So a week has gone by and aloud me to wrap my brain around the 7 year $126 million dollar contract that Jayson Werth signed to become a member of the Washington Nationals. When I first found out that Werth would be leaving the Philadelphia Phillies, for Washington, I have to admit, I like many around the Delaware Valley were shocked. Any Phillies fan new this was inevitable though, we had seen the writing on the wall all season long, we knew it was going to take a lot to resign Werth but none of us ever thought that Washington would be the team to swoop in and sign the right fielder.
After careful deliberation, I cannot fault Jayson Werth for taking that contract with the Nationals. Werth was just a mediocre player with a series of injuries who just couldn’t seem to click in the majors, until Phillies GM Pat Gillick took a chance on him after he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007. Werth quickly regained the swing that made him a first round pick in the majors and also displayed the 5 tools that make a superstar player. By signing with the Nationals Werth is set for life, he will be 39 years old when the contract expires and based on how the salary is dispersed he will earn 21 million dollars that year, incredible. The Phillies however did their part to keep the right handed slugger; the figures have been reported at being 4 year with an average annual salary of $16 million a year. Not far off from the 18 million average annual salary, Werth will earn with Washington.
Phillies fans may want to say that he sold out, and was only in if for the money, and I as a fan believe this to an extent. Werth was a huge part of the Phillies success over the past 4 seasons. He was the right handed protection behind Ryan Howard that is so desperately needed in a left handed heavy lineup. If it were me personally I would have taken less money to stay on a team that I am already comfortable with and that I know has a shot at winning the World Series within the next few years. The Phillies fan in me is upset that Werth is gone, but glad that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. didn’t take the big plunge and sign Werth to this kinds of deal. Do we really want a 39 year old Jayson Werth? We see what having 13 million invested in an old Raul Ibanez gets us.
Some people may ask what is Washington thinking, signing a guy like that to that much of a contract. Well I’m going to tell you guys a little story. There once was a team that was stuck in reverse, a consistent last place team for the better part of a decade, much like Washington. They had some good young players coming up the farm system especially one infielder who made an impact on this team his rookie season. So ownership had some money that they were willing to spend, hoping that if they went out and showed that they are willing to spend money, invest in star players, and develop their farm system so that they can change the culture of this team. Sure, it may mean overpaying for an aging superstar, but once they get that guy in the fold, the floodgates will open for other free agents to want to come there, and the fans will start to take notice too. This team was the Philadelphia Phillies, and on December 2nd, 2002 they signed 32 year old free agent first basemen Jim Thome to a 6 year 85 million dollar contract. As the years went by the team started to get better and better, and the pieces started to fall into place and in 2008 that Phillies team won the World Series and one can argue that they now own the city of Philadelphia.
So the situation the Washington Nationals are in is not that different from the situation my beloved Phillies were in a few years ago. They have Ryan Zimmerman, a young established superstar, who is only going to get better. Much like Jimmy Rollins, who was coming off an impressive rookie season in 2001. When Stephen Strasburg recovers from Tommy John surgery he will be the young ace to guide this team in the future ala Cole Hamels. Bryce Harper this year’s first round pick, is projected to do it all for Washington and along with Zimmerman. Both will anchor that Nationals lineup for years to come, a lot like Chase Utley did for the Phillies, when he finally was called up to the majors. That brings us to Werth, who will be the centerpiece and power of the Washington offense. Werth will also be the veteran presence in the locker room, much like Thome was for the Phillies. Granted it was the emergence of Ryan Howard and that trade of Jim Thome that put the Phillies over the top, but an organizational turnaround has to start somewhere and Washington believes it starts with the signing of Jayson Werth.
So goodbye Jayson, it’s been real. Thank You for 2008, you will always hold a special place in the heart of Phillies fans. Although you will most likely be hitting the golf course a little early this year, that’s ok we don’t mind. Just remember, come April when you stroll out to right field at Citizen’s Bank Park, you return to Philly as an opponent so don’t get mad at me for booing.
-Zorzi
After careful deliberation, I cannot fault Jayson Werth for taking that contract with the Nationals. Werth was just a mediocre player with a series of injuries who just couldn’t seem to click in the majors, until Phillies GM Pat Gillick took a chance on him after he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007. Werth quickly regained the swing that made him a first round pick in the majors and also displayed the 5 tools that make a superstar player. By signing with the Nationals Werth is set for life, he will be 39 years old when the contract expires and based on how the salary is dispersed he will earn 21 million dollars that year, incredible. The Phillies however did their part to keep the right handed slugger; the figures have been reported at being 4 year with an average annual salary of $16 million a year. Not far off from the 18 million average annual salary, Werth will earn with Washington.
Phillies fans may want to say that he sold out, and was only in if for the money, and I as a fan believe this to an extent. Werth was a huge part of the Phillies success over the past 4 seasons. He was the right handed protection behind Ryan Howard that is so desperately needed in a left handed heavy lineup. If it were me personally I would have taken less money to stay on a team that I am already comfortable with and that I know has a shot at winning the World Series within the next few years. The Phillies fan in me is upset that Werth is gone, but glad that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. didn’t take the big plunge and sign Werth to this kinds of deal. Do we really want a 39 year old Jayson Werth? We see what having 13 million invested in an old Raul Ibanez gets us.
Some people may ask what is Washington thinking, signing a guy like that to that much of a contract. Well I’m going to tell you guys a little story. There once was a team that was stuck in reverse, a consistent last place team for the better part of a decade, much like Washington. They had some good young players coming up the farm system especially one infielder who made an impact on this team his rookie season. So ownership had some money that they were willing to spend, hoping that if they went out and showed that they are willing to spend money, invest in star players, and develop their farm system so that they can change the culture of this team. Sure, it may mean overpaying for an aging superstar, but once they get that guy in the fold, the floodgates will open for other free agents to want to come there, and the fans will start to take notice too. This team was the Philadelphia Phillies, and on December 2nd, 2002 they signed 32 year old free agent first basemen Jim Thome to a 6 year 85 million dollar contract. As the years went by the team started to get better and better, and the pieces started to fall into place and in 2008 that Phillies team won the World Series and one can argue that they now own the city of Philadelphia.
So the situation the Washington Nationals are in is not that different from the situation my beloved Phillies were in a few years ago. They have Ryan Zimmerman, a young established superstar, who is only going to get better. Much like Jimmy Rollins, who was coming off an impressive rookie season in 2001. When Stephen Strasburg recovers from Tommy John surgery he will be the young ace to guide this team in the future ala Cole Hamels. Bryce Harper this year’s first round pick, is projected to do it all for Washington and along with Zimmerman. Both will anchor that Nationals lineup for years to come, a lot like Chase Utley did for the Phillies, when he finally was called up to the majors. That brings us to Werth, who will be the centerpiece and power of the Washington offense. Werth will also be the veteran presence in the locker room, much like Thome was for the Phillies. Granted it was the emergence of Ryan Howard and that trade of Jim Thome that put the Phillies over the top, but an organizational turnaround has to start somewhere and Washington believes it starts with the signing of Jayson Werth.
So goodbye Jayson, it’s been real. Thank You for 2008, you will always hold a special place in the heart of Phillies fans. Although you will most likely be hitting the golf course a little early this year, that’s ok we don’t mind. Just remember, come April when you stroll out to right field at Citizen’s Bank Park, you return to Philly as an opponent so don’t get mad at me for booing.
-Zorzi
goodbye edge
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