Ryan Howard: A Complete Player
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Tue, May 05, 2009 03:21 PM | Comments: 35
Analysis, Posts
Last season Ryan Howard finished second in MVP voting with a .250 average, 48 home runs and 146 runs batted in. This season, his current line of .293, 5 and 19 would lead him to a full-season line of .293 AVG, 35 HR, 133 RBI. Sure, the power is subdued, but the hitting is improved. Factor in his stealth defensive work (0 errors) so far, and you’re looking at a complete player.
Oh, and he’s only on pace for 176 strikeouts.
Posts: 0 Kevo
Shoulda traded him…right Geoff?
Posted: 03:25 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Ed
He seems to finally be realizing that odds are a pitcher is going to go out of the zone when there are 2 strikes. To see him flail at strike 3 so much last year was tough to watch. He still does it, but not nearly as much.
Posted: 03:26 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Albert
Once Howard starts hitting LHP then he will be “complete”. I’m not sold on his defense yet either, as I need to see it in action for more than a month (he has made some stellar plays down there so far).
Posted: 03:28 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Jason B.
I think the power will increase once the warmer months are upon us. But even 293 with 35 HR’s and 130 Ribbies isn’t too shabby. I would rather see him hit 10 less bombs if his average goes up past 280. With the guys in front of him on getting on base, I’d rather see a higher average than a high HR total. Sure chicks dig the long ball, but fans of baseball dig clutch and timely hitting.
Posted: 03:35 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
ohhh…the things money can do!
hehe
Posted: 03:43 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
well I think he can have this average plus the HR and RBI numbers from last year.
Posted: 03:44 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
If you were going to be unable to sign him to a contract to avoid arbitration, yeah its something you should have considered. The return for him would be MASSIVE and would bring back pitching and position players who could help the team right now. However, since you have cost certainty with Howard now theres no reason to trade him.
He still ocassionally swings at dog dirt pitches, which he has to stop and he has problems with lefties which has to stop, but his defense is dramatically better and his plate discipline is much much better. Hes also MUCH less streaky than he used to be.
Posted: 03:45 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
If Howard hits .293 or higher, I’ll get his face tattooed on my back
Posted: 03:53 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
basically Howard should stay a Phillie his whole career.
Posted: 03:53 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Evan
Howard is a particularly streaky hitter. I don’t expect his season to unfold the way April did.
Posted: 04:00 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Mark B
Last season he struck out 199 times, so 176 this year wouldn’t be a huge reduction, but it would be moving in the right direction.
Tim – not sure if “only 176 strikeouts” was a slightly sarcastic observation by you or not, but I’ll take it along with a .293 BA.
Posted: 04:00 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Richie
I love Howard to death, but I would rather see him hit 35 homers instaed of 48 and 130 RBIs with a better average and less SOs….Ibanez or Werth will get the runs and HRs in…plus he won’t have a case to ask for top line Pujols money.
Posted: 04:00 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Kevo
If Howard doesn’t hit at least .500 with 75 homers and 200 rbis, he isn’t showing any improvment. He should be traded for a bucket of balls and a plastic pitching mound.
Posted: 04:19 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
nah we trade Cairo for those
Posted: 04:27 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Rob
Why is Cairo on this team? The excuse of being right handed is not a valid one either
Posted: 04:37 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
No but you know what? NOBODY in major league baseball would even give you a minor league relief pitcher for jamie moyer. You know how many other teams offered Moyer a contract: ZERO – because nobody else wants him on their team because he thinks hes bigger than the game like Brett Favre and Peter Forsberg.
Posted: 04:39 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
theres no reason for cairo to be on this team at all…
Posted: 04:39 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 HungryHenry
Howard is usually very slow in April. I think he will hit near 50 homers and drive in about 140 while hitting over 280. Not only is he a fine player, but a decent individual, as well. A pleasure to pull for.
Posted: 04:47 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Geoff… Jamie Moyer again, seriously? Kill yourself next time instead of posting on here
The reason Cairo is on this team is becuase in the National League you often need a deep bench.. And if you’re using 7-8 guys in your bullpen.. and actually using them.. you’re not winning anyway
Baseball 101… you have 25 roster spots.. not all of those players can win MVP in the same season
Posted: 04:55 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Robbi P
Don M can we hold you to that bet? cause ill root for that haha.
Posted: 04:57 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 christopher
i’m loving how much better howard’s eye has been at laying off questionable pitches. he is picking his swings very well and playing great all around. the extra work in the offseason and preseason is paying off. good for the big man.
Posted: 05:03 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
hmm go Phillies
Posted: 05:09 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
hopefully Howard hits some homeruns against Santana tomorrow
Posted: 05:15 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 TJ
Tim projected his line to be:
45 HR / 141 RBI / .277 AVG
With this pace and the warmer weather ahead, I think Tim is dead on, but it’s May 4th….
Posted: 05:36 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 TJ
May 5th, excuse me.
Posted: 05:36 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin Evans
Jason B.
Why would you give up producing more runs for a few more scattered hits?
Howard is hit .309 with men on last year. He’s only hitting .277 thus far this year.
Comparison, Howard is hitting .311 with no one on this year compared to .196 last year.
Posted: 05:49 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
It’s way too early in the season to speculate on this but having read that the hitting coach, Milt Thompson, stressed to Howard on hitting to the middle of the field rather than pulling means going with the pitch for contact (less consecrated power). That may explain a .293 BA but just 5 HRS. However Howard did golfed one to right field (428 ft in spacious Busch stadium) for a grand salami last night. That will happen with a hanging slider. ;-)
Posted: 06:05 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Ryan Howard
thanks everyone
Posted: 06:10 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 shag beta sigma delta
Geoff, you need some serious help man, I may even be willing to pay for it. you should never trade Howard pay him his money, some times the dribble that comes out of our mouth astounds me. Moyer does not think he is bigger then the game he got a good contract and already has what 3 wins sometime you are just an idiot. Why would you trade one of the perennial power hitters in the game, who has hit for average in the past and is improving his defense, he has been in the league what 4 years now, if he keeps working hard and becomes more discipline at the plate which good power hitters do as they age, he is going to put up monster numbers for some time now. And nobody else offered Moyer a contract because they all knew he was staying in Philly. We did not over pay him, and he has as much value to this pitching staff as he does when he pitches, so get over yourself, and try not to be such an idiot
Posted: 06:19 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin Evans
Geoff,
When is the last time we got great return on a player because we don’t want to pay any portion of that salary, etc.
Posted: 06:26 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 terry
I never heard of a complete player strikes out 200 times a year
Posted: 06:45 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Chris.I
LoL at only 176 strikeout’s…He’s improving absolutely, but once he limits himself to 120-130 K’s a year than you can say ”only”. There is no doubt about it, Howard is the man! Hes the only player in baseball who can strikeout 200 times, and have 16 errors in the same year and still have a tremendous season…BUT here is the thing…He can be much, much better than that..Maybe the best power hitter in baseball history IF ONLY he learned how to discipline himself at the plate. Think about it…How many walks, Hr’s, or hits he would have if he just stopped swinging at everything? His numbers would be mind blowing.
Posted: 07:17 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin Evans
What is the difference from striking out 176 times or popping out/grounding out 176 times?
You’re still making outs.
Posted: 07:52 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
I knew that would get people going…NO OTHER TEAM WANTED JAMIE MOYER, GOT IT!!!!!!! HE GOT NO OTHER OFFERS! ITS PAINFUL TO WATCH THIS GUY PITCH. He delivers the pitch, and then you cringe waiting to see if the umpure will give him a break this time or not. ITS SAD AND PATHETIC to watch a professional like that man. Thats some real stink dog mud dirt lame duck stuff man.
Posted: 08:11 PM on May 5, 2009
Posts: 0 Dan
the homeruns will go up in september
Posted: 10:49 PM on May 5, 2009