There’s an ESPN report about the Phillies front office discussing trading slugger Ryan Howard to the Cardinals for their multiple MVP award winner Albert Pujols.
Many Philles fans have accepted the thinking that Howard will head elsewhere after the 2011 season because the Phillies won’t be able to resign him.¬† I’ve heard reports that Howard would want to head home to the city where he grew up and fell in love with baseball, St. Louis.
There’s also a belief in St. Louis that the Cardinals might not be able to resign Pujols after the 2011 season.¬† He’s expected to ask for a deal to rival the one that was signed by the Yankees Alex Rodriguez of $275 million over 10 years.
It would be a good trade for the Phillies because despite the history-making achievements of Howard, Pujols has been called the greatest hitter of all-time by some serious baseball people.¬† He doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses at the plate and he’s a Gold Glove first baseman.
He is like a machine in the way he torments pitchers.
I believe the Phils would be getting the better of the deal but it wouldn’t be by much.
Howard has put up power numbers over his first four full seasons as a major leaguer which are better than anybody in the hisotry of the sports.¬† He has averaged about 50 home runs and 140 RBI’s in those four years.
The speculation of a blockbuster trade like this one won’t go away quickly because you’ve got two of the biggest names in baseball involved.
Amaro has been asked about it and you can be sure that Charlie Manuel, Howard and Pujols will be asked about it as well Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.
It’s intriguing because it would involve two of the best teams in the National League.
If fact many baseball experts are predicting that the Cardinals and the Phillies will meet in the playoffs and decide which team will represent the National League in the World Series.
We’ll see how all the other parties react to the story when they are approached.
