Jayson Werth professes his love for Philly on the radio in Philly

(Jayson Werth missing Philadelphia already? It sure sounded like it on the radio on Friday. Photo by Mike McGinnis / CSM.)

"I loved playing in Philadelphia. I thought that was one good thing staying in the division; I get to play in Citizens Bank Park that many more times."
(Jayson Werth, via WIP radio, 12/17/2010)

Sure, Jayson. Just wait 'til they boo you, Philly style, for the next seven years.

On Friday, the same day Nationals fans received an email from the Nationals containing a special video message from Jayson Werth, the new $126 Million Nat went on 610 WIP sports radio in Philadelphia with afternoon drive hosts Howard Eskin and Ike Reese to make nice with his old fans in Philly. Werth sounded...somewhat remorseful about his departure from the City of Brotherly Love.

Listen to it youself, right here.

To our ears, Werth bounced between being upbeat about the new opportunity in Washington and depressed about leaving Philadelphia. Take this quote, for example, answering a question about his decision to move on:

"It's just one of those things, man. Unfortunately baseball's a business and you gotta do sometimes things you don't always want to do but it's the right thing for you and you find a good situation and you go for it."

Wait - what was that? You sometimes do things you don't want to do, Jayson? Here's the follow up from Eskin, and Werth's response:

Eskin: "Wait a minute. Did you-- It is what you wanted to do, right?  You're comfortable with Washington? And not just because of the money. But you're comfortable with Washington. I just kinda heard you say sometimes you do things you don't want to do. Did you not want to do this."

Werth: "Nah, no, nothing like that. I'm just saying in life in general people don't always..people do all kinds of things. You gotta do what's right for you, and I think I did that here, and I've found a good place. I think the situation here is great...young team, talented team...I think we're going to suprise a lot of people."

And with that, Werth managed to get back on message, pumping up the Nationals as a great opportunity.

Philly blog Crossing Broad noted that Werth took a not-so-thinly veiled shot at Phillies GM Ruben Amarro, Jr. during the WIP interview, which isn't surprising considering the text message ("Booooooo!") apparently sent by Werth to Amarro when he heard how much money the Phillies shelled out for Cliff Lee: 

"If Cliff would have been there last year, I think our chances of wining a World Series would have been good.  In that regard, I think we missed an opportunity when we traded away Cliff."

 

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Comments

[cass]

*facepalm*

He's not making the "Crap, if I knew Cliff Lee was gonna sign with Philly, I wouldn't have signed with Washington" meme go away.

Ya know what would be something? A lineup with Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Ryan Zimmerman. Just sayin.

[phanatic in DC]

>Sure, Jayson. Just wait 'til they boo you, Philly style, for the next seven years.

Not to mention when we boo him Philly style at Nationals Park for the next 7 years!

[Brian]

The nationals are complete idiots for giving him that money. he didn't even go over 100 RBIs last year batting behind howard. Their offense will actually be worse this year since they lost adam dunn. If they think Werth is going to replace Dunn's production they have another thing coming.