Ryan Howard bashed two runs in yesterday's 4-1 victory over the Cardinals just after hitting what proved to be the game winning homer on Wednesday evening. The Big Guy now stands at 27 home runs on the season. Nobody in baseball has more.
After yesterday's win, a friend of mine told me about the pleasure he got from telling off his buddies who earlier in the season were calling for Howard to be traded. I like to think I never abandoned Ryan when he was mired in struggles. Sure, I made a few jokes here and there about "how many strikeouts will RyHo get tonight?" But I had faith the former MVP would find his stroke.
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And he has.
So it was with great pleasure to find old One Chair penned one of his signature columns this morning putting Howard's uncanny ability to strike out at such an alarming clip into historical perspective.
Conlin compares Ryan Howard to the late Joseph Wheeler Sewell who in one season struck out as many times as Howard has done in a single game this season, 4.
It's one of those trips through baseball history that only old timers like Bill Conlin can take you on and it makes you happy to be a fan of the game of baseball after reading it.
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And happy that Ryan Howard is your first baseman taboot.
>>Howard's 27 homers outweigh his 125 strikeouts [Daily News]
Baseball Tonight likes Ryan's turn around and Chase's effort:
*also, ball players like Joseph Wheeler Sewell just sound better with three names. Although the Phillies two biggest guns aren't helped out much by their middle names: Chase Cameron Utley and Ryan James Howard just don't have that much flair.
(photo by The700Level flickr group member MarkKNJ)