Phillies GM Amaro stands by harsh warning to Howard

EVERYONE on the planet - well, everyone on the planet who even casually follows major league baseball - is aware that the Phillies would like to trade Ryan Howard in an effort to expedite their rebuilding project.

Both Maikel Franco and Darin Ruf could step in and play first base in his place in 2015. Howard's skills have declined since shattering his left Achilles' tendon four Octobers ago, but he is still owed a minimum of $60 million for the next two seasons.

He might be the most difficult player in baseball to trade.

While everyone knows these things, it was more than a little surprising when general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., quiet on the topic at the December winter meetings, was blunt in a radio interview before the holidays.

"We've talked to Ryan," Amaro told 97.5 The Fanatic. "And I told him that, in our situation, 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. We'll hope he puts up the kind of numbers that we hope he can and we'll see where it goes from there."

Amaro's words quickly gained traction. Little has been said since.

Before attending the 111th annual Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Awards Dinner last night in Cherry Hill, Amaro was asked whether he had any regrets in acknowledging publicly that he told Howard - a former MVP and franchise icon - his team would better without him.

"Regret being too honest?" Amaro said. "I guess sometimes. But I think that if Ryan's with us, and he's likely to be with us in spring training, I think Ryan's got to prove to us that he's ready to play every day at first base for us. I mean I'm kind of looking forward to him being ready and healthy and contributing. Right now, there's nobody really that can unseat him.

"He's a more productive player than anybody else we have there right now. But that could change. But he's going to get every opportunity to play and be our first baseman, and I think that he's going to be productive. Will he be productive enough to be part of what we want to do moving forward? We'll see."

The Phillies have tried to move Howard in trades this winter, with no success. Earlier in the offseason, they attempted to package Howard with Marlon Byrd in trade talks; Byrd eventually was traded to Cincinnati on New Year's Eve.

Given what Amaro told Howard, couldn't it be a little awkward if Howard takes the field in Clearwater, Fla., in a Phillies uniform in 5 weeks, when camp opens?

"There's always awkwardness when we're making transitions, I think," Amaro said. "But I think Ryan knows what I think about him as a person and as a player. I think that if Ryan can get back to where he was or close to back to where he was, I think he can still be a productive player. A lot of it will depend on how healthy he is and how well prepared he is."

In his first full season in 3 years, Howard hit .223 with a .690 OPS, 23 home runs and 95 RBI in 2014.

Howard led the major leagues with 190 strikeouts last season. Among 20 qualifying major league first basemen, only the Twins' Joe Mauer (.371) had a lower slugging percentage than Howard (.380).

The Phillies avoided arbitration with two outfielders: Ben Revere signed a 1-year, $4.1 million deal, while Domonic Brown agreed to a 1-year, $2.5 million contract.

All major league teams and their arbitration-eligible players had to agree to deals yesterday or else begin the sometimes contentious arbitration process by exchanging their own salary figure requests publicly.

If deals were not reached, both parties would have to go to an arbitration hearing in February. Revere and Brown were the only two arbitration-eligible players on the Phillies roster.

Revere, 26, who won't be a free agent until after the 2017 season, was arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career last winter. He made $1.95 million in 2014, when he hit .306 with a .325 OBP and .686 OPS, while stealing 49 bases in 57 attempts.

Brown, 27, was arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career this winter. A year after being selected to the National League All-Star team, Brown hit .235 with 10 home runs and a .634 OPS in 2014. Brown made $550,000 in 2014.

With Byrd traded, Brown is likely to get regular reps in rightfield, his original position, when spring training begins. Grady Sizemore, Darin Ruf and Rule 5 pick Odubel Herrera will be among the players competing this spring for regular playing time in the outfield with Revere and Brown.

Cliff Lee's throwing program near his offseason home in Arkansas is going so well that the Phillies decided against having him come in for a physical exam after the holidays.

Lee is expected to throw off the mound for the first time in the next 2 weeks. The 36-year-old lefthander was limited to 13 starts last season because of elbow issues.

Amaro called throwing off the mound "a big test" in Lee's rehab.

"We'll find out more about how's he's progressing," Amaro said. "He's been great, it's been going real well for him. But it's still a risk. He didn't pitch at the end of the year. It's a question mark until he's pitching in spring training and pitching like we know he can pitch. Then we'll know he's healthy and ready to go."

And what about that other lefthander in his rotation, this winter's Mr. Trade Rumor, Cole Hamels?

"There's been a lot of speculation about him, obviously, and teams would have interest and have had interest in him," Amaro said. "Right now, he's our No. 1 starter, and I hope he's ready to go and pitch for us against Boston [on Opening Day]. A lot of things can change over the course of the next couple of weeks, but, right now, we expect him to be our No. 1 starter."

The Phillies claimed outfielder Jordan Danks off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Danks, 28, hit .270 with 16 home runs in 93 games at Triple A Charlotte last season. Danks, who has hit .227 with a .629 OPS in 180 big-league games with the White Sox, could be a favorite to win a roster spot as a backup centerfielder . . . Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and former broadcaster and current goodwill ambassador Chris Wheeler were honored with Special Achievement Awards at last night's PSWA Awards Dinner. Along with Amaro, manager Ryne Sandberg and reliever Ken Giles were in attendance.

Blog: ph.ly/HighCheese