Strange, new, exciting: Ryan Howard wants to be with Phillies

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WPVI) -- Ryan Howard is heading into his 13th and likely final season with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Despite everything he's done, from win a World Series to MVP, he now has to fight for his job.

"Do I think it's fair? Probably not, but it is what it is. The situation is the situation. You just go out there and go play." the Big Piece told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

And what about him not being able to hit off left-handed pitchers?

"I know I can hit lefties. It's been talk in the media and all this kind of stuff over the past three years about not hitting lefties and whatever. It's about just going out there and just doing it," Howard said.

But that's been a problem. He's a career .219 hitter against lefties and it may have left him with a reduced role on a rebuilding team.

"Am I surprised I'm still on this roster? I don't know. To be honest with you. I don't sit at home waiting for the call saying 'hey Ry, you're traded.' I got to focus on getting ready for the season. Do I want to be here? Yeah, I want to be here," Howard said.

Howard wants to be here even though the Phils run is over and even though his longtime teammates are long gone.

"I miss Chase. I miss Jimmy. I miss all those guys. It's strange, it's new, and it's exciting at the same time," Howard said.

It's been anything, but exciting this off-season for Ryan Howard.

The Al Jazeera network accused him of taking performance-enhancing drugs; he's denied it and is suing the network for defamation.