I’ll make this quick.
Before I start to put this season to rest and move on the future of the Phillies, I just want to tell all the people who have been getting on Ryan Howard for that last pitch to get over it. You would have just as angry had he swung and missed.
The Phillies played 6 games against the Giants. They lost 4 of them. It was more then the final at bat that cost them this series. I wish he had swung too, but it wasn’t what killed the series. The offense combined to hit .216 in the series against the Giants. Only 2 players actually hit above .250 and Howard was the highest at .316.
Howard didn’t record a single RBI, that is correct, but in order to bat runners in there need to be runners on the bases. Howard had 10 hits in the Postseason, 4 of which were doubles. I agree that this season was supposed to be much better, and I look at it as a failure too, but let’s not make Howard the “Fall guy” cause there was a lot more to it then him.
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I agree that the NLCS loss wasn’t Howard’s fault alone – he did get hits, it’s just that they came without runners on base. I think people are taking their frustration out on Howard because in that situation he needs to protect the plate. It’s the kind of thing we’ve been drilling into our 12-year-old all year – I’d rather see you strike out swinging (and trying) than strike out looking. A base hit would have at least tied the game if not won it. Even fouling it off and then working a walk would keep the inning alive. But taking a called third strike does nothing. Sure I’d be upset at a swing and miss, too, but not as much as taking the pitch.
Sue
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