SB Nation: Ruben Amaro is Worse Than Nixon

I had no idea the E. in E. Howard Hunt stood for Expel!

Not only have the Phils spent the last few months both changing their story and outright lying about the injuries to Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, but now we hear that they wouldn’t let the Inquirer’s Bob Brookover into their facility in Clearwater? Outrageous. This is Watergate-level stuff.

Newspaper reporters are representatives of the fans. Therefore, not only should reporters be let in to see Howard’s rehab, but fans should be, too. There should be a 24-hour video feed of Howard’s rehab, on Phillies.com. What does this team have to hide?

The Phillies have been getting a pass for way too long. When Howard had his surgery, why were reporters not allowed in the operating room? Why weren’t the surgeons made available to the press during and after the surgery? If Charlie Manuel can give a dugout interview in the fifth inning, I think Dr. Mark Myerson can put the scalpel down for five minutes to give the fans the information they deserve.

...As Howard prepared to hit, I was spotted, standing in plain sight in the stands along the third-base line. A Threshers employee told me I had to leave the ballpark. I pleaded that I wanted to get into the press box and start writing my stories about the Red Sox and Clearwater players.

Too bad, I was told. No one from outside the Phillies organization is allowed to watch Ryan Howard work out. I was escorted out of the ballpark.