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Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

I am surprised Bowa made it through a full season without saying something inflammatory about one of his players. Wait… what’s that? He called Domonic Brown a lazy POS on the radio? Never mind then. That makes this the second Bowa’s second public gaff.

Speaking to the WIP Morning Show today, Bowa was asked if he thinks Ryan Howard – who, mind you, is currently the Phillies’ starting first baseman – is an American League player at this point in his career. Mr. Bowa?

“Yeah, I think he is,” Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa candidly told Howard Eskin Friday on the 94WIP Morning Show. “I mean, in all fairness to him [Howard], when a big guy like that does something to his Achilles and then you’re out on the field for nine innings and you’re making plays, you’re going to your right, going to your left, that takes a wear and tear on your body. I mean, if you look at just numbers, I would be shocked if an American League wouldn’t say you know what, ‘I’ll take 25 [home runs] and 100 [runs batted in] and he’ll be my DH [designed hitter].’

“But again, I think personally, it would help him just to get off his feet and not being able to have to stand out there for nine innings every night,” Bowa continued. “But there’s also talk that this is really going to be—last year was his first full year since that [Achilles] injury [he suffered in 2011] and he thinks he’s gonna get stronger and better, so again, we’re going to have to wait and see. But I think an America League team—I think he can help an American League team.”

He’s not wrong. But this should make for a fun conversation in spring training when Ruben Amaro fails to trade Howard (or anyone else) this winter.