Howard Nearly Runs Down Utley In Win

The best part of last night’s Phillies game was not Pat Burrell’s game-winning double, though that was pretty awesome, too. And it wasn’t the female streaker, since the TV didn’t show that — and she kept her bra on, anyway. (Okay, the female streaker is pretty cool, also.)

No, it was Ryan Howard running just a half-step behind Chase Utley as they both rounded third, looking to grab the go-ahead and insurance runs from the Colorado Rockies. Because Burrell’s hit could have been caught, Utley held up at second and Howard went all the way near the bag; once it dropped, both sprinted for home plate like it was that one scene from Rookie of the Year.

The Phillies are finally above .500 (they’re 11-10) and swept the Rockies in a two-game series. Video of the game-winning hit and hilarious basepath action after the jump.

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If Ryan Howard Joins The Media, He’ll Be Dead To Pat Burrell

One of my first editors back in college now works at the New York Daily News and interviewed Ryan Howard for his Touching Base blog.

Here’s the relevant info, about whether Howard (a communications major at Missouri State) would join the media one day:

Touching Base: Do you think you’ll be in the media someday?

Ryan Howard: Maybe, hopefully down the road.
Pat Burrell (grabbing something from his adjacent locker): You’ll lose one friend.
RH: (Laughing)… maybe when my career’s over. (Still laughing)… did you hear that, Jenks?
Geoff Jenkins (at his locker on the other side): I don’t even want to know.
RH: He said, “Do you think that you’ll be in the media, maybe sometime down the road?” I said, “Maybe one day.” Burrell’s like, “Yeah, you’ll lose one friend.” (Laughs) That’s (messed) up!

Incredibly (messed) up! Man, I can’t wait for the Ryan Howard/Jared The Subway Guy Morning Show after he retires, though.

Nine Innings: Ryan Howard [New York Daily News]

How Much Green Will Ryan Howard Get?

Inquirer Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki — one of my fave local beat guys — writes today about the Phillies and Ryan Howard. While the Phils made deals with Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson, the 2006 MVP remains unsigned and has filed for salary arbitration. (Don’t worry; he can’t become a free agent ’til 2011.)

Howard’s agent and the Phillies were unable to reach an agreement last year on a long-term deal, so the club re-upped him for a cool $900,000. Although roughly $950,000 less than I make, Howard wasn’t all that happy with the deal of playing baseball for just under a million. He came into camp overweight and had a bit of a disappointing season, I guess, although he still hit 47 homers. (He also set the MLB strikeout record with 199.)

Howard could get around $7 million to play for the Phillies this year, Zolecki guesses any long-term deal would have to be better than Chase Utley’s seven-year, $85 million deal and Albert Pujols’ seven-year, $100 million contract. Maybe Howard can stuff his face full of money so he won’t say “It is what it is” ever again. Ditto Kyle Kendrick. At this point, the only way to stop sports stars from saying “It is what it is” might be to pay them.

In other Phillies news, John Kruk is going to be on Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Phillies Get Hopes Of Philadelphians Up Again

Last night, the Phillies continued their annual late season game of “Let’s Get The Fans’ Hopes Up.” Swore off the Phillies after dropping 4 of 6 after a sweep of the Mets? Well, let’s draw you back in: Ryan Howard doubles in Chase Utley to beat the Rockies in 10 innings.

Howard and Utley were assisted by Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, who managed to lose the ball in the corner, even though the ball only had one place to go. (Uh, the corner.) His failure to pick up the ball quickly allowed Utley to score from first without a slide and moved the Phils just 1.5 games back in the Wild Card.

It goes like this every year: The Phils get our hopes up with four-game sweeps (or post-9/11 break surges, or Jim Thome game-winning homers in the Hurricane Game, or whatever) and then collapse down the stretch. And, despite your best efforts, you can’t help but get into it.

But, hey, why should this year be any different? Let’s go Phillies! To the playoffs we go! We’ll figure out who the hell besides Kyle Kendrick is going to start in the postseason once we get there.

Phillies hurdle Rockies in 10th [Daily News]

Ryan Howard Steals A Freaking Base

Ryan Howard lost a major league record last night. With the rain coming down in the seventh inning, Ryan Howard got a decent job off Rudy Seanez and got his first career stolen base. Howard ended up being stranded when Aaron Rowand flew out to end the inning.

The Phils did end up winning, 5-4, and — wait a minute. Ryan Howard got a stolen base?

I was only half-paying attention last night, but I can only assume this “Rudy Seanez” is actually a pitching machine, which would have a fairly tough time holding a runner on at first base. Howard actually asked for the base after the game to celebrate his newfound speed.

But the record! Before his first career stolen base, Ryan Howard was the all-time leader in home runs without a stolen base with 115. He had held that record, the most prestigious in sports, since at least sometime last year. The record is now currently held by some guy whose name I cannot figure out. But considering even Ryan Howard has a stolen base, it’s unlikely the dude hit many home runs or lasted in the league very long.

Next year, one can only assume Howard will go 40/40.

Winners Do Use Drugs

Hey! Last night, some dude broke some record. In more important news, Ryan Howard broke out of his slump with a pair of homers. But to celebrate Barry Bonds’ historic moment, here is a a photo of the legend:

Personally, I think all the players should be on ‘roids. If Ryan Howard really cared about winning, he would have injected himself with some steroids and some great masking agents and woulda hit 79 last year. I mean, the Giants went to the World Series, why couldn’t Howard care that much?

Barry Bonds [Ron Newcomer's PITTSBURGH SPORTS STARS]

Ryan Howard Does Well In Meaningless Game

Ryan Howard’s rehab has begun:

Ryan Howard, first baseman for the Phillies, continued his injury rehabilitation today by serving as the designated hitter for the single-A Lakewood Blue Claws.

On the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps, Howard ripped an RBI double to right-center field in the third inning against the Hagerstown Suns and clubbed a tie-breaking 3-run home run to left-center in the seventh.

Howard went 2 for 3 with a walk as the Blue Claws beat the Suns, 7-4.

I think this Howard kid might make it eventually. Maybe he can lead the Blue Claws to the championship this year.

Ryan Howard smacks double and homer in minor-league game [Inquirer]

Another Season Of Disappointment Begins Today

After watching the Flyers and 76ers sputter to about 8 wins combined in the 2007 season and the Eagles fall just short of, uh, the NFC Championship Game, baseball is finally here.

The Phillies take on the Braves today on CBS 3 at 1 p.m. in the season and home opener for the local nine. There are high expectations for the Phillies this year — playoffs, at the very least — which makes sense, since the team returns MVP Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, etc.

Heck, people are so excited about the Phillies this year the Inquirer unfroze Bill Lyon yesterday to write about the team. (He, like me, thinks they’re going to break your heart again. But isn’t that part of the fun — finding how just how the Phillies will break your heart this time?)

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Leftovers: Albert Pujols, Septuagenarian

• Albert Pujols told reporters in the Dominican Republic that he should have won the MVP — instead of Ryan Howard — because he led his team to the playoffs even though the Cardinals won two fewer games than the Phillies. I think we should go easy on Pujols. Look: Sometimes as people get older — say, in their mid-30s — they begin to get a little senile and say stupid things. [AP/ESPN.com]

• Oh, and, yes, you guessed it: Albert Pujols is a candidate for Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Probably because he always puts the team in front of himself, so much so that he hit .200 in the World Series so his teammates could get all the glory. Yeah. I’m sure that’s why he did it. [SI.com]

• I’ll just quote the reader who sent this in: “I had to read this about four times before I figured out that he wasn’t talking about Amish people in the title.” [Craigslist]

• An Annapolis paper on our city’s fine mayor, John Street: “Sporting a hairstyle not dissimilar to that of Don King, the flamboyant Philadelphia mayor sounded somewhat like the famous boxing promoter when he declared the city was prepared to make an effort to keep the Army-Navy game ‘for all-time.’” Awesome. [The 700 Level]

Ron–Er, Ryan–Howard Is Everywhere

Yesterday, Mayor Street declared it Ryan Howard Day in honor of the Phillies’ slugger’s NL MVP award. Of course, Mayor Street being the most bumbling man on the planet, it wasn’t that simple. John Street called him Ron Howard. Over and over. He even did a hybrid “Ryon” later. Yeah.

What makes this better is that this is the second Ryan Howard Day this city has had. He got a Ryan Howard Day when he won the Rookie of the Year. So John Street already gave Howard a citation making it Ry-Ho Day-O. (Sigh.) And he still didn’t get his name right.

Later, Ryan Howard went to a school and the kids painted a mural for him. He’s also signing that giant banner at City Hall and it’s going to be auctioned off.

Ryan Howard, the city’s savior.

Update: Oh, yeah, also: Ryan Howard’s name is in lights on the PECO Building. The only other people to get that honor are Pope John Paul II and Ed Rendell. This is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard about the city of Philadelphia.