Ryan Howard does not think the Phillies are old, and that you should ignore them at your own peril
An energetic Ryan Howard said he is back to normal after a year spent recovering from Achilles surgery. And he disagrees with the public perception about the Phillies.
Ryan Howard does not think the Phillies are old, and that you should ignore them at your own peril
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The Big Piece sounded more like the Big Aristotle. Or, rather, the Big Tony Robbins.
An energetic and optimistic Ryan Howard labeled himself back to normal after a year spent battling the effects of Achilles surgery, and he labeled the Phillies a contender that is being unduly downgraded by the public.
"First, I want to address this 'old' thing, because that's all I keep hearing," Howard said late Thursday morning. "People keep talking about older, and older and older. There's a guy in this league in Jamie Moyer, who I'm sure people told him he was old and this and that, but Jamie Moyer would go out every year and show people that he can play and get it done. I don't buy into the whole old thing. It's about how young you feel inside. It's all about how well you take care of yourself.
"Everybody in this clubhouse goes out and works their butt off. Everybody goes in the offseason and we train and we do what we need to do. If people want to call us old, that's fine, but I think going out there this year we're going to show people that we're not old. As far as the Nationals and the other teams in the division, it's going to be a great division, it's going to be a fun division to watch. They had a great year last year, but once again, we had a lot of injuries.
"So call us old if you want to, that's fine if you want to sweep us under the rug, just don't be surprised. Don't be surprised."
Howard said that last season he was essentially playing on one leg because he had not redeveloped the muscles in the left leg that was operated on and immobilized after surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles in October of 2011. This year, he says those muscles are back, and the mental block that is often associated with traumatic injuries is gone.
"It's one of those things where you just weren't 100 percent confident in it," he said. "You can't do all the things that you would normally do. Sometimes you might try to make a cut or do something that you would normally do and you might feel something. Yeah, there's always going to be that little bit of fear in that back of your mind that you might rupture it again or what not, but now it's not even a second thought in my mind."
Howard missed the first three months of last season, then struggled when he returned.
"You don't realize how important spring training is until you don't have one," he said. "Being able to be here, create the chemistry with my teammates, just being healthy, just being ready to go."
Howard was particularly bad against lefties, hitting just .173 against them. He said he is focused on improving his performance in those situations, and believes he has the ability to hit lefties like he did in 2006, when his average was over .270 and his OPS over .900 against southpaws.
"I think (the problem is) a combination of listening to the noise, trying to please people, trying to go out there and people saying, oh, he can't hit lefties, I have to show them that I can hit lefties," Howard said. "Obviously, to get to the big leagues you have to hit lefties and righties. Like I said, putting all that aside and trusting in my ability. I know I can hit lefties, it's just a matter of going up there, being relaxed, having good ABs, getting good pitches and putting good swings on them."
Howard said his surgically-repaired leg is a non-issue.
"I want to go out and play 162 games and every game in the playoffs and the World Series," he said.
Is that realistic?
"Yeah, why not," he said. "That's what the offseason is for. That's why I train. That's why I do what I do, to go out there and try to play 162. I'm not the kind of guy who just wants to come out here and play 150 games and be cool with that."
Looking forward to watching every at-bat big guy.— Grazman- The only person who should watch out is the opposing team's first basemen, who will need to field the Subway Man's weak dribblers up the line...— ghostofozark
- Ryan - before the inevitable naysayers begin, let me say: WELCOME BACK, BIG GUY! I said long ago that you would do whatever was necessary to get back to form. Love your attitude! Any fan who watched you struggle last year knew why you were doing it - to help the TEAM, any way you could. We thank you for that. It will be great to see how this lineup - together (and healthy!) for the first time in what seems like forever - does with some right-handed protection, whether it's Michael Young, Darin Ruf, Delmon Young or any combination of those guys. Stay focused and have a great year, Ryan!— dwp66
- Sounds good to me. The hallmark of this team's professional approach can be found right here in RH's remarks. This is a sign of this team's confidence in itself. I believe this town's disappointment in RH is his inability to recapture the bat skill of his early seasons. Despite this, he has put up good numbers as a very good rbi guy. Last year was a season of chairs in the infield, lessons on lower ankle injuries and infection and chronic knee injury and treatment of; a new season has begun. I look forward to a disappointed Gnats and Bravos fanbase!— DelawareRiverRat
- Sit him against any tough lefty.— Vituperator
- I would never count out a team that's won. If injuries don't tear them up, they will be in contention.— rustypop58
- Based on the second half last year, the "Big Piece" might be right. However, they got to play the 162 and then we'll know in September. Been following the Phils since 1960 thru good times and bad so no matter the result, the season should be fun in one of the best divisions in baseball. If they all stay healthy......?— streetrat
I am a diehard Phils fan. With that said, realistically, Howard is probably the most overrated baseball player they've ever had in my 58 years. If he doesn't hit for average, and with power, he's an absolute hinderance to the lineup and team. If he walks or singles, he's got the bases absolutely clogged. It's rare that he takes more than one base at a time, this being that he's very slow and not a very smart baserunner. Then, you take the field. He cannot catch the ball. Rico Brogna was the best fielding first baseman, probably the best glove anywhere, I've ever seen. And if Howard does happen to catch it, most of the time he doesn't know what to do with it. And the pitcher can forget about picking off anyone when he's over there. I'd be really pumped this spring if this Darren Ruf was going to be playing there. There's probably no GM in the majors who'd take Howard and his fat dollars owed off of the Phillies hands. It hurts me to say this about anyone in a Phils uniform.— cynic al- You, like almost all Phillies fans, don't understand power hitters in baseball. It's people like you that booed Schmidt. The most overrated Philly ever? Hyperbole much? Rico Brogna the best fielding 1st basemen ever? Hyperbole much again? You're right though. 150 RBIs a season doesn't help his team at all. This city's ignorance when it comes to Ryan Howard is just amazing. — notcoolzeuss
- PLEASE try not to lump all Phillies fans into the same category is this simpleton. You honestly think you're the only Phils fan out there with more than half a brain? — The Pack Leader
- Besides the Phillies, who actually rates Howard highly? Does he even crack the list of top 5 active first basemen? — philly_in_DC
- I'd say finish in the top ten for MVP every year he has played except last years injury plagued season qualifies as others ranking him highly, idiot.
Show some respect when the Phils start winning and stay off the site. world has enough hypocrites. philly don't know nothing about no baseball, boyee. - Go Ryan-you're going to have a great year.Don't read what these naysayers say!— philsfansince1946
- I like the positive attitude....— Jim M.
- All the pseudo GM's on here make me laugh..cynic al, "the most overrated player they have had in 58 years." That's a joke. He is the best 1st baseman they have had in 58 years. Let's see when he year is done and he has put up 40 dingers, 120 RBI's and 25 doubles. He is not an old man, he is in great shape and the naysayers are about to be quieted. Go phillies!!!
— ceocreates
