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Ryan Howard is a big fan of the Phillies offseason

Ryan Howard spent his entire career with the Phillies. (Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

As the Phillies fought to keep their season alive in Atlanta during the final week of the season in 2021, Ryan Howard, who stopped by to take in the action with his family, offered some perspective on the club’s frustrating postseason drought.

“It’s just gotta be one of those things where it’s gotta be a bad taste in your mouth,” Howard said at the time. “Ultimately, you just get to the point of saying, ‘I’m tired of not making it’ and just decide that you’re going to make it.”

Well, the Phillies finally made it and unlike Howard’s 2007 squad that failed to win a playoff game, the 2022 Phillies got much more than just a taste of the postseason.

It was up to the front office to capitalize on the momentum from a deep run and they did just that by signing Trea Turner and Taijuan Walker to lucrative deals and adding Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel and Matt Strahm to the bullpen.

Howard, in a recent interview with former teammate Brad Lidge and Ryan Spilborghs on MLB Network Radio, offered some perspective on what a playoff run could mean for the returning players:

They’re going out and doing all the right things, but I think even more importantly is the guys that are coming back. It’s one of those things that when you get a taste of the postseason and not only did they get a taste of the postseason, but you made it all the way to the World Series, you come back the next year with that little bit of a chip on your shoulder and now you understand what the postseason is. You got there. You got to the mountain top. Didn’t get all the way and win it, but now you know what the expectation is and they should have that expectation for themselves.

While it’s a bit cliche at this point to compare a more than promising Phillies middle infielder to Chase Utley, Howard made the age-old comparison regarding new Phillies shortstop Trea Turner:

Obviously, you make the addition of Trea Turner who to me is a very sneaky impact player with what he does and what he brings. … To me, it reminds me a lot of Chase Utley. He’s got that grit. He’s going to bring that kind of hard nose play to the field. He’s going to go out and score probably 100 runs. He’s going to steal probably 100 bases. He’s going to hit probably more close to 25-30 plus homers and play some Gold Glove caliber defense as well. I love that pick up. I love them going out and bolstering their bullpen.

Howard, of course, was joking about the 100 stolen bases, but it’s possible Turner could rack up free bases thanks to the new rules that incentivize base stealers to take off more often. Pickoff throws will be limited to just two per at-bat and the bases will be slightly bigger. When you add that along with Turner’s speed and the Phillies’ ability to get the most out of their base stealers — with J.T. Realmuto’s 21 stolen bases being a good example — it’s possible the Phillies shortstop could set a new career high in stolen bases.

Anyway, Turner, who signed an 11-year contract with Philadelphia, should establish himself as a fan favorite similar to the way Utley had in his 13-year career with the Phillies.

That’s a conversation to save for later, but right now, the Phillies have had quite a productive offseason. Howard and the 2008 Phillies followed up the club’s first postseason appearance after a long drought with a championship.

The 2023 Phillies will be looking to repeat.