Ryan Howard
| Ryan Howard | |
|---|---|
| File:Howardswinging 1.jpg | |
| Philadelphia Phillies – No. 6 | |
| First base | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| debut | |
| September 1, 2004, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Career statistics (through August 19, 2006) | |
| Batting average | .293 |
| Home runs | 67 |
| RBI | 179 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Ryan Howard (born November 19, 1979 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 1998 and attended Southwest Missouri State University, which is now called Missouri State University. While at MSU Ryan pledged Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. He bats and throws left handed.
Selected in the 5th round of the 2001 draft, Howard quickly ascended the Phillies' minor league system, earning consecutive MVP awards in the Florida State and Eastern leagues (2003-2004). He currently has hit 45 homers through August 26th.
Howard appeared in 19 games with the Phillies in 2004. He posted a .282 batting average with two home runs and five RBI. Between playing for Double-A Reading, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Phillies, Howard hit 48 home runs, which was the highest total in organized baseball in 2004.
In 2005, Howard became the Phillies' everyday first baseman in early July when slugger Jim Thome was sidelined for the season with an elbow injury. Howard, who led all major league rookies with 22 home runs, also posted a .288 average and 63 RBI in just 312 at-bats and 88 games. He had 11 home runs and 27 RBI in September and October as the Phillies battled the Houston Astros for the National League wild card until getting eliminated on the last day of the season. Howard was rewarded for his effort by being named NL Rookie of the Year.
After the 2005 season, the Phillies had a dilemma involving Thome and Howard . Both were very talented and proven power-hitters (illustrated by the fact that both have showed a penchant for hitting opposite field home runs into the left field flower bed at Citizens Bank Park). Thome was the biggest free agent player the Phillies signed prior to the 2003 season, but Howard was the reigning Rookie of the Year and certainly the future of the franchise at first base. Despite the accolades, many believed Howard would eventually be traded to make room for Thome when he recovered completely. However, Thome wound up being the odd-man out, and before the 2006 season, the Phillies made a surprise trade, dealing Thome and $22 million cash to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Aaron Rowand and minor league pitching prospects Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood, thus making room for the rising slugger. In the 2006 preseason games, Howard also broke the Phillies' team preseason home run record (set by Dick Allen during 1964 spring training) with 10 home runs in 21 exhibition games.
On April 23, 2006, Howard became the first player to hit a home run onto Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park. The "Luzinskian" blast traveled 496 feet (the longest home run to date at Citizens Bank Park) and was hit off Sergio Mitre of the Florida Marlins. He also became the first player to hit a home run into the third deck of the park in right field when he connected off Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees on June 20, 2006, his first of two home runs. To honor the mammoth home run, the Phillies painted a white H on the seat where the fan that caught the ball was seated. Howard had a total of 7 RBI in the game. Howard came close to hitting another homer to Ashburn Alley on August 19, 2006. It wound up just a few feet short, hitting a Powerball advertisement in the visitor's bullpen and was measured at 465 feet.
Howard was named to his first All-Star game in 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh as a reserve first baseman, by the player ballot. He participated in the Century 21 Home Run Derby prior to the game. Howard won the contest with a total of 23 home runs (18 in the first two rounds [1] ), defeating the Mets' third baseman David Wright in the final round. His final home run bounced off the Mastercard sign which grants 500 free flights to one lucky fan at the stadium. Howard was the second consecutive Phillie to win the Derby, with Bobby Abreu hitting a record 41 home runs in 2005.
In August 2006, the FBI was called in as he had received physical threats from a Scranton, Pennsylvania Mets fan who was upset he beat David Wright in the home run contest. [2]
External links
- Ryan Howard - stats, news, and information from AroundtheDiamond.com
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference