Ryan Howard is a beast

[TruffleShuffle]

3 HR for the Phillies today, bringing him to 52 overall. If he stays healthy, he's probably going to top 60 homers - in his second year in the league. If there's one guy out there who has a legitimate shot to break Bonds' record without the help of a needle or a creative physical trainer (ala Greg Anderson), it's Ryan Howard. NL MVP, in my book.

[CuseCubFan69]

When are you coming out with your book?

 

He is a man child no doubt.

[Warpticon]

And there were people who, as recently as a couple of months ago, were poopooing the Thome trade like they'd be better off having kept him.

[rawaction]

I'd give him strong consideration for MVP. And considering that Andruw won it last year over Pujols and Lee, I'm guessing Howard has a real strong chance.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

I'd give him strong consideration for MVP. And considering that Andruw won it last year over Pujols and Lee, I'm guessing Howard has a real strong chance.

 

Pujols won the MVP last year.

[Geech]

Pujols has three today, too, but he's 10 behind Howard on the year. ARod has a couple and another chance at a third, too.

[Drew Doughty]

Howard is older than Pujols (assuming Pujols lists his correct age, which he probably does), so I think Pujols still has a better chance of breaking the record.

 

But Howard is a beast.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Howard is older than Pujols (assuming Pujols lists his correct age, which he probably does), so I think Pujols still has a better chance of breaking the record.

 

But Howard is a beast.

 

You know why Howard is the best POWER threat in baseball right now?

 

Home: .294 .399 .624 1.023 (24 hrs and 65 rbis)

Road: .308 .392 .656 1.047 (25 hrs and 64 rbis)

 

I was going to argue that Howard has been help by playing in a HITTER'S ballpark, but then I look at his splits on the yr, and he's just as dangerous on the road.

 

I will go out and say, that Ryan Howard SHOULD be the 2006 NL MVP. I know some writers will go for Pujols because of the "name", but ultimately, I think Howard is having a better season. Now I realize Pujols was on the road to a "career" yr this yr, before the injury, and it would have been fun to compare Howard to Pujols had he not gotten injuired, but you deal with the hand you are dealt with. So again, Howard should be the 2006 NL MVP.

[Drew Doughty]

Howard is older than Pujols (assuming Pujols lists his correct age, which he probably does), so I think Pujols still has a better chance of breaking the record.

 

But Howard is a beast.

 

You know why Howard is the best POWER threat in baseball right now?

 

Home: .294 .399 .624 1.023 (24 hrs and 65 rbis)

Road: .308 .392 .656 1.047 (25 hrs and 64 rbis)

 

I was going to argue that Howard has been help by playing in a HITTER'S ballpark, but then I look at his splits on the yr, and he's just as dangerous on the road.

 

I will go out and say, that Ryan Howard SHOULD be the 2006 NL MVP. I know some writers will go for Pujols because of the "name", but ultimately, I think Howard is having a better season. Now I realize Pujols was on the road to a "career" yr this yr, before the injury, and it would have been fun to compare Howard to Pujols had he not gotten injuired, but you deal with the hand you are dealt with. So again, Howard should be the 2006 NL MVP.

 

Nevermind what I said, I was thinking career HR record, which isn't even Bonds'. So yeah.

 

But Pujols should still be the MVP, and IMO, it's not that close.

[Soriano12]

Philly has the best right side of the infield in all of baseball.

[RonnieWooWooSanto]

Philly has the best right side of the infield in all of baseball.

 

Should have kept Abreu in RF (Howard, Utley and Abreu and the right side).

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I remember that time early in the season where somebody offered me Ryan Howard for Jeff Kent in my fantasy league. He called me a dumbass for accepting the trade.

[NCCubFan]

I got Howard with the 15th pick (16 teams) of the 3rd round in a league I'm in. Steal of the draft.

[Abe Frohman]

Howard hits oppo HR like it is nobodies business. Look at these little gems....

 

http://images18.fotki.com/v339/photos/4/41654/2548020/MARUCCIbats08022006003-vi.jpg

[sherwood921]

I remember when I traded Todd Jones for Howard less than a month ago...

[UMFan83]

I love Ryan Howard....not a lot of people picked him in the HR derby pool, and I'm certianly profiting from that right now :)

[Guest]

I also think he could break Maris's record - possibly this year.

[Andy]

I also think he could break Maris's record - possibly this year.

Maris doesn't hold any records.

 

/technicality police

[EastonBlues22]

Fun selective stats:

Howard: 148 AB RISP (#3 NL); .250/.396/.520; 73 RBI

Pujols: 103 AB RISP (T#62 NL); .388/.532/.757; 68 RBI

 

Howard: 134 GP out of 137 team games, drove in or scored 169 (RBI+RUNS-HR...because a HR double counts) of 733 team runs for 23.2% of all his team's runs.

 

Pujols: 117 FP out of 135 team games, drove in or scored 172 of 658 team runs for 26.2% of all his team's runs...and that's with missing more than two weeks worth of action.

 

Howard is having a great year, but he is not more valuable to his team than Pujols is in my opinion. His gaudy RBI total is largely a byproduct of his team producing a boatload of chances for him than it is of his own success in those situations. MVP? Maybe...he has to be a candidate at least. If the Phillies snag the wildcard due to his efforts, you can make a case for it. But it's hard, for me at least, to consider him the frontrunner right now.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I also think he could break Maris's record - possibly this year.

Maris doesn't hold any records.

 

/technicality police

 

II'm going to go with stitchface here, and say....that Maris still holds the record for most LEGAL homeruns in MLB.

[TruffleShuffle]

Fun selective stats:

Howard: 148 AB RISP (#3 NL); .250/.396/.520; 73 RBI

Pujols: 103 AB RISP (T#62 NL); .388/.532/.757; 68 RBI

 

Howard: 134 GP out of 137 team games, drove in or scored 169 (RBI+RUNS-HR...because a HR double counts) of 733 team runs for 23.2% of all his team's runs.

 

Pujols: 117 FP out of 135 team games, drove in or scored 172 of 658 team runs for 26.2% of all his team's runs...and that's with missing more than two weeks worth of action.

 

Howard is having a great year, but he is not more valuable to his team than Pujols is in my opinion. His gaudy RBI total is largely a byproduct of his team producing a boatload of chances for him than it is of his own success in those situations. MVP? Maybe...he has to be a candidate at least. If the Phillies snag the wildcard due to his efforts, you can make a case for it. But it's hard, for me at least, to consider him the frontrunner right now.

 

I give Howard extra credit for carrying the Phillies back into the wild card chase despite trading away Abreu and Lidle. Numbers since the All-Star break:

 

Pujols: 328/405/639/1044; 37 runs, 13 HR, 38 RBI

Howard: 359/491/793/1284; 43 runs, 24 HR, 62 RBI

 

 

Add in the fact that Pujols has played 17 games fewer than Howard, and I say that gives Howard a slight edge over Pujols.

 

 

One of Howard's most remarkable numbers is his HR/F - home runs per outfield fly ball. 38.3% of his fly balls to the outfield end up as HRs. The next highest figures are Travis Hafner at 30.7% and David Ortiz at 26.3%.

[EastonBlues22]

Fun selective stats:

Howard: 148 AB RISP (#3 NL); .250/.396/.520; 73 RBI

Pujols: 103 AB RISP (T#62 NL); .388/.532/.757; 68 RBI

 

Howard: 134 GP out of 137 team games, drove in or scored 169 (RBI+RUNS-HR...because a HR double counts) of 733 team runs for 23.2% of all his team's runs.

 

Pujols: 117 FP out of 135 team games, drove in or scored 172 of 658 team runs for 26.2% of all his team's runs...and that's with missing more than two weeks worth of action.

 

Howard is having a great year, but he is not more valuable to his team than Pujols is in my opinion. His gaudy RBI total is largely a byproduct of his team producing a boatload of chances for him than it is of his own success in those situations. MVP? Maybe...he has to be a candidate at least. If the Phillies snag the wildcard due to his efforts, you can make a case for it. But it's hard, for me at least, to consider him the frontrunner right now.

 

I give Howard extra credit for carrying the Phillies back into the wild card chase despite trading away Abreu and Lidle. Numbers since the All-Star break:

 

Pujols: 328/405/639/1044; 37 runs, 13 HR, 38 RBI

Howard: 359/491/793/1284; 43 runs, 24 HR, 62 RBI

 

 

Add in the fact that Pujols has played 17 games fewer than Howard, and I say that gives Howard a slight edge over Pujols.

 

 

One of Howard's most remarkable numbers is his HR/F - home runs per outfield fly ball. 38.3% of his fly balls to the outfield end up as HRs. The next highest figures are Travis Hafner at 30.7% and David Ortiz at 26.3%.

Why are the numbers post ASB anymore important than the ones pre ASB? Every game counts the same.

 

Pre ASB

Pujols: .316/.435/.703/1.138; 63 runs, 29 HR, 73 RBI (256 AB)

Howard: .278/.341/.582/.923; 45 runs, 28 HR, 71 RBI (316 AB)

 

If Howard had played better early on, there would have been no need for him to carry his team anywhere post ASB...they would have already been where they needed to be. Not to mention, they might not have traded Abreu and Lidle at all if they felt like they were in contention at the time...so, in a weird way, his later success actually hurt his team's chances at succeeding in the postseason. I'm not holding that against Howard, it's just an observation.

 

Just for clarity, I'm not arguing that Howard doesn't belong in the MVP race (he does--his latest surge is making his overall rate stats finally worthy of consideration), nor am I saying that if the Phillies should happen to make the playoffs that he shouldn't win the award (he would be a really strong candidate if they make it, a decidedly lesser one if they don't). What I am saying is that with the Phillies one game over .500 and one and a half out of the WC, it's a bit early to be calling him the clear favorite since so much of the argument for him rests on the Phillies actually getting in.

[TruffleShuffle]

Why are the numbers post ASB anymore important than the ones pre ASB? Every game counts the same.

 

I bet if Pujols were having the great second half, you'd have argued differently :D

 

What I am saying is that with the Phillies one game over .500 and one and a half out of the WC, it's a bit early to be calling him the clear favorite since so much of the argument for him rests on the Phillies actually getting in.

 

Actually the best argument for him being MVP is the projected finish of 62 HR, around 160 RBI and an OPS of 1.060. Regardless of whether the Phillies make the playoffs, those stats are ridiculous.

[EastonBlues22]

Why are the numbers post ASB anymore important than the ones pre ASB? Every game counts the same.

 

I bet if Pujols were having the great second half, you'd have argued differently :D

Possibly, I am only human, but Pujols tends to be very consistent from half to half...and even from month to month. With his injury this year, it's a bit different, but the last five years he's never been a player that started slow and finished strong or vice versa. I don't think there's ever really been a chance to even use that argument in favor of him.

 

Actually the best argument for him being MVP is the projected finish of 62 HR, around 160 RBI and an OPS of 1.060. Regardless of whether the Phillies make the playoffs, those stats are ridiculous.

Howard: 591 AB, 105 R, 183 H, 21 2B, 62 HR, 158 RBI .403/.665/1.068

174 AB with RISP, 284 AB with runners on

 

projected over the same # of ABs...

 

Pujols: 591 AB, 136 R, 190 H, 50 2B, 58 HR, 155 RBI .423/.681/1.104

139 AB with RISP, 267 AB with runners on

 

Same ridiculous pace, but he's giving better production with more limited opportunities.

 

Anyway, I'm not here to start a Pujols for MVP campaign on a Cubs board... Howard and Pujols are having very similar seasons. Howard has the better supporting offensive cast around him, Pujols' team benefits from better pitching. If both teams make the playoffs, you could make a great case for either player...both would be deserving. Howard will probably get more votes because nobody expected his team to be there whereas everyone thought the Cards would be much better. Nevermind the rather disappointing record falls almost exclusively on the shoulders of the pitching staff...voters will still think the Cards underachieved and associate Pujols with that. That's ok, Howard will still be deserving. If the Phils don't make it but the Cards do, and Howard still gets it, I'll probably be a lot more disturbed by the outcome.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Has Joe Morgan seen the Phillies play? I was just wondering if he thought Ryan Howard was any good or if he was waiting to form an opinion.