It’s Too Soon to Say Goodbye to J.T. Realmuto
Following recent comments from owner John Middleton, Phillies fans have already begun saying their goodbyes to J.T. Realmuto, but he’s not gone yet.
We’ve all heard the reports by now. According to John Middleton, the Phillies “may not be in a position to re-sign [J.T.] Realmuto” after losing so much money during the pandemic-shortened season. Middleton’s comments were infuriating, upsetting, and – in some cases – factually inaccurate. However, I’m not ready to forget about J.T. Realmuto just yet.
For one thing, the Phillies were obviously not the only team to lose money during the pandemic.
According to the Fan Cost Index projections from Team Marketing Report, ten teams lost more money in 2020 than the Phillies. Among those teams are the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, and Braves, all of whom are expected to be suitors for Realmuto’s services.
Perhaps no team will be willing to offer J.T. Realmuto the $130 million deal he’s looking for, and when he lowers his asking price, the Phillies will be back in the conversation.
Photo: Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer
Furthermore, it’s possible that Middleton’s comments are a negotiation tactic. Realmuto’s agent surely knows that the Phillies are desperate to re-sign him. Middleton himself has made it very clear that he only wanted to make the Realmuto trade if the two sides could work out an extension afterward. That gives Realmuto’s camp all the leverage during negotiations. The Phillies need Realmuto more than any other team, and so Realmuto can demand more from the Phillies than he can from any other team. Crying poor is Middleton’s best chance at driving Realmuto’s price down. Middleton certainly knows that he messed up in 2018 when he said the team was ready to spend “stupid” money, and perhaps he’s trying the opposite strategy now.
There’s also a chance that the Phillies will be in a completely different position financially by the time Realmuto actually signs. These days, it’s not uncommon for star free agents to wait until February to sign a deal. By then, the COVID-19 vaccine will be in distribution, and we’ll have a much better sense of how many fans the Phillies will be able to put in the stands in 2021. If things are looking positive, maybe the Phillies will be willing to shell out a little more money. Besides, if the team doesn’t re-sign Realmuto, plenty of fans might not come to the games even if they are allowed to.
I know that there is a very good chance J.T. Realmuto will not be on the Phillies next year. Mets owner Steve Cohen is prepared to spend big money this offseason. When the Yankees want something, they usually go out and get it. Perhaps the Nationals want revenge on the Phillies for stealing Bryce Harper.
Whatever the case may be, it’s more likely than not that Realmuto is donning a new uniform come 2021. But until the moment that he signs somewhere else, I’m not going to say goodbye.
Featured Image: Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Categorized:Phillies