Phillies risking losing their Werth

by Eric Schwartz

Monday March 29, 2010 

Phillies risking losing their Werth thumbnail

You can call this Operation Save Jayson Werth.

Speculation about the Phillies being unable to retain Werth’s services after this coming season have been going on since Werth established himself All-Star last season. With contracts already given out to Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay, Shane Victorino and company, and the Phillies front office setting a cap to its spending, many fans believe this will be it for Werth in a Phillies uniform.

Of course a lot can happen between now and the start of free agency next season, but if Werth continues to take his game to new levels, the dollars in his next contract will also head north.

More bad news came out this weekend when the New York Post reported that Werth had an hour-long lunch with Yankees Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson. Philly.com is reporting that “The strong implication was that Jackson was doing some early recruiting since Werth can be a free agent at the end of the season.”

As if the Yankees need to recruit. Their method of recruiting involves hiring a truck driver to unload a U-Haul full of cash at a free agents door. That type of negotiation tactic speaks for itself.

For his part, Werth said that Jackson is an old family friend and that the two were just catching up.

I believe him.

But that won’t stop the rumors that will persist throughout the season, particularly if Werth puts up monster numbers again.

I understand that the Phillies  have a budget and plan to stick to it. I also understand they sell out home stand after home stand. If they want to charge $7 for a beer, the least they can do is put some of that money into a “Save Jayson Werth Fund.”

If Werth hits the open market the Yankees, Red Sox and whoever else is in need of, and can afford, a guy who hits over 30 home runs and has a strong arm in the outfield will come calling.

As much as it pains me to say it, this is the time for the Phillies to take after the Yankees. Just open up that check book baby.

Werth’s value is only going to get higher and fans shouldn’t be forced to cringe every time he has a two-homer game, knowing that it just became even harder to re-sign him.

Filed Under Phillies

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