gotta smell the folgers…

    guys..NO one. no professional athlete in the world deserves 20 million, not A-rod, not tiger woods (even though golf is differnt), not ronaldinho or david beckham or lebron james or kobe bryant. NOBODY is worth that. if he wants that money, fine, go get it somewhere else. if hes causing a fuss over 4 million more than enough already..im sick of it. i laid off this guy during their title run because it was the right thing to do but now his grace period is up and its time to tear into this arrogant jackass.

19. Frank Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

    U would like to have 4 mill more than u get right?? hes just doin his job and that is how baseball pays so y not get what he can ur wrong bro the only thing u r right about is no1 deserves 20 mill but if he can get it than y not im sure u would like it cuse i shore as hell would

20. Rob E Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

    I agree with the Phils winning this one

21. NJ Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    It’s too close to call, the deficiencies in Howard’s game should be in the clubs favour but his numbers and MVP challenge might mean the arbitrators go for the glamour vote and rule in his favour if it goes that far.

    Can anyone else recall Ryan loosing weight and speaking up about his commitment to his team and improving as a player, what happened? Did his dad just tell him to say that? I wish the best for him but he has a ways to go to be paid up their with the cream, I have never seen a supposedly elite slugger get attacked by pitching the amount it happens to Howard.

22. Griffin Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    I wish the arbiters took things like defense and on base percentage into consideration and realized that RBI is an antiquated stat, but alas!

23. Gabriel Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    point. set. match…
    franks right… who in their right mind, or in geoff’s case, right nose (folgers) wouldn’t take more money for doing the same thing they are already doing?
    hi my name’s gabe, i make 1 million a year now, oh wait what? you’ll give me 5 million? that’s okay, i’m a ‘team player’ and will accept the 1!!!
    yea right

24. Richie Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    Okay, Mark Teixiera, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols are not Arb-eligible, they have proven themselves out of their arb years and earned FA type contracts. Until Howard reaches his FA years, he cant compare himself to those guys. Yes, he has had a better first three years than anyone and should be paid more than what they got when they were in those years, but at some point you need to put your greed and selfishness behind like the rest of your teammates and say, ya know what 14 million is a great pay for a fourth yr player like myself and a raise for me and if that is what is affordable in this economy and means that my team can use that extra four on signing another piece to this franchise then so be it. I dont want to hear that is what he deserves, chase deserves more than what he makes and Hamels does as well, they aren’t complaining. You known what pack your bags and hit the road, you wont be playing first base in two years and his eating pace, shit he might not be able to get the bat around quick enough for ML pitching!!!

25. Don M Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

    I wish I had the exact quote from Mitch Williams… but it was something along the lines of whoever present the more outragous offer losses in Arbitration… and he said last year if the Phillies would have offered $8 instead of $7 M.. they would have won.

    I really can’t see Howard gettig awarded $18 M when the Phillies offer $14 M… My belief was that they could still settle at some point before the actual hearings begin??

    ESPN stated that “42 players reached agreements just before the exchange” …leading me to think that’s some kind of deadline.. once the numbers are exchanged do you have to go through with the arbitration hearing?

26. Richie Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    I had enough with this fat waste, he’s done to me. I will “boo” him from opening day on, I can’t wait to see him leave and fail in the AL.

27. Richie Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    No, Don, going from what happened last year I think they have up until the night before to come to a mutual agreement, they are just numbers thrown around from both sides. I think.

28. Gabriel Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    absurd… simply absurd richie…
    the guy is an absolute beast! give him his 18, move him at the deadline to an american league team with awesome young pitching prospects and add some depth to our farm… we have an AWESOME single A level, but the 2A and 3A need some work… slide ibanez to first and have whatever team picks up howard throw in a corner outfielder that hits switch for reasonable power and has speed… think of a somewhat taller shane vic…
    suddenly we’re saving 8 mil a year on ibanez at 1st base and have subsequently restocked our farm in one fell swoop…

29. Manny Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    Apparently Howard is not in the same sync as his teammates… Maybe he just thinks that he’s too special?? $14M is more than enough. Enough with this $18M BS. His demands are simply ridiculous.

    Dennis: Giving him respect does not mean throw money at him. I’ll give him respect once he shows humbleness and learns something from Cole and Co.

30. Geoff Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    I wouldnt hold a team hostage like this because Im not greedy. Theres a difference between negotiating and being a COMPLETE d-bag. Say Im Ryan Howard, Ill say, eh I think im worth 8-9 million this year, they come back at me with 6, well you try to meet in the middle, yes, but you DONT FLIP OUT and demand A-Rod money and cause a scene over a couple of million dollars WHEN YOURE ALREADY FILTHY STINKING RICH…thats called Greed….

31. NJ Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    Nicely said Manny, Howard doesn’t want money so much as he wants the status he gets from his excessive deals. Makes you wonder how he isn’t a Boras client.

32. Manny Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Agree, Geoff.

33. Geoff Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    giving him respect is offering a 4 year deal at 15mm per. thats a little hefty but thats ok for a long term deal…but anything beyond that is pretty ridiculous for a stiff in the field who strikes out too much.

34. Richie Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:06 pm

    Gabriel, let me ask you a question, by beast you mean over-sized, clueless defensively, free-swinging strikeout specialist right?

35. Geoff Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    I agree Manny…

36. Richie Allen Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

    This is why I’m sick of the current system…after a certain point……….
    Good players go directly to the Yanks or Red sox who can afford to overpay them.
    14 mil for him is plenty..Were talkin 14 MILLION PER YEAR.I’m sure you can live on that,what’s another 4 mill extra ,it probably all goes to taxes anyway.

37. Mike B. Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    This is so complicated. On one hand, I appreciate what Howard’s done. I really do. But on the other hand, I’m struggling to pay rent while this guy’s asking for an 80% raise over last year, even though his BA dropped 17 points and his OBP plummeted 53 points. See, in my experience, you don’t GET a raise for doing a worse job without being Lehman Bro’s CEO.

    Viscerally, I do want to pay him. That part of me is tempted to give him that $8 M because he really did step it up for us in September – which is why I think he’ll win arbitration – but then I take a step back and look at his OBP. I’d pay him if he turned in a respectable .276 BA and a .360 OBP like he did in the second half. I just hope that he doesn’t let these contract things go to his head and feel like he has to hit 80 HR just to prove that he was worth the $18 M he asked for. Because that’s when he pulls the ball too much and gets in trouble.

38. Frank Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    What the hell would the Phillies be without Howard think about it…..damb u guys would be pissed if they got rid of him and our offense would be 20 times worse get over it stop sayin u dont want him here cause if he was gone the team would absolutley suck.!!!!!!!!!!!11

39. Justin Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    Everybody honestly complaining about Howard asking for what he’s asking for is as Howard Eskin would say an “idiot”. How many players in MLB baseball are making more money than Howard and do less or slightly more in the power number categories? Not many A-Rod and Pujols may be the only ones with Manny possibly entering the race. Pujols never went to arbitration St. Louis gave him a contract before he reached arbitration. Yea i don’t think you’ll find any person that will say theres a person in the world that deserves 20 mill a season, but when other players are getting it it’s kind of hard not to ask for it. Howard deserves to be in the 14-18 mill range if a player like Teixiera can get it, Tex’s glove may be far superior and so may be his batting average but Howard has the power and the rbis over him. And I gotta agree with Dennis earlier if it wasn’t for Howard we may not have made the playoffs as he single handedly got us there offensively.

    Things could be worse, he could have an agent like Scott Boras and be asking for 20-25 mill this season, he’s not and his parents are keeping him grounded.

40. Don M Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    If it wasn’t for Howard, we don’t make the playoffs last year…. actually the same goes for Jamie Moyer too.

    But Howard is what he is… leads the league in HRs & RBIs/ Erros and Ks…. they need to balance out too… In “win shares” he doesn’t rank anywhere near what the $18 M per season player shoud.

    http://www.hardballtimes.com/thtstats/main/?view=winshares

41. NJ Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    “Things could be worse, he could have an agent like Scott Boras and be asking for 20-25 mill this season, he’s not and his parents are keeping him grounded.”

    Not really… The Boras figure comes next in his free agent years, his daddy is demanding for more than is reasonable for a player in his situation, he might have more power but so does Marcus Thames and Howard’s regressing in many areas of his game including his fundementals at the plate.

42. Don M Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    The problem here is that Howard is asking for such a high amount, that chances are, he won’t get… and then even while getting paid $14 M this season, he’s pissed off and bitter all year…

    I thought the two sides would say $12 M and $15 M and Howard would win the $15 M…..

    He’s got balls asking for $18 M.. and thats fine, I guess its good for him if he gets that much, but he’s not A-Rod, or Pujols… and Soriano, Tex, Carlos Lee, Beltran and whoever else aren’t “worth” anything close to the amount they steal in thier paychecks.

43. Pat Gallen Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    Thank you Mark Teixeira.

44. NJ Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:28 pm

    To those who say Howard got us into the post-season we should appreciate his effort but lets not overstate it, he had one good month and change and had he impacted the team more during the season especially in the teams slump, we would have won an equal amount if not more games.

45. Manny Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    I agree NJ. We couldn’t have gone to the postseason without Howard… but same goes for Utley, Lidge, Hamels, Moyer… should I keep going?

    And Justin…”his parents are keeping him grounded”??? VERY FUNNY.

46. Frank Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    no we couldent have howard light it up in september

47. Georgie Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    Hey Richie, I can’t believe you would actually boo Ryan Howard next year, they’re the World F*ckin’ Champions for Christ sake, what is wrong with you? No wonder Philly fans get a bad rap, that’s just an ignorant statement you made before.

48. christopher Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 8:04 pm

    anyone who boos howard is a buffoon.

49. Whisky Priest Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 8:19 pm

    Another thing to keep in mind is that Howard’s presence probably accounts for an extra 100,000 tickets sold per year (if not more), additional nationwide broadcasting, promotional gear purchased, etc., etc. These are all big bucks, and while they don’t contribute anything to the back of a baseball card, they definitely affect Baby Huey’s value to the Phightin’s

50. Phil Says:
    January 20th, 2009 at 10:15 pm

    Ryan Howard isn’t even the best position player on the Phil’s, let alone the best in baseball. Utley is better than Howard, and you don’t see him trying to get ridiculous amounts of money. He took a modest contract because he just wants to play the game. Utley is a top 10 position player in the game and isn’t making top 10 money.

51. JSmith Says:
    January 21st, 2009 at 12:57 am

    I still think more quality starting pitchers would be smart. We wouldn’t need so many runs if we held teams to only a few. Only problem with great pitching is that most people are not interested. People would much rather see a guy smack a ball out of the park than see strikeouts. That is why Blanton gets my vote. I think Blanton will finish the season with at least 28 homers. You’ll see. The guys a monster.

52. JSmith Says:
    January 21st, 2009 at 12:59 am

    oh yea…..glad to hear about victorino……he deserves every penny.

53. hamels' left hand Says:
    January 21st, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    isn’t it howard’s right to ask for as much as he possibly can?

    his run production numbers over his MLB career are practically without parallel.

    such vitriol here.

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