Phillies' Ryan Howard Fastest Player In MLB History To 200 Home Runs; How Good Is He?

[HacheMan]

How good is this guy?

Do you guys think he's in it for the long haul?




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<!-- T11960362 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 07/16/2009 20:51:19 --><!-- sversion: 3 $Updated: ningrassia$ -->MIAMI -- Ryan Howard has hit his 200th home run, reaching the milestone in fewer games than any player in major league history.
The Philadelphia Phillies' slugger achieved the feat in his 658th game, hitting his 23rd homer of the season in the sixth inning Thursday against Florida.
Ralph Kiner was previously the fastest player to reach 200 home runs. He did it in 706 games.
Howard is the eighth Phillies player to hit 200 homers.

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[louisvillekid]

i don't know why, but i still think he is overrated, but it's hard to knock him for what he has achieved already.
i think he just happens to benefit from having Utley, Ibanez, Victorino, Feliz, and Werth all in that lineup with him. All solid hitters, so it's kinda pick your poison who you want to pitch too.

 

[Boxer22]

i don't know why, but i still think he is overrated, but it's hard to knock him for what he has achieved already.
i think he just happens to benefit from having Utley, Ibanez, Victorino, Feliz, and Werth all in that lineup with him. All solid hitters, so it's kinda pick your poison who you want to pitch too.

Ibanez = First year on the team who hits behind Howard and is also left handed. Why would you pitch to Howard to get to Ibanez this year? They can both hurt you equally.

Feliz = Has batted 6th or 7th with the Phillies since joining the team last year and provides no protection for Howard batting that late in the order.

Victorino = Either leads off or bats 2nd, 6th or 7th he provides no protection batting in those positions.

Werth = Was not an everyday starter until this year and he bats 6th. Werth helps Ibanez more then anyone because it forces the left handers to throw to Ibanez because they don't want to face Werth.

Utley = Bats in front of Howard who is also left handed and can hurt you just as much. Bats for average and has power. If anything Utley benefits from hitting in front of Howard because Howard is more of a long ball threat and pitchers are probably still dumb enough to give Utley something to hit instead of Howard.

 

[louisvillekid]

i know what the line-up is, or generally is. my point was that the whole damn line-up can basically hurt you, all solid hitters. So again, basically you got to pick your poison, if, and i say "if", an opposing manager is one who really gets into the whole rightie vs. leftie match-up, and then we could debate every scenario of when who was on and who wasn't and what type of pitcher was on the mound and whether they had a quick release or whether they had a quick throw to first, or a step-off and fake to second, all this if any runners are on and Howard was up and how and if and why and what and when and whatever the opposing manager decides to pitch him.

i'm still sticking with he benefits from being in a solid line-up on a solid team.

 

[Illini]

WAY overrated. But he's a great guy, and very humble.

 

[Boxer22]

WAY overrated. But he's a great guy, and very humble.

Can I just ask you how is someone "WAY overrated" when they are the quickest to 200 homeruns in MLB history, won a world series, and won an MVP award?

 

[red007]

1/2 the player bonds was

 

[Boxer22]

1/2 the player bonds was

I hope your kidding.

 

[Illini]

Can I just ask you how is someone "WAY overrated" when they are the quickest to 200 homeruns in MLB history, won a world series, and won an MVP award?

200 k's EVERY year, .260 avg, not a great fielder........he's a good player, but he's no MVP. Pujols should win the MVP every year, and that's a fact.

 

[billhill999]

Howard is what he is.
An uber power hitting first baseman that strikes out too much.
He is to this generation as Frank Howard and Harmon Killebrew were to their generation.

 

[kidman232]

if he could quit swining at curve balls in the dirt, he could be great

 

[onemwtheone]

Good now, won't get/keep himself in shape. Another Cecil Fielder.

 

[seanm0520]

He's toned up and slimmed down a lot for this season and continues to work on his defense. While he may not be a great fielder, he's certainly well above average.

And if being overrated means one-man wrecking crewing the final leg of the last two seasons so the Phillies make the playoffs...be overrated all you want Howard!

 

[paftraft]

I like Howard but when Jimmy Foxx hit his 200 HR only 4 players in history even had 200 in their careers, nowadays half of the teams have 4 more players with over 200 career HR's. When Kiner hit over 50 in 47
he was only the 4th player ever to do so. Completing this feat in this era make it less remarkable than what Foxx or even Kiner did!

 

[RupertPupkin]

this record won't last long , Miguel Cabrera has 193 and hes only 26 !!!

 

[RupertPupkin]

oH i didnt realize it was amount of games , not age , my bad

Ill have to go back to the stat book

 

[barman]

Howard is what he is.
An uber power hitting first baseman that strikes out too much.
He is to this generation as Frank Howard and Harmon Killebrew were to their generation.

Yep...Just a Jim Thome starter kit. Certainly looks like he could methodically plod his way to 500+ HR over next eight to ten years, while possibly setting the alltime K record

 

[VIEJODINOSAUR]

All you Howard haters can go to hell...what's the difference between a ground out, a fly ball, and a KO...you are still out!!!

Not everyone can drive in 150 runs with a .270 batting average with 45-50 HR's...

 

[Illini]

All you Howard haters can go to hell...what's the difference between a ground out, a fly ball, and a KO...you are still out!!!

Not everyone can drive in 150 runs with a .270 batting average with 45-50 HR's...

There's a huge difference between a groundout and a strikeout, and a huge difference between a fly out and strikeout. A strikeout can make a bases loaded and nobody out situation all of a sudden become one pitch away from getting out unscathed. Just make f'ing contact, Mr. "MVP."

 

[viking611]

i won't say he was one of them, but 75% of his college team was heavily on the juice.
i know how most of you on this board are experts on who and who wasn't on the juice. assume away!