In December, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro publicly criticized first baseman Ryan Howard in an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic back in December. Amaro said, “It would probably bode better for the organization not with him but without him. With that said if he’s with us, then we’ll work around him.”
Since then, Amaro has taken some heat for the comment as it’s not exactly a good look to go on the media circuit to trash a player who could potentially serve as a trade asset.
That chapter of the Ryan Howard book has ended, though, as Amaro has apologized to the slugger, Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News reports:
Howard, 35, is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $125 million contract extension signed back in April 2010. He’ll earn $25 million in both 2015 and ’16, and will receive another $10 million when the Phillies (or his eventual acquiring team) buy him out for $10 million for the 2017 season. Howard, who owns the Phillies’ single-season home run record with 58, batted a meager .223/.310/.380 last season but slugged 23 home runs and knocked in 95 runs.
