Michael Young Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Yankees and More Interested in 3B

Philadelphia Phillies star Michael Young is drawing interested from around the majors due to his ability to play several different positions. Expect the veteran to continue to receive a ton of interest heading towards the July 31 trade deadline.

 

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Jonathan Papelbon Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Phillies Closer

Jonathan Papelbon is enjoying another productive season out of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen. As one of the league’s best closers over the past eight seasons, he’s the type of pitcher that every manager wants to stabilize the game in late-inning situations.

Given his track record and the Phillies’ unstable playoff hopes due to a lackluster first half, it’s not shocking to see his name pop up in trade talk. Reliable bullpen arms, especially those with closing experience, are a valued commodity.

Papelbon falls into that category. He’s tallied 20 saves this season while posting a 2.21 ERA and a terrific 0.87 WHIP. His decreased strikeout rate is a concern, but it’s at least partially offset by the fact he’s done well to limit walks, with six in 36.2 innings.

Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. hasn’t lent any credence to the talk surrounding Papelbon, but Jayson Stark of ESPN reported that executives around the league believe the club is actively shopping him.

“They’re talking to Boston and Detroit [about Papelbon] right now,” an exec of one team said. “They may not say they are, but I know they are.”

Said another: “Don’t be surprised if you see Papelbon end up in Detroit. If the Tigers have a chance to get the closer they need, they won’t let [a big asking price] stand in the way. So if you’re Ruben, how can you not do that if the Tigers step up the way I think they’re about to step up?”

The comments from rival executives speak to one of the most important things to understand about the trade deadline. What teams are saying publicly and what’s going on behind the scenes are often two completely different things.

General managers must keep their plans behind closed doors or risk losing key bargaining power in negotiations. If other teams knew the Phillies were trying to move Papelbon, it would be hard to ask for top dollar on the market.

This leads to a report from Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, who states that rival scouts and executives believe that Papelbon will be traded or heavily shopped around the league, at the very least. The return value could be the tipping point.

As for Papelbon, the Phils could hold onto him for next year, but rivals see too much of a need for bullpen help among contenders like Detroit and Boston. “Someone is going to offer them a lot for Pap,” said one rival exec.

That jives with what Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is hearing. While teams like the Boston Red Sox, Papelbon’s former club, and the Detroit Tigers are lurking, the Phillies are going to ask for a king’s ransom in return.

As for Lee and Papelbon, multiple teams will come calling no matter what the Phillies’ message is. The Red Sox and Tigers, in particular, are expected to be in the market for a closer. Lee holds the right to reject trades to 21 of 29 teams, but he made clear in this space his main goal is to pitch for a winner, suggesting he’s open to trade possibilities.

Many teams will be clamoring for Lee and Papelbon, who carry the potential to be the best starter and closer on the market. But it is quite clear at this point: The price tag on either would be astronomical.

In the end, all the reports point toward the same general conclusion. Philadelphia isn’t going to avoid listening to offers for Papelbon or any of their other veteran assets, but the other teams better be willing to pay up for talks to progress.

Amaro is playing it smart by keeping his plans out of the public realm. Whether a realistic offer comes along before the deadline is the biggest question. If not, the Phillies GM seems content keeping his current squad in place.

Everything will play itself out over the next couple of weeks.

 

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Scouting Reports for Philadelphia Phillies Prospects in the 2013 Futures Game

With the All-Star break soon to begin and the Home Run Derby set for July 15, the official halfway mark of the 2013 MLB season is upon us.

While the Mets will host both the Home Run Derby and the July 16 All-Star Game at Citi Field, one event that precedes both marquee festivities and which often flies under the radar is the Futures Game.

Headlined by the best prospects in the minor leagues, the Futures Game presents the best opportunity for the general public to see its favorite teams’ best prospects in action and learn about the future stars of the major leagues.

As is the case for the MLB All-Star Game, each team’s farm system is represented by at least one prospect. Prospect will be placed on either the U.S. or World team rosters, with the latter being host to any international prospects.

For those of you who are interested, the U.S. Team has won eight of the first 14 Futures Games.

Like the rest of baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies farm system has some prospects of its own to showcase to the rest of the baseball world. The Phillies will be represented by one player on each squad. 

For the U.S., top prospect Jesse Biddle will serve as one of two left-handed pitchers on the roster, while third baseman Maikel Franco will be a reserve for the World Team.

Let’s preview each of these prospects and what Phillies and baseball fans will see come Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

 

Jesse Biddle, LHP

Baseball America Preseason Ranks: No. 1 (Phillies system), No. 89 (MLB)

Baseball America Midseason Top 50 MLB Prospects Rank: No. 43

MLB.com Season Ranks: No. 1 (Phillies system), No. 50 (MLB)

Bleacher Report Prospect Pipeline Midseason Top 50 MLB Prospects Rank: “Close Call“

Ever since being drafted with the 27th overall pick in 2010 out of Germantown Friends School, Jesse Biddle has risen through the ranks in both the Phillies organization and around the majors.

Ranked as the team’s eighth-best prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2011 season, Biddle has steadily increased his stock, rising to No. 2 before 2012 and finally to No. 1 in the Phils‘ farm system before this season.

There were some doubts about Biddle’s ability to last as a pitcher, since he had only tossed 33 innings in his junior year of high school and wasn’t especially experienced on the mound. Those concerns have been put to rest, as Biddle has excelled through each of his minor league stages thus far, racking up more strikeouts and lowering his ERA along the way.

The Baseball America 2013 Prospect Handbook likened Biddle to the New York Yankees‘ Andy Pettitte before the season due to his four-pitch arsenal and frame. In particular, Biddle and Pettitte share a three-quarters arm slot that results in strikeouts and weak ground-ball contact. Biddle’s fastball sits at 88-93 mph, while his curveball absolutely drops while ranging from 72 to 75 mph.

While Biddle also throws a changeup, it’s still a work in progress at 78-80 mph—albeit one that continues to improve. Biddle’s slider and two-seam fastball were introduced to him after his start in the Phillies’ system.

His Achilles’ heel is his command, which ranks at 50 on the 20-80 scouting scale. If Biddle can harness his control, he could become at least a No. 2 starter in the Phillies’ rotation.

This season with Double-A Reading, Biddle hasn’t been the luckiest recipient of run support, as he’s 3-8. Nevertheless, he has still managed to post a 3.09 ERA and an average 1.20 WHIP. Biddle has struck out 102 batters over 93.1 innings with opponents batting .200 against him and he has allowed just six home runs on the year.

Biddle made headlines earlier this season when he struck out 16 batters in one outing and had a perfect game through 6.1 innings while hitting a double that was nearly a home run. He has a bright future with the Phillies provided they don’t trade him, and he could find himself as a starting rotation candidate as soon as next spring training.

 

Maikel Franco, 3B

Baseball America Preseason Rank: No. 8 (Phillies system)

MLB.com Season Ranks: No. 3 (Phillies system), No. 96 (MLB)

Bleacher Report Prospect Pipeline Midseason Top 50 MLB Prospects Rank: No. 49

Maikel Franco went as an under-the-radar signing by the Phillies on Jan. 13, 2010. Inked to a $100,000 contract by the Phillies’ director of international scouting, Sal Agostinelli, Franco came out of the Dominican Republic as a relative no-name.

According to the Baseball America Prospect Handbook, he scared off scouts with his lowly 7.7 60-yard dash time, but the Phillies took a flyer on him, thinking he could eventually move to catcher. So far, they have reaped the benefits—and that’s with Franco sticking at the hot corner.

Upon promotion to full-season ball, Franco struggled, hitting just a .123 average at Low-A Lakewood in 2011. However, after being demoted and re-promoted to Lakewood, Franco thrived, batting .280 last year.

He started out the 2013 season in High-A Clearwater and was incredibly successful, batting .299 with a .925 OPS, 16 home runs and 52 RBI in 65 games. After his tremendous play, Franco earned a swift promotion to Double-A Reading where he began making a well-known name throughout the minors.

In 18 games in Double-A so far, Franco has been absolutely sensational. He’s batting .413 with a 1.128 OPS, five home runs and 15 RBI. Both his OBP and SLG have soared. Granted, it’s a small sample size, but Franco has done nothing but impress in 2013.

Franco’s swing is a bit unorthodox in that he has a lot of unnecessary slight movements before he actually swings the bat, making the process longer than it should be. Baseball America rates his running on the 20-80 scale at 20, as was evidenced by his 60-yard dash split.

Nevertheless, his glove ability is well above-average, and his arm is arguably his strongest attribute.

Franco can definitely hit, but once he masters seeing and hitting off-speed pitching, he could project into a very good power-hitting third baseman—if not a corner infielder at the very least.

He is certainly giving Cody Asche a run for his money as the Phillies’ third baseman of the future, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Asche moved to second base if Franco’s play continues to be this outstanding.

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Jayson Werth: Why Phillies Fans Should Be Ashamed Of Themselves For Booing Him

Ever since Jayson Werth signed with the Washington Nationals in 2010, it has been very hard for me to watch a Phillies-Nats game.

The bearded right fielder made the right decision to sign with Washington, since it was his only realistic choice. However, Phillies’ fans don’t realize that it was his best option, and that has forced me to turn against the Philadelphia fanbase.

How do Phillies’ fans not remember all the good feelings surrounding the former first-round pick of the Orioles after what he did for the Phillies franchise? 

He came to Philadelphia as a bench player in 2007 and was an NL All-Star by 2009.

Can Werth’s 87 home runs from 2008-10 just be forgotten?

The man who had an on-base percentage of .375 for his last three seasons in Philadelphia is going to be omitted from the Phillies’ all-time great memories?

It makes me sick to my stomach hearing Phillies PA announcer Dan Baker’s voice followed by an echoing of boos when Werth steps to the plate at Citizens Bank Park.

Werth should be honored in every Phillies’ highlight video from 2008 and 2009 for his playoff heroics alone.

As the Phillies’ No. 5 hitter in the 2008 postseason, Werth helped win the franchise’s second World Series behind his .309 average, including a .444 average in the World Series.

His historic 2009 postseason should not be ignored, as it unfortunately has been by most Phillies fans. Werth slugged seven home runs in 15 postseason games and was a star in the NLDS against Colorado by driving in the go-ahead run in Game 4 at Coors Field.

Fast forward to December 2010, where Werth was just coming off a season in which he finished eighth in the NL MVP voting. The Phillies, who had their hearts and budget set on Cliff Lee, offered their stellar slugger an insulting deal of $60 million over four years.

With an aging core, the Phillies’ window to win was quickly closing with injuries sure to eventually catch up with them.

Werth was given an important free-agency choice which would shape the rest of his career.

The Phillies’ short offer of four years for $60 million was the worst possible option that the veteran outfielder could have hoped for from the team that he had helped make an annual NL East contender.

When the up-and-coming Nationals gave Werth a contract that he simply could not refuse, he made the correct decision and moved to the nation’s capital.

A Nationals team that would eventually play young studs such as Jordan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper all in their primes all but guaranteed that Werth would soon be on another winning team.

Three more years of job security and $66 million more didn’t hurt either.

Werth absolutely made the right decision after his former management in Philly failed to recognize the importance of his role toward the Phillies’ success.

Phillies’ fans have nobody else to blame other than a disrespectful Phillies’ front office and an opportunistic Nationals’ front office for the departure of their former right fielder.

I am ashamed to be a part of this fanbase when fellow Phillies fans boo one of their best players from their franchise’s prime years.

Werth should be remembered as nothing less than a modern day legend, Phillies fans.

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5 Reasons the Phillies Are Right in Becoming Buyers at the Trade Deadline

It seems like Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Philadelphia Phillies should have been sellers all season, but things are changing in the City of Brotherly Love.

Ever since Amaro announced that Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon weren’t up for sale, fans and analysts (including myself) have questioned his decision. Not anymore.

The Phillies are starting to look like legitimate buyers who could make a late-season run to make the postseason, and here’s why.

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An Open Letter to Ruben Amaro Jr. to Commit to Phillies Fire Sale

Dear Mr. Amaro Jr.,

First off, congratulations!

You’ve had a nice little run as a key decision-maker for the Philadelphia Phillies, a team you’ve been an executive with since 1998. You served as assistant general manager until 2008, at which point not only did your team win it all, but you were promoted to general manager.

You even managed to make a few blockbusters of your own since taking over for Pat Gillick. Some of them worked out well enough, like the trades for Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. The deal for Roy Oswalt? That wasn’t so bad either. That Hunter Pence trade helped at the time, too.

Many of the bigger, more recent moves, though, have been questionable transactions at best.

Like inking Ryan Howard to a $125 million extension when you didn’t have to or giving Jonathan Papelbon $50 million to pitch 60 innings a year.

And hate to pile on here, but how’s that $144 million you gave Cole Hamels—he of the 3-11 record and 4.38 ERA—this time last year looking right about now?

Even though they don’t qualify as major moves, let’s not even get into the Young and Young (Delmon and Michael) pickups this year, as you were trying to plug holes in your sinking ship with a little Elmer’s. You had good intentions, no doubt, with all of these, trying to make a championship-winning core better—or at least prolonging the window of opportunity—but a lot of them were a tad shortsighted.

Maybe you were trying to make your own mark after succeeding a Hall of Famer.

Which is why it’s even more important that you don’t lose sight of your position this time.

This year is huge for your future, as well as that of the Philadelphia Phillies. With the club stuck in no man’s land—the Phils are 44-46 and 6.5 games out of a playoff spot entering play Tuesday—you’ve wavered about whether you’re going to buy or sell this month.

But you got hit with a big blow recently when Howard went down with a torn meniscus in his left knee that will require surgery and keep him out up to two months. That might finally push you into the seller bucket.

At least, one would hope.

Not that Howard has been all that great. In fact, that massive extension you gave him kicked in just last season. Meaning through the first part of that deal, Howard has given you a triple-slash line of .244/.307/.445 in two injury-plagued seasons.

Even factoring in the knee problem, that’s not pretty.

That performance actually led you, Mr. Amaro, to call out Howard in a pregame interview show on 94 WIP in Philadelphia:

If Ryan Howard is now relegated to being a platoon player, he’s a very expensive platoon player and he needs to be better. I think he knows it. I know he’s struggling, I know he’s not happy with his performance—neither are we. I think he’s going to be better, but right now, he’s just not doing the job.

Furthermore, it’s fair to question, as Dan Szymborski did for ESPN Insider (subscription required), whether Howard’s contract is a total loss. Already.

But it’s not just Howard. Halladay may miss the rest of the year after finally succumbing in early May to arm and shoulder problems that had plagued him for the better part of a year. Reliever Mike Adams, who was given a two-year deal this offseason, is also very likely gone for the year.

Factor in the ages and contract situations of the core group who was responsible for a World Series title that came five years ago, and, well, it’s a pretty easy decision.

Time to sell, Mr. Amaro.

You seemed to realize this last week when you told CSN Philly, “If we continue to play the way we play sporadically, then I’m going to have to consider being a seller.”

The good news? You’ve got some chips in the cupboard.

There’s Lee, who’s pitching as well as always and who would unquestionably be the top arm on the market, even with the $25 million-a-year price tag that comes with him through 2015. Dealing Lee would not only net some young talent, it would allow you to free up some money to spend elsewhere in the future.

There’s Chase Utley, who’s a free-agent-to-be and recently came back from yet another stint on the disabled list. Trading the guy who was inarguably the heart and soul of the franchise for a decade would be a hard pill to swallow, but it’s better than letting him walk away at season’s end for nothing. Especially when Utley’s still hitting extremely well and could command a solid return.

There’s Papelbon, who’s a luxury you simply cannot afford. He’s a high-priced closer on a sub-.500 team that’s been headed in the wrong direction for a few years now. The $13 million a year he’s owed through at least 2015 will make him a tad tougher to trade, but it’s a down reliever market and there are some teams desperate enough for a closer (cough, Detroit, cough) to take that contract off your hands.

Lord knows, with more than $80 million still going into Howard’s bank account through 2016, you’ll need it.

There are others, too, like right-hander Kyle Kendrick, who would help a team in need of a mid-rotation arm. Then there’s the Young boys, with Michael capable of being a utility player or injury replacement at multiple spots and, hey, Delmon has that spiffy postseason résumé that might entice a contender.

Another key factor here is that there just aren’t many teams in sell mode yet, with maybe a handful of clubs ready to cash in their chips.

Mr. Amaro, if you get in there sooner or later—like now—you could make some real headway toward rebuilding the Phillies and restoring them to the team that was among the best in baseball over the past decade.

Beyond that, you’ll open up spots for younger players to prove themselves.

You’ve got Darin Ruf, who can get a look at first base while Howard is out. And Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez can handle second base if you move Utley. Third basemen Cody Asche and Maikel Franco aren’t far off, especially once you clear Michael Young out of the way. Tommy Joseph, whom you got from the Giants last July for Pence, could be your catcher of the future.

And in the rotation, it’s time to see if lefties Jesse Biddle and Adam Morgan as well as righties Tyler Cloyd and Ethan Martin can make like Jonathan Pettibone and join Hamels.

So, Mr. Amaro, you’re the decision-maker here. It’s time to decide.

If you’re still not sure what to do, well, here’s a hint:

The writing’s on the wall, and it reads “Sell.”

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Ryan Howard Injury: How Slugger’s Absence Will Affect Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost the services of first baseman Ryan Howard for the next couple of months, but just how badly will that shake things up on the team?

As surprising as it may sound, Howard’s absence won’t make as big of an impact on the Phillies as it would have a few years ago.

After being put on the disabled list on July 6 for a sore knee, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com tweeted that Howard’s injury was more severe than just inflammation.

Had this happened a few years ago, it would have been another devastating loss for the team.  However, things have certainly changed the past couple of seasons.

His 2012 season may have been a short one due to injury, but when Howard played, it wasn’t pretty.  He was batting .219 with an on-base percentage of only .295—the lowest marks of his career. 

Before his injury this season, it wasn’t very pretty either.  He was batting .266, but his OBP was only at .319, where he was near the .350 mark or above the majority of his career.

So what’s been the big problem the past two seasons for Howard? 

Strikeouts.

The 2004 and 2007 seasons were pretty bad ones for Howard in regards to striking out, as he fanned in over 30 percent of his plate appearances.  He had gotten that percentage down to the mid-20s from 2008 to 2011, but it went back up to 33.9 percent in 2012 and was still at 33 percent this year before the injury.

His plate discipline explains as to why he’s striking out so much the past couple of seasons.  Howard swung at 37 percent of pitches to him outside of the strike zone last season. That number isn’t that much better this year, with Howard swinging at 33.8 percent of those pitches in the zone.

The most concerning number regarding Howard has been his lack of contact this season.  Over his career, Howard has made contact on 67 percent of balls he has swung at, but this year, he has only made contact on 65.1 percent of pitches to him. 

While that doesn’t sound like a lot, two percent can make a big difference in baseball.

The bottom line is that Howard, for the most part, has been dispensable for the Phillies the past two years.  His wins above replacement, or WAR, was minus-1.1 in 2012, and is only at 0.3 this year.

Gone are the days of 4.4 (2009) and 5.8 (2006) WAR ratings for Howard, folks.

Kevin Frandsen has become a player the Phillies have relied on to be a backup for others, playing seven games at first base, eight at second and four at third.

In his 110 plate appearances, Frandsen has batted .280 and drove in 15 runs.  They aren’t eye-popping numbers, but he’s come in and made the most of opportunities.

Oh, and his strikeout percentage is only at 10 percent.

The Phillies could use Frandsen from time to time during the next month or two, or they could go with a guy who hasn’t seem a lot of time in the majors, Darin Ruf.

It seems the Phillies are also eager to give Ruf a shot at first base.  He’s done fine in the minor leagues this season, hitting .266 with seven homers and driving in 46 runs in 349 plate appearances. He also hit 38 home runs at Double-A Reading during the 2012 season, breaking Howard’s double-A record for the team in the process.

Add the options at first base with a pretty strong cast of players in Chase Utley, Dominic Brown and Jimmy Rollins, and you have a bit of pop in the Phillies’ batting order.

A 44-46 record puts the Phillies 7.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, but the season isn’t over yet.  Fans will miss Howard and the excitement he brings to the field, but at the end of the day, this team should be just fine without its 33-year-old first baseman.

 

Note: All statistics, unless otherwise noted, were provided by FanGraphs.com.

Follow @T_Brookey

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Philadelphia Phillies Trade Deadline Strategy Blueprint: Pull Triggers Wisely

“Trade everybody!” the masses cry.

“Blow it up!” say the fantasy baseball aficionados who pull the plug on every season that does not find them in first place on June 1.

“Clean house!” bleat the disillusioned, disenfranchised Phillies fans who, after being absurdly spoiled by five straight division titles, a world championship and a pennant they found disappointing, want to win again—NOW.

Yeah, well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble…but it doesn’t work that way.

This morning in my office one of my colleagues was insistent that the Phillies need to deal Jonathan Papelbon to the closer-starved Detroit Tigers for uber-prospect Nick Castellanos. “You put him right in at third base,” he said.

I don’t mean to pick on my colleague. To be fair to him, this is what passes for “analysis” on sports talk radio and in many media outlets. Find a team with a need, match it with something you have, pick out their best prospect and there’s your deal.

Again, it is just not that easy.

As I pointed out to my co-worker, the Tigers know what they have in Castellanos. They know he is a terrific young player with enormous upside who just happens to be stuck in an organization where Miguel Cabrera plays third base and Prince Fielder plays first base.

It is no coincidence that Castellanos has spent all of 2013 in the outfield.

Regardless, just saying “Papelbon for Castellanos straight up” is not a trading deadline strategy. It’s a pipe dream.

Because, as I reminded my colleague today, 30 other teams outside Philadelphia have a shot to trade for Castellanos (if he is even available), and at least 20 of them need him as badly as the Phillies do.

All of the foregoing is a somewhat protracted means of breaking Rule No. 1 of sports writing, which is not to bury the lede, which is this: the Phillies should only start trading off players at the deadline as a last resort.

And it is not because there is a great hope that the Phillies will sneak into the playoffs. As of this writing, it took them a spurt of five wins in seven games just to climb back to within two games of .500.

Rather, it is because, if we are being honest with ourselves, the pieces the Phillies have to trade are just not particularly apt to fetch the likes of Castellanos in a deadline deal.

Cliff Lee would probably bring the biggest haul. But there are still two more years, $50 million and a reachable $27.5 million vesting option for 2016 left on his deal.

Any team that trades for Lee is going to figure that sopping up all that cash is more than ample consideration and is thus unlikely to part with great prospects too.

To a lesser degree, that is the story with Papelbon, too. He is a “proven” closer, but his earned run average keeps creeping up, as does the number of blown saves.

Will some other team really absorb that contract (at least two more seasons at $13 million per) and come across with great young players? Come on.

Beyond those two, it gets really murky.

What is the value of 70 games of Chase Utley or Michael Young or Carlos Ruiz? The days of “Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz” are long gone in a savvier baseball era like today.

Will you really be all that happy if the Phillies trade local legend Utley for a “kinda maybe” prospect who ends up out of baseball in three seasons? Of course you won’t.

Ultimately, then, the Phillies should hold this group together as long as possible, up to hours before the deadline if the circumstances dictate.

Not because the team they have is great (it’s not) but because the haul they are in line to get in trade is even less valuable than a probably damned chase for the National League East crown—a division where 87 wins just might be enough.

Whether Utley and Young and Ruiz are traded or just not re-signed, their money comes off the books either way. It can (should) be spent on younger, better players in the offseason.

So unless a Castellanos, or a Mike Olt or a Jameson Taillon falls into the Phillies’ lap, the wisest course is probably just to see this season through with the team they have.

Patience, like baseball, is supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it.

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MLB Picks: Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are 7-3 in their last 10 home games versus right-handed starters, which is important to consider when making your MLB picks Monday, when they open up a four-game series against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on ESPN.

Courtesy of SBR Forum, the Phillies are plus-105 underdogs in the pro baseball odds, with the total sitting at nine in the market.

Let’s take a closer look at this National League East matchup from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction along the way.

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Ryan Howard Injury: Updates on Phillies Star’s Knee

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has a meniscus tear and will miss six to eight weeks, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

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