Burrell Has Stars In His Eyes
The numbers add up. Pat Burrell should make his first all-star team. Does he? We'll find out Sunday.
Burrell Has Stars In His Eyes
Todd Zolecki
Pat Burrell said in spring training that he would love to make his first All-Star Game this year.
He just might.
He entered last night's 7-4 victory over the Braves at Turner Field ranked first amongst National League outfielders in home runs (20), on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.998) and slugging percentage (.584); second in on-base percentage (.414); seventh in RBIs (51); and 11th in runs (45). Compared to every player in the National League, he ranked fourth in OPS, fifth in OBP and sixth in SLG.
Those are all-star worthy numbers right there.
Burrell, who hit a solo homer against the Braves, just has to hope the right people are paying attention. He won't win the fan vote, so that means players, coaches and managers, who vote for the reserves, have to have noticed Burrell. He had a very strong April, so perhaps that planted a seed in enough people's heads to get him a spot. If not, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle could add him, or he could end up on the online ballot where fans choose each team's final player.
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Ryan Howard leads the National League with 71 RBIs. He is tied for fourth in the league with 21 homers.
But, oh, the average!
“That shows he’s contributing,” Charlie Manuel said of his homers and RBIs. “That shows he’s a run producer. Until we find somebody who can knock in 71, we might have to overlook (the batting average). I mean, who else has got 71?”
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Howard booted two balls in the ninth inning that could have been costly, except Brad Lidge worked out of a bases loaded jam with two outs. Still, it forced Lidge to throw 28 pitches, which means you have to wonder how that might affect his availability tonight or later this week.
"I just botched a couple balls," Howard said. "It happens. The first ball was hit pretty hard. I welcome anybody to go out there and try to stand in front of that one. And the second one I absolutely just completely zooed it. I just messed it up. It happens sometimes."
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Jim Salisbury offers a great behind-the-scenes look at the process that went into sending Brett Myers to triple-A Lehigh Valley, while Phil Sheridan got a chance to watch what he described as the strangest minor-league rehabilitation assignment in recent memory.
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In the Phillies Notebook, the Phillies are scouting for starting pitching. Erik Bedard anybody?
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Carlos Carrasco left last night's game with tightness in his right shoulder.
John in LA. We get it you don't like Ryan Howard. I like a guy who leads the league in RBI'S and has 21 homeruns when we are not even to the All-Star game. Should't you be rooting for Kotchman or James Loney being in LA? I will check back in with you in September when Howard has 45 homeruns and 150 RBI's. Jason- Los Angeles— JASON RINGLER- Jason, forget my editorializing. Are my stats wrong? Read Howard's quotes over the last few years. See above. See the fact that he's had 3 agents in 3.5 years. The guy is delusional and immature. Again: put down the Baseball Prospectus. You're seriously going to tell me a guy like Polanco - who probably makes a third of what Howard wants - isn't more valuable? Really? Do guys like Howard win championships?— John in LA
- John so Howard is the worst first baseman in the league? He leads the league in RBI's. He is a Rookie of the Year winner, and a Most Valuable Player. He is the fastest player to hit 100 homeruns in THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL. Polanco? Sure John you can have that punch and judy hitter. Wake up. Are you really comparing Placido Polanco with Ryan Howard? You are giving LA a bad name. Jason- Los Angeles— JASON RINGLER
Comment removed.- John in LA-Howard is a Rookie of the Year and a Most Valuable Player. He hit 100 homeruns faster than anybody in the HISTORY OF BASEBALL. He leads the league in RBI's, and you are trying to say he is the worst first baseman in baseball and you would rather have Placido Polanco? Wake up. You are giving LA a bad name. Jason-Los Angeles— JASON RINGLER
- As usual the true colors of the Philadelphia Phan bleed thru the dirty blue collar uniforms that YOU wear. Once again the focus is on Howard who once again dominates major staistical categories. Burrell should be an all-star? He has sucked since he signed the (at the time) mega-contract. He can't even run. He's having a decent contract year season but to say he has been the most consistent hitter here for years is just plain STUPID(women should be banned from posting.— Truth
- Jason in LA- J (fruitcake/cupcake) in LA is a weirdo don't waste your energy typing. He is simply a one horse/subject pony, that lives in another dimension, certainly not reality.— Truth
- The beauty of Truth is that, when not playing the race-card, he isn't bright or introspective enough to realize what a sexist/homophobe he is. Thank God for our pinata!— John in LA
- Burrell in it for love of the game or just the big bucks. History always seem to repeat itself. You feel me ? I can see another (2) year slump. Phils need to look at the big picture, now that salary is skyrocketing on the Phillies limited budget. That's what I said .. BUDGET !— pat h
- RAS, nice comment but I think the times are changing. Good pitching is incredibly scarce right now. In the past, each team had 2 or 3 guys that were good starting pitchers. Now, teams are lucky to have one. I'm not sure whether its due to steriods or SportsCenter or whatever, but I think in 2008 you have to give up good hitting to obtain good pithing. I'm talking about good pitching now, like Sabathia or Oswalt, not mediocre pitching like Bedard.— RichNC
- Could you imagine how may RBI Howard would have if he was hitting .300 instead of .216? He could be in the 90s by now. He's got power and can knock in runs but how many times has he whiffed with runners on when we need him the most? How many losses have we had because of it? For RAS, if Sabathia won 15% of games over the season it's still 24 wins which is huge. If he is on this team and you have him with 24 wins, Cole with 20, Moyer with 14 wins, and Kendrick and Eaton with 10 wins each (probably more with Kyle)you're already at 78 wins on the year. Usually a bullpen will pick up about 10-15 wins in a year and that puts us at 88-93 wins.— cg
- Howard wants roughly 3 times what Polanco makes. Are you with me? His numbers are declining every year. He has a body with about 5 years left in it. Polanco hits .300 every year. He's clutch. Accountable. A winner. I challenge anyone here to tell me who is a worse first basemen than Howard in the NL.— John in LA
- One horse in LA say what you will but you are terribly wrong about Howard? Where are all the Chase is the greatest 2nd baseman ever convo now? Where are the P.G. is the best GM ever to GM in Philly chants? J in LA go cheer for Loney or Vlad(if you're even in LA) stop your obsessive dissing of Howard the best 1B in franchise history and get gone-Mommy is calling now run along and get your milk and cookies.— Truth
- I can't wait until Howard hits .270 with 160 RBI's and gets 3rd thru 6th in MVP voting and most importantly gets his 13-15 million. I really hope they trade him so that he won't be such a burden in these parts any feakin' more.....— Truth
- I'm sorry I forget to add 50+ HR's to my Howard stat line. The guy hasn't even had a hot stretch yet. We don't need YOU fans we have arbitraitors!— Truth
