MLB - Sports Rumors

Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:23 pm EDT

Trading Thome opened door for Ryan Howard in Philly

By Joe Zedalis

Ryan Howard

Getty Images

The Philadelphia Phillies held a short, sweet, "special welcome" for Jim Thome during the second inning Sunday night.

Two innings later — and then again in the eighth — Ryan Howard reminded everyone in this championship-starved town how fortunate the Phillies were to make the right choice at first base. Howard's two home runs and five runs batted in didn't exactly end this World Series. The Rays are far too resilient to say something like that, even after a 10-2 loss in Game 4 left them in a daunting hole of three games to one.

"The Big Man From Missouri" led the free world with 48 homers during the regular season. He has averaged 51 homers in his first three full seasons since replacing Thome, and he could be looking at a second National League most-valuable-player award.

Source: Los Angeles TimesNew Window

digg delicious
more

43 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. J C
    1. Posted by J C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Howard finally is earning that 10MM arbitration in a huge way. Young talent, long contract, huge pay off for the Phils. Now if we can avoid resigning Burrell and get another productive bat, I can see a WS repeat in the works. oh yea, and they will win tonight with Hamels on the mound. UNSTOPPABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. Joe B
    2. Posted by Joe B Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:44 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What a dumb article. It was forgone conclusion way before Thome was traded that Howard was going to be an allstar caliber player. He was hitting ridiculous amounts of hrs in the minors. Saying this was a fortunate descion is idiotic, its not like they were going to let someone like that sit in AAA for a aging Thome.
  3. davfied
    3. Posted by davfied Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Howard is a monster. He needs to cut down on his swing and go to left more. It may cost him some homers but it will cut his strikeouts and raise his average.
  4. Scott A
    4. Posted by Scott A Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    You should trade thome for howard now thome should be a phil
  5. Ppizza
    5. Posted by Ppizza Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:08 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Dude as long as the guy hits 40+ and drives in 130+ he can hit .200 and K 300 times, who cares. Gripe about how much he K's all you want he still puts up the best #'s in baseball, hands down.
  6. mulv666
    6. Posted by mulv666 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    After Howard won Rookie of the Year, you knew Thome was gone. And we got Aaron Rowand for a couple years, and one classic catch. But the Thome years are long gone, why bring this up now?
    GO PHILLIES!!!! ONE MORE WIN!!!!
  7. Gary
    7. Posted by Gary Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    AMEN Ppizza
  8. The Famous Turd Ferguson
    8. Posted by The Famous Turd Ferguson Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    At least Ryan Howard never backed down from a fight and dirtied the name of his family.
  9. Steven
    9. Posted by Steven Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ryan Howard is a Beast. The Philllies need to pay him some money. Lesser players are making much more than Howard is. He deserves to be signed for the long haul!
  10. Phil M
    10. Posted by Phil M Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Wow, so LA finally caught up to 2006 East-coast MLB...way to go guys, whats next? St. Louis will win the WS?
  11. dominick
    11. Posted by dominick Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    MVP? He hit .250!
  12. Zman
    12. Posted by Zman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    There are a lot of players who bat over .300 and haven't contributed to thier teams success as much as Howard has. Strikeouts will be cut down as he matures in the league. In the meantime, all he does is deliver runs and usually in bunches. I'll take that over a .300 average anyday.
  13. Greg N
    13. Posted by Greg N Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Pujols is the MVP. There's no valid argument otherwise. This should be his 3rd or maybe even 4th MVP.
  14. Chris M (2009 NBA CHAMPION LAKERS!)
    14. Posted by Chris M (2009 NBA CHAMPION LAKERS!) Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Regardless of the strikeouts, his impact on the game is irreplaceable. They also saved a lot of money by shipping Thome away. Howard is definitely underpaid for what he brings to the table.
  15. Oliver Klosov
    15. Posted by Oliver Klosov Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The true hero in this is Milt Thompson - their hitting coach... he's changed the entire mentality of how they approach an at bat, from inning to inning, through-out a game. The accolades will go out as they do... but he deserves alot of it!
  16. Red SoxTurnYourClothesPink
    16. Posted by Red SoxTurnYourClothesPink Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Tampa sucks - i guarantee a phillies win tonight
  17. sparkoneowe
    17. Posted by sparkoneowe Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:35 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    All philly has is rocky balboa and he isnt even real!
  18. Joe
    18. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Howard won ROY because Thome was hurt. If Thome did not get hurt that year Howard would have spent another season in the minors and would probably have been a July 31 trade bait for someone. The Phillies shouldhave traded Thome the year before he got hurt - like I and many fans were saying. You could see Howard would be a star. They could have also gotten more for Thome or at the least not have had to pay half his remaining salary.
  19. P Tain
    19. Posted by P Tain Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Howard put up some HUGE numbers but Pujols is MVP. He is a freak in every aspect of the game except speed obviously. In my opinion Pujols brings more all-around offense to the plate, and on defense it's not even close........... Look at Errors: Pujols 6 / Howard 19. Howard is very good but Pujols is great, that simple.
  20. kentucky blue 1
    20. Posted by kentucky blue 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Howard is the philly that would be a big no no for then thome didnt do the best when he was there. only one thing to say what are they thinking.
  21. HAROLD F
    21. Posted by HAROLD F Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Thome is such a class act,baseball needs more.
  22. schoonsta
    22. Posted by schoonsta Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    wow thanks la times for delaying this news for almost 3 years...i had no idea about this situation before i read this tonight...i feel enlightened to know such privileged information that was common knowledge in said time....
  23. joenoose
    23. Posted by joenoose Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yes, Pujols had another great year..............yes, Howard had great run production...............does anyone remember the name Chase Utley - the numbers he puts up for a second baseman and the improved defense should be enough to put him in the top 3 for M.V.P. consideration. True, his first-half production was outstanding and then some mysterious "hip-ailment" soured his second-half production a bit, more the reason for being named M.V.P. His team will go on to win the World Series and his numbers still were phenomenal. GO PHILLIES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR 2008 WORLD SERIES CHAMPION - PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
  24. mike m
    24. Posted by mike m Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    easily ryno has the most "natural power" of anyone n the league...once he connecs that ball is gone he is a monster, screw pujols what needs to do is quit bit*hing about not winning MVP from last year and face reality because itsabout to happen again this year hahah....Ryno #6 MVP

Sports Rumors

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]