Mum Wentz keeps lowering value to Eagles
Jeffrey Lurie gave Carson Wentz $128,000,000. For that, there would be one reasonable demand: Do what is best for the Eagles organization.
That was it. Max contract for max commitment. Three generations of wealth for the decency to help in a pinch. Cash now for a favor later.
Was that complicated? Somehow, that was lost on Wentz, who since season’s end has revealed his disinterest in saying a positive syllable about the owner, the franchise, the fans or the city. He did have a conversation with Nick Sirianni, which must have been a disaster. How else to explain why the new head coach wouldn’t share one word of it, not even the predictable, “He’s excited and can’t wait to get started”?
Wentz is about to be traded. The Eagles will receive something in return. But they will not bring back what they should have because Wentz’s sheltering-in-place has compromised their leverage. They may not even land a firstround draft choice for a quarterback on which they once spent two, and much more, to select.
The mystery: What did the Eagles, their coaches, their fan base or their owner ever do to be so disrespected?
Wentz arrived in Philadel
phia to unconditional support. His replica-jersey sales were high. His criticism was low, in the papers, in the talk shows. He was never booed, not even like Donovan McNabb was booed, which was 10 percent of how often Ron Jaworski was booed. All the Eagles organization ever did was have the audacity to win a Super Bowl with Nick Foles while Wentz was injured. For that, there was some natural Wentz-v.-Foles conversation. That’s it. The organization even made its ruling on that, firmly and quickly, sealing it with nine figures, three commas and a dollar sign.
The Eagles’ thanks? Wentz moping at a time when he knew it would suppress his trade value. Team player.
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Spoiler alert: When a pro wrestler lands on a ringside table, it’s going to collapse.
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The Phillies are set at seven of their eight everyday positions. Their bullpen has been upgraded from go-out-forice-cream-after-the-game quality to responsibly professional. The starting rotation is deeper. J.T. Realmuto is satisfied. Bryce Harper is satisfied. Joe Girardi, the right manager at the right time, has a roster capable of winning a division.
What the Phils don’t need is a distraction.
Any return of Odubel Herrera would be that distraction.
The Phillies allowed for that possibility recently when their decision-makers were asked during a press conference call with Girardi, Dave Dombrowski and Sam Fuld if the former All-Star would be back in the centerfield mix two years after being accused of domestic violence.
Not only should everyone on the video call have snuffed that idea, but they should have done so with the Dikembe Mutombo “no, no, no” finger wave. Instead, that decision basically was kicked up to John Middleton. By then, though, the topic was breathing, gaining relevance in the papers and on talk shows. Herrera was hitting .222 before being dismissed in 2019. The year before, he hit .255. On Pattison Ave., only the windmills atop the Linc swing and miss more often.
Odubel Herrera does not deserve to take one Clearwater at-bat away from Scott Kingery or Roman Quinn. Even Adam Haseley, his 2020 struggle haunting, deserves more of an opportunity to win that job.
The Phillies were right to distance themselves from Herrera, even if the allegations against him were never proven in court. Middleton must remove that distraction at a time when his club has a chance to be a good team with a solid clubhouse.
• Of course, the centerfield issue would be moot had Mickey Moniak amassed more than three major-league hits five years after Matt Klentak made him the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
••• Collingdale native Collin DiGalbo, the strongarmed former quarterback at Bonner-Prendergast, will play professionally for the Ancona Dolphins of the Italian Football League.
At Kutztown, the son of longtime man-aboutDelco-boxing Anthony DiGalbo passed for 9,282 yards and 74 touchdowns. Four times, he was on the All-PSAC East team.
The IFL has been around since 2008 and is gaining in popularity. Most of the Italian players have full-time jobs in other fields. American players typically earn about $800 a month, with a car, housing and other perks.
“I’m excited to meet new people and to experience a different culture,” DiGalbo told kubears.com, the Kutztown website. “With my grandparents being Italian, I’ve always wanted to experience Italy for myself, and to be able to go over there to play the game I love is a dream.”
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Yes, of course, there was a fireworks celebration outside I Don’t Get It world headquarters in New Orleans when the seven-inning baseball doubleheader was approved for another season. What do you think?
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Among Ben Simmons’ favorite boasts — the only one he can use given that he has never lifted his college or professional teams to fulfillment — is that he has been an NBA All-Star. So was Steve Mix. Anyway, Simmons’ cover is being lifted, for he is not even among the top 10 revealed vote-getters among Eastern Conference guards for the March 7 All-Star Game.
The press and the coaches will still have a say in the final rosters, so Simmons can still realize his annual dream. But Joel Embiid is roaring toward being the MVP, Tobias Harris is having a better season and there are only so many All-Star spots for one team to win.
Maybe a spot in a third playoff round some year would help.
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If you’re busy, I understand. Just do not, and I mean do not, tell me that you’ll be ‘out of pocket.’