Comments on: FJM: Howard Is A Beast, Let’s Not Ditch Him, Kay?

By: jpp151

jpp151 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:57:41 +0000

The argument is that a strike out is better then a double play. You cant score two with no one on base, and you cant score any of you make the third out in the inning (but I am sure you guys know that from your baseball for dummies book!).

By: dan

dan — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:03:06 +0000

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2617
so jack and jc have something to think about while they pipe down…

By: tom

tom — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:53:21 +0000

Sing it Bruce, the guy is an RBI machine. He’s a streaky hitter and strikes out a lot, but let’s not forget he walks a ton too and when he’s not slumping his average is acceptable.
I’m not a fan of the kinds of swings he has most of the time, but strike outs are an overrated stat.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:33:39 +0000

Curiously, with all the gripes about Howard’s K’s, no one here bother to mention what is the most important statistic for a no. 4 hitter in the line-up with the main responsibility to drive in runs.

From 2006 to 2008, Howard leads all major league hitters in total RBIs with 323 (including 38 so far this season). I’m sure Manuel and team mates are most appreciative and thankful he is on their team. So do fans like myself.

By: jack

jack — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:10:45 +0000

i agre with jc. Strikeouts are an absolutely worthless at bat. The potential gain of a strikeout is 0. if you honestly want to make an argument that striking out is slightly worse then putting the ball in play then i think you need to go get a baseball for dummies book b/c you know less than nothing about the game. ohh and to your point about moving runners over and is that what i want howard to do. if my choice is Striking Out ober movin a RISP then i will take tha every day b/ guess what it helps the team.

By: Tim Malcolm

Tim Malcolm — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:44:44 +0000

They absolutely can, jc, but double plays happen just as much.

In fact, Howard had only 7 sac flies last year. He grounded into 13 DPs. Errors? I’d say he reached base on an error maybe 2 or 3 times, tops.

Now, he may have moved a couple runners over here and there, but is that what you want Howard doing? Moving runners over?

Listen, I said K’s are slightly worse than regular outs. Let’s not get brash here.

By: jc

jc — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:25:25 +0000

really? i guess moving runners over and sac flys and the potential errors can still happen if you strike out. please get a freaking clue

By: Tim Malcolm

Tim Malcolm — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:31:46 +0000

Basically they say Ks are slightly worse than regular outs. True. So it’s not that big a deal that Howard Ks 220 times a year, long as when he hits the ball, things happen that aren’t outs. Lately that’s been the case.

By: jc

jc — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:21:03 +0000

that is absolutely the dumbest argument i have ever heard. you want him to strike out instead of put the ball in play. you are actually more pathetic then Ryan Howard and that is saying something

By: Geoff

Geoff — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:20:59 +0000

I wouldnt keep him even if he is on fire. sure, everyone loves watching him play and so do i, but id rather reap the benefits of what you can get for him and who else you can lock up without having to pay him. let him go be a DH while you sucker some team into giving up the farm to you for howard. if you make the right deal, with those players you WILL win a championship.

By: jpp151

jpp151 — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:17:01 +0000

The arguement about Howard striking out is stupid, his production will be good when all is said and done. You must also take into account the positive of a strike out by Ryan Howard, sure it is an out but only one, if anyone has the stats for how many times Ryan strikes out with a runner on first, it would help prove my point. The fact of the matter is that Ryan is not the fastest player on the team, and although, at least I feel, that the phils break up many double plays at second, I would rather a strike out, then a double play. This argument could also be used against my point by not moving a runner or getting an RBI, but his numbers in the past few years show that not to be that accurate. That is if 149 rbi’s per year is alright.