Could Ryan Howard's days in Philly be numbered?

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday that first base will be a "day-to-day thing" going forward.

CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury reports the Phillies have considered the possibility of releasing Howard if he can't be moved in a trade - the Phillies owe Howard, who is hitting .224 with 15 home runs and 60 RBI, $60 million guaranteed over the next three years.

It appear s that Howard and Darin Ruf, who was just called up from Lehigh Valley, will platoon based on matchups and who is swinging the hotter bat, it also appears Sandberg wants to see what Ruf can do over the next two months.

It seems even Howard himself realizes that his time might be up in Philly.

“It’s been a disappointing year for me, period,” Howard told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki on Wednesday afternoon. “Things haven’t necessarily shaped up the way I’ve wanted them to, coming back after basically not playing for the last two years, trying to make it through a full season. There have been a lot of highs and lows. A lot of frustration. There’s frustration from the fans, frustration period. I have my own frustrations as well. You know, it’s really, you try to stay positive. I know people are going to put a lot on either how much money I make, or what I’m doing on the field, this or that or whatever, but at the end of the day, you go out there and try, you try to do what you can. I’m really just trying to get back in the flow of things.”

 

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