Ryan Howard needs one home run to reach the arbitrary ceiling of 40. Next stop, Phillies history.
Pitchers cannot see his eyes under the shadow of his crimson helmet, but they know the menace is watching. He grips the black beacon and wields it skyward. This is the instrument of a ceremonial death, laid bare before the rapid blow.
All the uncertainties surrounding Ryan Howard have been compromised. Doubts about his bat speed proved inaccurate. Experts failed to account for the size of the bludgeon, perhaps the most massive and feared instrument in baseball. Hence, the frequency of balls catapulted to the peasantry in left field.
Howard is one of the game's most unique specimens. With every swing, he reopening studies of baseball physics. Nearly every home run is preposterous.
He can just as easily get around on a left-hander as he can a right-hander, a fact that would have never been realized if Jim Thome was still wearing red pinstripes. Howard’s 10 home runs and .883 OPS in 125 at bats against southpaws is truly astounding. Against right-handers, it’s reached a point where it’s no longer advisable to face him.
Pitchers in general no longer know how to work him. He’ll burn you for a double on a good pitch out of the zone. He’ll hit savvy pitchers just as easily as Jeff Weaver. He can run – and as we’re starting to see – he can field.
Howard is far from one dimensional. In fact, he's closer to becoming a Triple-Crown winner than a one-trick pony. He's even hitting close to .300. But his specialty will always be the majestic long ball, belted at a Ruthian rate of one in every 10 at bats (39 in 390 AB). When he hits them, they win. After last night, the Phillies are 21-12 in games he goes yard (and it should have been more).
NL Rankings:
1st in HR (39)
1st in RBI (101)
1st in HR ratio (10)
3rd in slugging (.627)
T-3rd in multi-hit games (39)
Site note: Comments are working, but the comment counters are stuck.
It really is nuts. He deserves to win that Hank Aaron award for the NL.
Also, I think Howitzer is perfect.
Posted by: zach | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 12:40 PM
Ryan Howard is simply fun to watch. He and Utley make me tune in...and if the Phils can continue to contend for the wild card, he should be considered for the MVP.
Posted by: Drama Queen | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 12:42 PM
I like Howitzer too. I've been referring to him as Ryan "Mammoth" Howard on my blog, but that just another suggestion.
Posted by: Drama Queen | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Ryan Howitzer. Sounds good, we might have another nickname on our hands.
Posted by: Tom G | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 12:56 PM
No offense to anyone on here, but does the guy really need a lame nickname in order to catch on? He's pretty much the man right now. Can we leave it at that?
I agree with all of you. The Philadelphia Howardutleys are fun.
Posted by: JZ | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:04 PM
His nickname should be BAMF...
Bad A** Mother F***er!
Posted by: Tony | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:25 PM
JZ caused me to change my mind. I'll refer to him as Ryan Howard, to his face Mr. Howard.
Posted by: Lake Fred | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:27 PM
J Dub,
Very nicely written article....that said I am not sold on Howitzer...it seems to Berman-esque. I did, however, really like your statement that
"Pitchers cannot see his eyes under the shadow of his crimson helmet, but they know the menace is watching. He grips the black beacon and wields it skyward. This is the instrument of a ceremonial death, laid bare before the rapid blow."
It make him seem like a Home Run Grim Reaper of sorts.
Ryan Howard is a menace, He is the Reaper....Can't you see banners in the upper deck?
FEAR THE REAPER!
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:29 PM
You know J Dub, when there is down time in the race you should write an article about the nicknames of all the "worthy" Phils (hell and some of the unworthy ones)
Ryan Howard TBD
Chase Utley TBD
Jimmy Rollins (The played out)J-Roll
etc etc
Players dont become icons until they have the nickname!
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:32 PM
He's too well spoken, too nice a guy to be called BAMF.
Posted by: Lake Fred | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:33 PM
Ever notice the parallels between the old 4 Horseman of the NWA and Howard, Utley, Rollins and Burrell?
Howard and Utley are Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, the real substance to the group, the guys who should be the stars. Pat Burrell is Ric Flair, the guy who thinks he is the best, but has to have Tully/Arn save is ass. J-Roll is Ole Anderson, the guy who somehow is in the group, but you can't figure out why.
On a side note, Bobby Abreu would be Rick Rude, just in love with and only cares about himself.
Well, I think I am done comparin gthe Phillies to wrestlers from 1986, now back to the grind.
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:36 PM
No offense to anyone on here, but does the guy really need a lame nickname in order to catch on?
Absolutely.
Posted by: zach | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:38 PM
I would suspect that Howard already has some nicknames. I'm sure the players must have some for him. Nicknames are considered a form of flattery. For someone to think enough of you to give you a unique nickname is a compliment. For me Lake Fred is a nickname I acquired while still in college.
Posted by: Lake Fred | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:40 PM
I acquired "Drama Queen" via this site.
The Reaper is my favorite suggestion thus far...FEAR the REAPER signs would be priceless!
Posted by: Drama Queen | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 01:46 PM
except then when he's playing away games they'd play that "Don't fear the reaper song" and then the endless "I need more cowbell" jokes would begin.
Posted by: Will | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 02:23 PM
Ryan "The Reaper" Howard .... love it!
Posted by: Chris | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 03:07 PM
Phils nicknames with a few exceptions are typically lame variations of their name. (Lieby, Wolfy, J-Roll, Pat the Bat, Krukker, Sammy (Samuel), and the worst ever Mitchy Poo). A few of the good nicknames -- Bull, Nails/Dude, Bake, and Dutch. In typical Phils fashion, I expect something like "Ryno".
Posted by: Billy Mac | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 03:26 PM
Wow, I thought I was reading Bill Lyon for a minute there. Nice work Jason.
I like "Deep Six" as much as "Big Six". But how about one for Utley? Want a really bad one? How about "C.U. Later!"
Seriously, we can't talk enough about this Howard fella. I am constantly amazed the Phillies actually held on to him. Get this, though: of these three Phillies farmhands, which was by far the most hyped? A. Ryan Howard, B. Chase Utley, C. Marlon Byrd. Yeah, it was Byrd. Utley and Howard somehow managed to fly under the radar of hype this organization usually manages to affix to its few prospects - particularly Howard. I'm wondering why that is. Howard literally forced them to take notice when he hit 48 HRS in '04; it wasn't a case of nurturing a guy with raw tools like a Myers or Bourn or Golson, and trying to accelerate his rise through the system. I think the Phils had pretty much no idea what they had in Howard and they got lucky. Had there been the customary hype, you could be well sure he would have fallen flat in the majors.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 04:01 PM
Another thing I wanted to mantion about Howard is how incredibly consistent he is. His average has been between .280 and .295 for about four solid months, and I can't remember him having one protracted slump from last July onward. For a power hitter, that is an exceptional quality.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 04:41 PM
Good points, RSB. Can you imagine some of the bad trades that Wade fortunately was not able to pull off concerning Utley and Howard ? This organization could have been buried for 5 years. Of course, Wade and Amaro ,the revisionists that they are, would now claim Howard and Utley were untouchables, when the guy they refused to deal was Gavin Floyd.
Posted by: Billy Mac | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 04:41 PM
test
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 08:44 PM
I like to call Howard, the "Big Dog." For some reason I think it fits him well and can't you see yourself going up to him and being like "Hey, Big Dog, what's up?" Hmm? Hmm? No? Well, ok...
Posted by: Civil Negligence | Wednesday, August 09, 2006 at 12:46 PM
Props to Lieberthal on most games of any Phillies backstop ever. You have to admire his toughness.
Posted by: ryan | Friday, August 18, 2006 at 01:03 AM
I found this blog by googling "the howitzer +nickname". I had been in a debate earlier last night over a nickname for Ryan Howard. My first choice had been the Happy Hulk, because something about him reminds me of an affable Hulk. The name was summilarily shot down. As I watched him launch that grand slam against the Mets, it suddenly hit me. He launches the ball like a frickin' howitzer. Imagine my surprise when I found this blog.
And a brief comment about "The Reaper". Great nickname, just not for Ryan Howard. First, hes not mean enough for that name to stick. And secondly, the grim reaper is the harvester of souls. They use thier scythe to mow people like farmers mow down grain. Who else "mows people down"? Pitches. The Reaper is pitcher name, plain and simple.
Posted by: Eigenwelt | Monday, August 28, 2006 at 05:23 AM