Phillies History: Ryan Howard’s Best Moments in Philadelphia
The “Big Piece” has just two games left in a Phillies uniform. With that in mind, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of his career.
Ryan Howard’s time with the Phillies has been a storied one. He broke out in 2005, when veteran Jim Thome battled injury for most of the year. Howard’s .924 OPS with 22 home runs in 88 games powered him to the Rookie of the Year award.
Since then, Howard has been a mainstay in the Phillies lineup. He played nearly every game between 2006 and 2011, coinciding with a span of five straight NL East championships and two World Series appearances.
After tearing his Achilles at the end of the 2011 NLDS, Howard has slowly fallen out of favor in Philadelphia. He hit above .230 in just one season since then.
However, we can’t a poor end to Howard’s career sour his legacy. Without Howard, the Phillies would never have had the success they did. In honor of Howard’s time in Philadelphia coming to an end, let’s take a look back his best moments in Philadelphia.
Howard launches 505-foot home run into Ashburn Alley
While it paled in comparison to his 2006 campaign, Ryan Howard was still a crucial piece in the Phillies’ 2007 run. He posted a .976 OPS and produced 3.3 offensive wins above replacement according to Baseball Reference.
Howard launched 47 home runs that year, the third-most in his career and the third-most in the MLB. Opposing pitchers feared Howard, intentionally walking him 35 times, the second-most in the majors after Barry Bonds.
One of Howard’s home runs that year was an utter bomb that traveled 505 feet to deep center field on August 30 that year. The home run was the longest in Citizen’s Bank Park’s history, landing in Ashburn Alley. Now when you go to CBP, there is a plaque where the home run landed.
“Just Get Me to the Plate Boys”
The Phillies reached the playoffs for the third straight time in 2009, hoping to repeat their championship from the year prior. They had to face the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS, who eliminated the Phillies in 2007 in the same series.
Ryan Madson gave up three runs to the Rockies in the bottom of the eighth, seemingly losing the game for the Phillies. Despite that, Ryan Howard remained confident, telling his teammates, “just get me to the plate boys.”
Shane Victorino and Chase Utley reached base, putting men on first and second with two outs. In stepped Howard against Huston Street, Colardo’s shutdown closer. With a 2-2 count, Howard lined a double to the right field wall. Victorino and Utley scored, tying the game for the Phillies. Howard’s double was the biggest play of the game in terms of win probability added.
Howard came around to score on Jayson Werth’s RBI single, giving the Phillies the lead they needed to win the game. Charlie Manuel called on Scott Eyre in the ninth, who recorded two outs but also allowed the tying run to reach second base. Brad Lidge then came on, shutting the door on Colorado to win the game and the series.
Howard wins Home Run Derby in year of awards
2006 was easily the best season of Ryan Howard’s. Coming off his rookie of the year campaign in 2005, the bar was high after the Phillies traded away veteran and fan favorite Jim Thome. Boy, did Howard deliver.
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The then-26 year old Howard led the league in home runs and RBI that year, with 58 and 149, respectively. He earned the NL MVP award, coming just ahead of St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols. Howard and teammate Chase Utley each took home the Silver Slugger for their positions.
As expected, Howard also went to the All-Star Game that year. He got just one at-bat in the game, but he truly shined the night before.
Howard and Mets third baseman David Wright each hit 18 home runs through the first two rounds of the Home Run Derby. Wright stepped up first, setting the bar for Howard at four home runs. Howard followed him up, hitting five to win the Derby. He was the second Phillie in a row to win the Derby after Bobby Abreu took home the title one year earlier.
Howard participated in two more Home Run Derbies in his career. As the reigning champ, Howard participated in the 2007 Derby, but he didn’t get past the first round, hitting just three that year. In 2009, Howard fell just one home run short of reaching the finals in his hometown of St. Louis.
Howard and Utley go back-to-back in Game Three
With the 2008 World Series tied 1-1, the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays took the trip north back to Philadelphia. So far in the Series, Howard went just 2-for-9 with four strikeouts.
The Phillies put together a 2-1 lead for Jaime Moyer, their 45-year old veteran. Needing some extra insurance, Chase Utley stepped up to the plate to lead off the sixth. He cranked a deep home run to right field, increasing the lead to two.
Howard then stepped in, and with a 2-2 count, took another pitch into the right-field stands. The stadium went berserk as the Phillies’ two best players each went deep in the inning.
The game didn’t end so simply though. The Rays cobbled together three runs over the next two innings, tying the game. It took a Carlos Ruiz dribbler in the bottom of the ninth to score the winning run.
Howard cranks two home runs in Game Four
Game Four of the 2008 World Series was much more one-sided. The Phillies trounced the Rays, 10-2, to put the Phillies just one game away from winning their first World Series in nearly 30 years.
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Ryan Howard was a huge part of the win that night. He finished the game going 3-for-4, hitting two home runs with five RBI. His .299 win probability added was the highest of any player in the game.
The first home run came in the bottom of fourth with the game still close as the Phillies held a one-run lead. Howard blew the game open with a three-run home run, putting the Phillies up 5-1.
Howard didn’t stop there, adding insult to injury in the eighth inning with a two-run shot. That home run gave the Phillies a 10-2 lead, giving the Phillies one of the biggest playoff wins in their history.
Howard accounted for two of the four home runs in that game for Phils, including pitcher Joe Blanton’s home run.
I selected this as Howard’s best moment because it was his only multi-home run performance in the playoffs, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The blowout win gave the Phillies all the momentum needed to take home the championship in the next game, and Howard was a huge part in the win.