Ryan Howard News: Pro Sports Daily

Ryan Howard congratulates St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols on MVP

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November 18

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard had a tight but telling take on the hitter who won the National League MVP ahead of him this season. "Albert is Albert," Howard said. Albert is Albert Pujols, and Pujols is the NL MVP for the second time in his career after beating out Howard, 369 points to 308, in a vote of the baseball writers announced Monday. Pujols received 18 first-place votes to Howard's 12, and Pujols was the only name mentioned on all 32 ballots. Howard, who led the majors with 48 home runs and 146 RBIs, was voted 10th on one ballot and did not appear at all on another. The Philadelphia slugger, a Lafayette High alum, had plenty of power to support his candidacy for ..."

Howard, Hamels may be hard to lock up

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November 9

PhillyBurbs.com

"The Phillies know who and why. The what, when and where - and especially how - is another story. But at some point Phillies management is optimistic it'll get superstar first baseman Ryan Howard and No. 1 starter Cole Hamels signed to longterm contracts. "We want to keep 'em," said team president David Montgomery earlier this week. "That's never been a question. I remain confident that somewhere along the road we're going to get them signed past their arbitration years." The good news is the Phillies do have time on their side with free agency not an option for Howard until after the 2011 season and Hamels after 2012. What definitely is a major concern though is neither player has yet to ..."

Howard holds off responding to Garza slight

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October 25

Camden Courier-Post

"Most pitchers have thought about it, but Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Matt Garza actually said it. Pitching against a National League lineup -- without the designated hitter -- is easier than facing an American League lineup. Ryan Howard isn't insulted. "I'm not going to get into the hoopla of talking back and forth," Howard, the Phillies' first baseman, said Friday after taking batting practice at Citizens Bank Park. "He's supposed to be confident. But there's a reason why you go out and play the game." Garza will start for the Rays tonight in Game 3 of the World Series. During his pre-start press conference Thursday, he said facing the Phillies would be easier than facing the Boston Red ..."

Manuel On Howard: I Think I'll Keep Him

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October 24

Tampa Tribune

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Phillies' Howard not getting big hits

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October 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Maybe it is destined to be this kind of postseason for Ryan Howard - not a bust, but never wholly satisfying. Howard gets hits, but not big ones. He gets his chances for really big ones, but those aren't the times he's hitting. He's got time, but it's slipping away. "We're very confident in our ability," Howard said. "I don't think anybody's panicking." Game 2 of the 2008 World Series ended with Howard taking off his batting gloves and helmet, side-stepping a Tampa Bay celebration line. He had hit a first-pitch slider from Rays phenom lefthander David Price right into the shift set up to stop the Phillies slugger. He represented the tying run at the plate, but is still looking for his ..."

Howard ends playoff slump

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October 24

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Without the exploits of first baseman Ryan Howard, the Philadelphia Phillies would not have made the postseason. Howard led the majors with 48 home runs and 146 runs batted in, and was a terror in September, batting .352 with 11 homers and 32 RBI. But the big slugger was not a significant factor in the first two rounds of the playoffs as Philadelphia clinched its first World Series berth since 1993. Howard remained in his October slump in Game 1 against Tampa Bay, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a walk. That dreadful performance left Howard with a .229 batting average, no home runs and three RBI in 10 postseason games, with 10 strikeouts in 35 at-bats. "He wasn't following the ball ..."

Howard Has Gone Missing in Phillies' Lineup

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October 24

New York Times

"As Ryan Howard played catch with Shane Victorino before Thursday's game, a red-clad fan standing behind the Philadelphia dugout cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled at the Phillies' hulking first baseman: "Hey, Ryan: No cheese steaks till you break out of your slump." Howard's nostrils flared. His head did not move but his eyes darted, scanning the crowd for the offender. Perhaps still annoyed, Howard hit safely in his first two at-bats and finished 2 for 4, earning himself a whiz without from his purveyor of choice back in Philadelphia. The rest of his teammates may go hungry, though, after another poor showing with runners on base undermined the Phillies in their 4-2 loss to Tampa ..."

Ryan Howard working things out

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October 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ryan Howard will find out sometime next month if he is this year's National League's most valuable player. But until then, the Phillies hope he can find his swing and help the offense for the rest of the postseason. Howard hit .367 (36 for 98) with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in his final 27 games of the regular season to boost his MVP chances. But last night, he entered Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers hitting just .105 (2 for 19) with one RBI, six walks (three intentional) and nine strikeouts in six playoff games. Maybe it's a sign, but Howard went 2 for 4 with a double in the 7-2 loss. "He's overanxious," manager Charlie Manuel said before ..."

Phils need Howard

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October 13

Camden Courier-Post

"Ryan Howard didn't have the time to discuss his hitting woes. The Phillies first baseman had to get to batting practice, chat up Hall of Famer Frank Robinson and do a host of other things that were simply more positive than his inability to hit in the postseason. Much like Chase Utley after the National League Division Series with Milwaukee, he's been victimized by a small sample size and one that magnifies any mistakes or bad efforts on his part. So Howard refrained from discussing his numbers after nine playoff games in two seasons. He went about business as if all were well and there was nothing to be concerned about. Then, he promptly went out and got two hits in his first three trips ..."

Ryan Howard working things out

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October 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ryan Howard will find out sometime next month if he is this year's National League's most valuable player. But until then, the Phillies hope he can find his swing and help the offense for the rest of the postseason. Howard hit .367 (36 for 98) with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in his final 27 games of the regular season to boost his MVP chances. But last night, he entered Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers hitting just .105 (2 for 19) with one RBI, six walks (three intentional) and nine strikeouts in six playoff games. Maybe it's a sign, but Howard went 2 for 4 with a double in the 7-2 loss. "He's overanxious," manager Charlie Manuel said before ..."

Howard, Utley hope to end power outage

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October 9

PhillyBurbs.com

"It may be an exaggeration by the sports media that October defines a baseball career. Alex Rodriguez, for example, isn't going to strike out on the first ballot for Cooperstown because he forgot his A-game in the postseason. October surely does, however, go a long way toward cementing a player's legacy and determining how he's placed in conversation and historical context. And heading into the NLCS, with the Phillies the talk of the town at a volume not heard since 1993, the bats of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have been disturbingly quiet. It happened last year in their first postseason experience, against Colorado. They hit a combined 5-for-23, with only Howard getting a homer and RBI. It ..."

MVP awards are no easy pickings

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September 28

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"When the big baseball awards are announced after the season, there are going to be some predictable winners. And then there are going to be the MVPs. It's not too hard to figure out that Chicago's Geovany Soto will probably win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Cliff Lee is the likely American League Cy Young Award winner. As for the most valuable players? It's anyone's guess. I can't remember a recent year in which going into the last weekend there were so many viable candidates and so few clear-cut choices. Take the AL. Josh Hamilton was the favorite at the midway point of the season, but his numbers tailed off after the All-Star break. That was about the time Chicago's ..."

Howard's numbers could spell MVP

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September 21

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Scott Lauber

"In the good times and the bad, through the strikeouts and the slumps, he has stuck with Ryan Howard in the cleanup spot, an overt sign of just how valuable Manuel thinks the first baseman is to the Phillies' offense. Is it possible, though, that Howard may be the most valuable player in the National League? "Those numbers speak for themselves," Manuel said of Howard, who led the majors with 46 home runs and 141 RBIs through Friday. "Who's close to him? You can say whatever you want to say, he's the best run producer in the league. He has the RBIs, and he has the homers." Howard also has the strikeouts, 192 entering Saturday night. And despite hitting .285 with a .985 on-base/slugging ..."

Howard MVP candidate

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September 16

PhillyBurbs.com

"It's 3:45 p.m. on a game night, and Ryan Howard is in a good mood, hanging out at his locker waiting for batting practice. When a reporter approaches, nothing changes. Before fielding questions, the hottest slugger in baseball offers up information about his young son and talks a little NFL football. On this early September afternoon, the Phillies star first baseman is being himself. He's outgoing, relaxed, happy-go-lucky. A month ago, Howard probably would have had his guard up, which often led to "What do you want to talk about?" responses to interview requests. While he remains one of the Phillies' most media-accessible players, Howard can be sensitive to criticism. And who can blame ..."

Howard keeps killing Cards

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August 3

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Manager Tony La Russa attempted to soften the notion that Philadelphia's Ryan Howard has been especially punishing on the Cardinals this season by saying he is an equal-opportunity slugger. Dave Duncan didn't bother being diplomatic. "He's killed us," the Cardinals pitching coach said. "He's hit everything, pitches at every location. Whether it's because he's from here and he gets fired up to play us, I don't know. But he's been very, very good against us." Howard's solo home run off Braden Looper in the fourth inning Saturday was his 31st overall and his sixth in eight games against the Cardinals, the team he grew up rooting for as a boy. The Lafayette High grad enters Sunday's game, his ..."

Howard homers twice; Phillies win

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July 11

Camden Courier-Post

"Ryan Howard homered twice and drove in three runs to help the Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 this afternoon. While he still leads the league in strikeouts, manager Charlie Manuel said he could live with the whiffs as long as Howard produces runs and hits in big moments. He hit the tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of Wednesday night’s 4-2 victory and set a team record for most RBIs before the All-Star break."

Howard's homers give Moyer the win

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July 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Every time Jamie Moyer steps onto a mound, it seems he faces another young pitcher who throws cheese. Those are the times when people mention his age and his 82-m.p.h. fastball. Actually, they always mention his age and fastball. Actually, they always mention his age and fastball. "Well, whether I get tired of hearing it or not, it's going to continue to happen," he said with a smile after he allowed just one run in seven innings yesterday in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. "It gives people something to talk about, whether it's fans, or you guys, or whomever it is."

Howard makes it a grand day

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July 11

Philadelphia Daily News

"As Ryan Howard's league-leading home run mark rises, another lucky fan has the big guy to thank. Howard's leadoff homer in the sixth inning of yesterday's Phillies-Cardinals game gave Feasterville resident Michelle Giancanterino a chance to go on a summer spending spree when she earned $1,000 in the Daily News Home Run Payoff contest."

As Howard heats up, Utley has cooled off for Phils

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June 17

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Sam Donnellon

"YOU HEAR it all the time: If only both could get going at once. What if Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were ever hot together? Making that cracking sound at the same part of the season, the one that evokes that immediate sound of wonder, before we really know how high or how far. How fun would that be?"

Howard's production at plate rises with temperature

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June 9

Philadelphia Daily News

"The thick blanket of heat that settles over this Southern metropolis in the summer is a popular topic of conversation with almost anyone who is subject to it. But to Ryan Howard, 95-degree temperatures and near-capacity humidity are welcome relief from the cool Northern temperatures that linger throughout the first couple months of the season. "In hot weather, everything feels looser," Howard said. "Your body feels looser." That rationale makes sense when you look at the way Howard's hitting has risen along with the temperature."

Howard helps Phillies sweep Braves

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June 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"June, July and August hold a special place in Charlie Manuel's heart. The Phillies' manager calls that time hitting season. The warmer the weather, the hotter the bats, the farther the balls fly. He thinks that especially holds true for Ryan Howard, who went 3 for 5 with three doubles and four RBIs in today's 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Howard's hitting helped the Phillies sweep the Braves in an important weekend series that allowed them to maintain their 31/2-game lead over the Florida Marlins in the National League East."

Howard quietly searches for answers

May 27

Camden Courier-Post

"The Citizens Bank Park clubhouse doors opened Tuesday and the local camera crews scurried over to Ryan Howard's locker in hopes of some answers to the slugger's woes at the plate this year. Howard never turned, never gave that all-important nugget as he headed out the door to the field. The Phillies first baseman, the same that collected both a National League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player trophy award, never acknowledged the group huddled behind him. Howard had a variety of reasons to head out to the field beyond the fact that it was time for batting practice."

That's Howard it's done

May 22

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Marcus Hayes

"Ryan Howard wants to get paid. He deserves it. The Phillies cannot overpay their 28-year-old slugger. Not with the all the fannies he puts in the seats: fannies who pay to park their cars, then drink beer, eat Bull's BBQ and buy "Ryan Howard" jerseys for themselves, "Chase Utley" jerseys for their daughters. If Howard wants to cash like A-Rod, Manny and Jeter, then he'd better start producing like them. He needs to start winning games, sometimes by himself. You know. Like he did last night."