As a huge ryan howard fan, I love the fact that u guys made this vid. But I also think that his career might have been held back, not just from injury, but also having to sit behind Jim Thome for 2 years
@@drakemcknight2857 When Thome came to the Phillies...I was like: " finally a big free agent signed by the Phillies". To this day...I hold a lot love for Thome for coming to the Phillies..will always be a fan of his. The late 90s and early 2000s phillies had several young exciting players and it was really fun time for Phillies fans: Burrell, Rollins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Myers, Rolen, and Abreu. Than making moves in 2000s and being able to watch: Thome, Halladay, Lee, Victorino, Werth, Lidge, Oswalt, Moyer....and I am sure I missed some players. I
can't say enough how much I love the 2000s phillies content, especially on their late runs at the prize in the decade. I share the sentiment, these phillies always remind me of my childhood and why I love baseball so much
Same here, sat as a little kid in the living room trying to be just like Ryan Howard, chase utley and Roy Halladay. This team helped me grow a love for baseball.
@@2girls1up after the Braves traded for Uggla I thought they were serious contenders. And after getting hot in the 2nd half of 2011 he was an absolute bust.
Also this is why Nelson Cruz is still slugging even though he's like 40. Taking steroids for even a few years can permanently change how much lean muscle mass your body can accumulate which helps you as you age
It wasn't just the leg injury. It was the over shifts too. His BA would have been at least 10 points higher if that second baseman wasn't in shallow right field. But I can also say he didn't take full advantage and beat the shift by trying to hit to 3rd base side a little more often.
Prime Howard was a beast but I think people don’t give him the credit he deserves because of those rough years at the end and the massive contract he was on when he was putting up those rough numbers. Kinda like How Eli Manning was so good but then those rough years at the end of his career are most of what people remember.
I love Ryan Howard. He, other than Bobby Abreu, was easily my favorite Phillies player ever. He was so good, so much better than everyone gives him credit for or even realizes he was. Damn he was so freaking good
My third grade teacher is his wife and I met him a few times. Super humble and mostly just a quiet guy. I can tell you whenever he comes back to Philly, him and Brad Lidge are the guys that people go crazy for. Honestly those 2007-2011 Phillies were some of the greatest teams in baseball history, even if they just won one WS.
As an Englishman who started getting into baseball in 2004, Howard was my guy. I was able to watch 2 live games in full per week on late night UK TV (plus every clip, highlight reel and scrap of writing/news available on the internet of the time). I always looked forward to when one of the games we got was the Phillies so I could watch Howard treat the baseball like it was hitting on his sister.
Loved and hated Ryan Howard as a Dodgers fan because of those playoff years in 08 and 09. I always wondered why Ryan Howard isn’t talked about more in the game today, good video.
I loved watching the 2008 phillies with my dad way back when I was a kid, I didn’t really watch baseball much after that, but I still to this day have a Ryan Howard poster in my room.
He will NEVER get the accolades he deserves!!!! And as a PHILLIES fan. I have no idea why!!! He struck fear in every pitcher he faced. Dude was a straight baseball smasher.
Jimmy Rollins was fun to watch too chase ultly was a beast that Phillies ring team was amazing and fun to watch even as a reds fan, I used to love Rollins especially
I’m 16 years old and I still remember watching the Big Peace hit his last few homers in a Phillies Uniform in the ugly years of 2015-2016. I love him❤️
Ryan Howard in his prime was possibly the greatest player i ever saw. As a Phillies fan, it's great to see a video like this. My last memories of him were his struggles after the Achilles injury. It's great to celebrate the legend that he was in his prime. Great video.
Ryan Howard and those 2008-2012 Phillies were the first Baseball team i watched. Pretty much the reason why i watch baseball today. i have a little soft spot for the Phillies despite them not being my favorite team. Ryan was the first player who introduced me to the "moonshot" boy could he hit them. Injuries will prevent him from getting in the hall, but he will always be one of the best pure power hitters of an era.
I very much appreciate this video. Ryan Howard was the player that drew me in to baseball. Fortunately, he also happened to play for the Phillies, my hometown team. his was the first baseball jersey I ever got, and his 2006 season stands as one of the best seasons I've personally witnessed. I couldn't help but just feel for the guy after the 2011 injury, no one wants that to be the way the season ends, especially for a team that won 102 games. he was never the same after that, paired with having to adjust to the repaired achilles, he wasn't getting any younger either, and I still feel that his extremely sharp decline in the 2014-16 span has left a sour taste on what was a Hall of Fame caliber career. Thank you again for this.
Awesome video! Carlos Gonzalez was another guy who had a really good stretch in his career but fell off hard, I remember watching him as a kid idolizing his smooth swing
I went to many Phillies games as a kid, because my dad could never get the Yankees tickets I wanted. I'm so glad that I got to watch Howard in person so many times, and he is one of my favorite players of all time. I swear he would hit a HR every time I went to a game, or at least it felt like it. Thank you for making this video, because I think Ryan Howard deserves more love than he gets. He would've been a sure fire HOFer if not for that achilles injury. Also Ryan started the fire!
Great Video, and mad props from a Phillies fan for being a Mets fan and being able to appreciate Howard. This stretch is often forgotten about because of how injuries derailed Ryan’s career, but Ryan Howard will always signify the Phillies taking that next step into being Contenders. The morning of his last game I realized I had to be there and bought a last minute ticket on stubhub. A moment I’ll never forget
Thank you for this video. As someone who fell in love with the game bc of this man it is greatly appreciated. Ryan Howard was someone I would stop everything I was doing to watch his at bat. It's a shame his career wasn't longer but hey, we got a world series out of it!
this video helped me realize how similar Howard's career was to my fav player's, Pedroia. Loved peresonalities that won back to back ROTY and MVP awards, that ended all too soon. Love the vid man, you got my sub
Still my Favorite Baseball player to this day. Being a Philly fan and growing up during the Ryan Howard era was amazing. Playing baseball my whole life up through college I emulated my battling stance off him and wore the number 6. From 2006-2011 he was absolutely dominant and his peak is honestly statistically up there with the best. Dude was and still is a class act incredibly underrated.
As a Cardinal fan, I hated when we had to face the Phillies and the dominating bat of Ryan Howard. As a baseball fan and St. Louis native, I love Ryan Howard. Howard's only weakness, is he suffered the same fatal flaw that is current of all major power threats in baseball today,....the strikeout. Howard over his 4 year tear struck out 765 times, striking out once every 3 AB's. But at least he's not as bad as some of the newer players, these guys who'll hit 40 HR's, but can't even bat their weight....pathetic. Howard's spread for 2006 is still "bigger than the game" kinda stats, shame his injuries crippled what would've been a guaranteed HOF career.
Dude i love this. Im not a Phillies fan but i live in the area so i go to alot of Phillies games just to go see a game. That stretch of dominance for him was wild it didnt matter what the situation in the game when he stepped into the box the entire atmosphere in the stadium turned up 3 notches it was awesome
I love your videos! Howard is my fav Phillies all time. Living in nanticoke in only 20-25 away from scranton and watch him come up through the farm system when he was with the red barons before they left and the Railriders (baby Yankees) came to town.
Howard was completely overlooked as a first baseman and so underrated. In my opinion he was the best Phillies first basemen of all time especially because he was such a big guy. But he would make some unbelievable plays diving over the head catches. And i still don’t think i have ever heard the sound of a baseball as loud as he would hit it sounded like a shotgun. Great video well done and definitely well deserved for the Big Peace
Grew up idolizing Thome. First season I can ever recall was the 97 season. Growing up about an hour northeast of Scranton, I would attend 2-4 Phillies AAA Red Barons home games a year starting in 2002-2003. Saw Ryan in 2004 and 2005. Sat right behind the plate as he hit a 400+ line drive beam over a sponsor billboard in right center. Lackawanna Stadium was enormous. 408’ to center, close to 380 in the gaps with a tall uniform, something like 12’ or 14’ wall. Anyways, I had at the time wished Thome stayed, but in retrospect, for the sake of launching Howard’s career as well as prolonging Thome’s career as a DH ended up being an enormous shift that won us a championship in 08. But yeah, ever since the Achilles in 2011, it was downright painful to watch Howard swing through letter high fastballs, totally overmatched against a guy throwing 90mph. What a time….
Howard was one of my favs that entire Phillies team was so fun to watch especially during the years my padres were absolutely scuffling for what seems infinitely
I saw his last professional home run when he was playing at Albuquerque in 2017. He got a small standing ovation, and for me, it was one of the saddest moments I’ve ever had watching baseball.
I had a family friend who was a season ticket holder for the Phillies 04-09 I had so many great nights at Citizens Bank and Ryan Howard was 'The Truth" . One of my favorite players of all - time.
This is a great way to look at Ryan. As a lifelong Philly fan, I loved those 06 to 09 teams and Ryan was a HUGE part of that. The city has a love hate relationship with him. Such amazing highs and frustrating inability to hit anything breaking low and away. I think that huge contract soured the fanbase on him a bit, too. I wish he had been more healthy so that hadn't happened to him. EDIT: Holy crap, I completely forgot how amazing his '06 was. I love you, Ryan. I take it all back.
Mets fan here... my stomach use to turn over when Howard came up to plate against us. There was no stopping him in his prime. Was such a shame to see him fall off quite the way he did.
As a diehard Phillies fan, a huge reason he's under appreciated is due to his massive contract, & even his arbitration win. Philly fans cannot seem to forgive a great player who gets paid, then declines, (look at Wentz, McNabb or Jason Peters.) there was so much hatred among his own fanbase that it bleed out & obscured what a brilliant player he was at his best. Ryan Howard gave me some of the best thrills I've had as a Phillies fan, & one day will be recognized as the legend he is.
Brilliant. Well said. As a fan of the Phils, that always rubbed me the wrong way. The guy was one of the reasons we could make those playoff runs in that time and people wanted his head on a platter after the injury bug got ahold of him.
SadJetFan especially since he always put in the effort, & gave (& still gives) back to the city. Remember when someone threw a beer bottle at him? Philly loves a scrappy player, it's why Chooch & Utley are universally loved. But Ryan Howard never gave fans a hint of the "attitude" of Rollins or McNabb. He didn't become a celebrity like "Hollywood Hamels" did for a couple years. He didn't get the yips like Chris Davis. He just got injured pushing the envelope for a guy his side, & didn't use PED's to have a miraculous recovery. The sad thing is, the players who left the city before the twilight of their careers got to remain in higher esteem than the guys who stayed. I believe one day he'll get all the respect he deserves.
The fact that declining Howard got paid instead of Jayson Werth - who may not have lived up to his own huge deal on the field, but his arrival in the clubhouse is literally the BC/AD moment in Nationals history - I think made it even worse...but we all know that the real crime was the beard.
I've been a Mets fan my whole life, and started watching them seriously right around the same time as you... and Ryan Howard is my favorite player of all time (Tied with Mr.Wright) His swing was the one I imitated in wiffleball lmao
The player I admired even though I didn’t cheer for the team was David Ortiz... dude absolutely mashed and was one of the best personalities in baseball
OMMMMFG BRO i too started watching baseball in mid 2000s i kinda remember the 04 season. but the 05 season i remember very vividly it boggles my mind that only 4 short years b4 that bonds hit 73....and i never knew anything about it because my dad never talked about bonds. i always would hear "howard hit another one" hahahaha
Ryan Howard was absolutely unreal....when he got hurt it absolutely crushed me because I knew he was gonna dwindle immensely...still had some pop tho on the way out
I'm lifelong Phillies fan & Wow was Howard off to a great start. His mammoth opposite field home runs were unbelievable. When he blew his Achilles it was the signal of the end of that Phillies team.
I wish Ryan Howard was in the show now. Still to this day one of my favorite all time players. I still remember him hitting one of his final home runs against the giants
It’s easy to forget how amazing he was considering it was such a short peak. I think he will be remembered by baseball fans in a similar “what if” conversation that is often had around Griffey and his health.
Chase Utley, as a 2nd baseman growing up and a Phillies fan, I loved him. Got to see him at his last game in Philly, even though he was on the Dodgers, was a great experience
Derek Lee was a great underrated 1st baseman that had injuries take it's toll on him. Love the video! Ryan Howard didn't get the respect he deserved. Ain't no tellin what numbers he'd put up if it wasn't for the shift. He was still ridiculous anyway.
I remember watching Phillies games with my grandfather when I was way younger. Night would never be complete without Ryan Howard hitting a nuke. Man was a lifelong Phillies fan
Grew up in the same area as Ryan Howard in St. Louis. I was in middle school playing on the same fields he did as a kid. All the umpires and staff at the fields would tell stories of him launching 400 foot home runs onto the roof of a red lobster behind the fields I would play. Such an amazing talent, love seeing people from my home city tear it up in the MLB. Him and David Freeze went to the same highschool and yah my highschool team beat their former highscool team everytime I played them haha
He had an insane 4 years and was pretty good for about 7 years, unfortunately he came up very late and got injured in 2011 and was never the same, also the shift killed his batting average alot
I have always loved Ryan Howard. I remember going back to mvp baseball 2005 and giving him Luis Gonzalez stance because that was the closest to his real stance and would hit nukes with him. But outside of that, I just loved Ryan Howard, good dude. Love the swing. Probably my favorite first baseman of all time. Edit: how do we have such similar taste in players. I loved your manny videos since he is my favorite player of all time. Now I find out your 2nd favorite first baseman is Ryan Howard, and my 2nd favorite first baseman is Carlos Delgado. You have great taste in favorite players.
Saw him injure his ankle in nationals park in August of 2010, he was never the same after that. Struck out a ton which gave my dad agita, but man he was fun to watch
I always admired Adam Jones of the (mostly) Baltimore Orioles. His cool calm demeanor, zest for life, his joking, competitiveness, accountability, and consistency.
You should make a whole video about David Wright and Ryan Howard. I remember growing up in Philly and watching that NY-Philly rivalry. Both were 1st ballot HoFers before their injuries.
When you said that these guys were in there prime when you started to love the game I felt that I definitely remember those 2008 Phillies and loved watching them play one player I feel close too even though he played on the rival Mets is David Wright and also hanley Ramirez and dontrelle Willis
I went to the game where it all changed. Was sitting 5 rows up on the first base line. There he was in front of me, writhing in pain, holding that ankle. I cried so much that day.
This guy smashed homers
MLB commenting on Matt’s video on his birthday is a great start to the year
MLB you are late 2 days late
Hey Manfred stop ruining the game
Without the juiced ball, even!
Then give this dude more love
he made sure he included the office in this video, i respect that
Also made sure it was 10 mins ling
Eat fresh
Liked the video as soon as the Michael Scott joke was made
@@johnmulder7941 gotta get the bag
As a huge ryan howard fan, I love the fact that u guys made this vid. But I also think that his career might have been held back, not just from injury, but also having to sit behind Jim Thome for 2 years
I think it could’ve been a little beneficial for him as he was able to get a little experience and look to at Thome as a role model
I benefited because I occasionally got to see him play as a Lakewood Blueclaw near my home in nj.
Idk him holding the 1B spot reducing guys like Darin Ruf or Tommy Joseph's playtime in his later career was also kinda poetic IMO
Same man i love it
@@drakemcknight2857 When Thome came to the Phillies...I was like: " finally a big free agent signed by the Phillies". To this day...I hold a lot love for Thome for coming to the Phillies..will always be a fan of his. The late 90s and early 2000s phillies had several young exciting players and it was really fun time for Phillies fans: Burrell, Rollins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Myers, Rolen, and Abreu. Than making moves in 2000s and being able to watch: Thome, Halladay, Lee, Victorino, Werth, Lidge, Oswalt, Moyer....and I am sure I missed some players. I
can't say enough how much I love the 2000s phillies content, especially on their late runs at the prize in the decade. I share the sentiment, these phillies always remind me of my childhood and why I love baseball so much
Same here, sat as a little kid in the living room trying to be just like Ryan Howard, chase utley and Roy Halladay. This team helped me grow a love for baseball.
Still the only team as of recent to go back to back ws, with having to contend for a repeat ws win
If only Ryan hadn't gotten the injury bug, his potential would've been insane.
That's kind of the reason we know he didn't use steroids. Same with Dan Uggla
@@2girls1up after the Braves traded for Uggla I thought they were serious contenders. And after getting hot in the 2nd half of 2011 he was an absolute bust.
He just had to run to first now didn't he
Also this is why Nelson Cruz is still slugging even though he's like 40. Taking steroids for even a few years can permanently change how much lean muscle mass your body can accumulate which helps you as you age
It wasn't just the leg injury. It was the over shifts too. His BA would have been at least 10 points higher if that second baseman wasn't in shallow right field. But I can also say he didn't take full advantage and beat the shift by trying to hit to 3rd base side a little more often.
Prime Howard was a beast but I think people don’t give him the credit he deserves because of those rough years at the end and the massive contract he was on when he was putting up those rough numbers. Kinda like How Eli Manning was so good but then those rough years at the end of his career are most of what people remember.
I think a better NFL comparison would be Shaun Alexander
Those last 3 manning seasons were pretty rough to watch
@@nathanmcguire932 ooo that’s a good one
@@thetruth619ful they really were and for him to finish .500 shows how insane he had to have been earlier in his career
eli manning was average at best. Gosh. You can thank his defense (pass rushers) and running game
I love Ryan Howard. He, other than Bobby Abreu, was easily my favorite Phillies player ever. He was so good, so much better than everyone gives him credit for or even realizes he was. Damn he was so freaking good
As a Philadelphian… thanks for this. ❤️
His swing is one of my favorites all time
My third grade teacher is his wife and I met him a few times. Super humble and mostly just a quiet guy. I can tell you whenever he comes back to Philly, him and Brad Lidge are the guys that people go crazy for. Honestly those 2007-2011 Phillies were some of the greatest teams in baseball history, even if they just won one WS.
I’ve been a fan of the Phillies my whole life. Howard, Lidge, Hamels, and that entire roster are heroes in my eyes
I think a good video in this same vein would be one about CC Sabathia on the brewers. This is an awesome video too!
I second this. CC went insane after the trade there
As an Englishman who started getting into baseball in 2004, Howard was my guy. I was able to watch 2 live games in full per week on late night UK TV (plus every clip, highlight reel and scrap of writing/news available on the internet of the time). I always looked forward to when one of the games we got was the Phillies so I could watch Howard treat the baseball like it was hitting on his sister.
Phillies are in London this week!
2006 - 2010 this man was a monster and as a Mets fan I have watched him piss me the hell off time and time again 🤣
Braves fan here and I feel the same way. Those Phillies teams had an incredible lineup, but Howard was the only one I feared.
"Barry Bonds, but the clean version" .. well that's nice to put it. Love em' both
Loved and hated Ryan Howard as a Dodgers fan because of those playoff years in 08 and 09. I always wondered why Ryan Howard isn’t talked about more in the game today, good video.
I loved watching the 2008 phillies with my dad way back when I was a kid, I didn’t really watch baseball much after that, but I still to this day have a Ryan Howard poster in my room.
He will NEVER get the accolades he deserves!!!! And as a PHILLIES fan. I have no idea why!!! He struck fear in every pitcher he faced. Dude was a straight baseball smasher.
Jimmy Rollins was fun to watch too chase ultly was a beast that Phillies ring team was amazing and fun to watch even as a reds fan, I used to love Rollins especially
Aw, I love everything about this channel. As a Phillies fan I miss Ryan and here you are making a video about him even though he made you sad. Props
Ryan Howard was mine and my dad’s favorite player growing up, made me fall in love with baseball. Definitely deserved a sub
Such a beautiful tribute to Howard! He reminds me so much of my childhood too. Him, Chase, Rollins, Victorino, CHOOCH🥺 It was a special team man
I’m 16 years old and I still remember watching the Big Peace hit his last few homers in a Phillies Uniform in the ugly years of 2015-2016. I love him❤️
Ryan Howard in his prime was possibly the greatest player i ever saw. As a Phillies fan, it's great to see a video like this. My last memories of him were his struggles after the Achilles injury. It's great to celebrate the legend that he was in his prime. Great video.
Imagine What Prime Ryan Howard Would've Done To Today's Pitching I Say That Because He'd Scare These Pitchers
Cool Video, Ryan Howard (as well as David Freese and Luke Voit) went to the same high school I did. He had a really good stretch as you pointed out!
Ryan Howard and those 2008-2012 Phillies were the first Baseball team i watched. Pretty much the reason why i watch baseball today. i have a little soft spot for the Phillies despite them not being my favorite team. Ryan was the first player who introduced me to the "moonshot" boy could he hit them. Injuries will prevent him from getting in the hall, but he will always be one of the best pure power hitters of an era.
I'm just watching now begining of September, 102k followers! Congrats
"Dear Ryan, I feel like I can call you Ryan because we're so much alike. Did you have a good relationship with your father? Me neither."
Went to his last game
Emotional as hell
‘Thank you Ryan’ -signed, all Phillies fans
Well put bud. Ryan Howard deserves fans like this.
I very much appreciate this video. Ryan Howard was the player that drew me in to baseball. Fortunately, he also happened to play for the Phillies, my hometown team. his was the first baseball jersey I ever got, and his 2006 season stands as one of the best seasons I've personally witnessed. I couldn't help but just feel for the guy after the 2011 injury, no one wants that to be the way the season ends, especially for a team that won 102 games. he was never the same after that, paired with having to adjust to the repaired achilles, he wasn't getting any younger either, and I still feel that his extremely sharp decline in the 2014-16 span has left a sour taste on what was a Hall of Fame caliber career. Thank you again for this.
Ryan Howard is my favorite baseball player of all time! I’m so happy I found this channel!!
I remember 2008 like it was yesterday. That team was awesome and the first championship ive experienced so ill never forget it
my high school football coach and him are best friends from growing up and he’s spoke to our team. great guy and was a great player in his prime.
Awesome video! Carlos Gonzalez was another guy who had a really good stretch in his career but fell off hard, I remember watching him as a kid idolizing his smooth swing
CarGo’s swing was 🔥
I went to many Phillies games as a kid, because my dad could never get the Yankees tickets I wanted. I'm so glad that I got to watch Howard in person so many times, and he is one of my favorite players of all time. I swear he would hit a HR every time I went to a game, or at least it felt like it. Thank you for making this video, because I think Ryan Howard deserves more love than he gets. He would've been a sure fire HOFer if not for that achilles injury. Also Ryan started the fire!
Great Video, and mad props from a Phillies fan for being a Mets fan and being able to appreciate Howard. This stretch is often forgotten about because of how injuries derailed Ryan’s career, but Ryan Howard will always signify the Phillies taking that next step into being Contenders. The morning of his last game I realized I had to be there and bought a last minute ticket on stubhub. A moment I’ll never forget
Thank you for this video. As someone who fell in love with the game bc of this man it is greatly appreciated. Ryan Howard was someone I would stop everything I was doing to watch his at bat. It's a shame his career wasn't longer but hey, we got a world series out of it!
this video helped me realize how similar Howard's career was to my fav player's, Pedroia. Loved peresonalities that won back to back ROTY and MVP awards, that ended all too soon. Love the vid man, you got my sub
Still my Favorite Baseball player to this day. Being a Philly fan and growing up during the Ryan Howard era was amazing. Playing baseball my whole life up through college I emulated my battling stance off him and wore the number 6. From 2006-2011 he was absolutely dominant and his peak is honestly statistically up there with the best. Dude was and still is a class act incredibly underrated.
As a Cardinal fan, I hated when we had to face the Phillies and the dominating bat of Ryan Howard. As a baseball fan and St. Louis native, I love Ryan Howard. Howard's only weakness, is he suffered the same fatal flaw that is current of all major power threats in baseball today,....the strikeout. Howard over his 4 year tear struck out 765 times, striking out once every 3 AB's.
But at least he's not as bad as some of the newer players, these guys who'll hit 40 HR's, but can't even bat their weight....pathetic.
Howard's spread for 2006 is still "bigger than the game" kinda stats, shame his injuries crippled what would've been a guaranteed HOF career.
loved this video man. Ryan Howard is one of my all time favorite players
Dude i love this. Im not a Phillies fan but i live in the area so i go to alot of Phillies games just to go see a game. That stretch of dominance for him was wild it didnt matter what the situation in the game when he stepped into the box the entire atmosphere in the stadium turned up 3 notches it was awesome
I love your videos! Howard is my fav Phillies all time. Living in nanticoke in only 20-25 away from scranton and watch him come up through the farm system when he was with the red barons before they left and the Railriders (baby Yankees) came to town.
Ryan Howard looks perpetually 40. Like he doesnt age past that.
5:26 are we not going to talk about my guy has thrown 110 pitches in 5 innings lol
I mean somebody's gotta get the outs i guess
good job blowing game 6 of the 2020 world series by taking out snell and then trading him, btw every rays fan hates u
@@manuelgm1063 cool 😃👍
@@manuelgm1063 he didnt trade snell the front office did
Thanks for the video. Ryan certainly does need to be appreciated more.
I agree, Ryan Howard is one of the most under appreciated players ever. No one puts up those numbers, ever.
Howard was completely overlooked as a first baseman and so underrated. In my opinion he was the best Phillies first basemen of all time especially because he was such a big guy. But he would make some unbelievable plays diving over the head catches. And i still don’t think i have ever heard the sound of a baseball as loud as he would hit it sounded like a shotgun. Great video well done and definitely well deserved for the Big Peace
Howard and KGJ have the nicest swings. Both are pretty similar actually.
Grew up idolizing Thome. First season I can ever recall was the 97 season. Growing up about an hour northeast of Scranton, I would attend 2-4 Phillies AAA Red Barons home games a year starting in 2002-2003. Saw Ryan in 2004 and 2005. Sat right behind the plate as he hit a 400+ line drive beam over a sponsor billboard in right center. Lackawanna Stadium was enormous. 408’ to center, close to 380 in the gaps with a tall uniform, something like 12’ or 14’ wall. Anyways, I had at the time wished Thome stayed, but in retrospect, for the sake of launching Howard’s career as well as prolonging Thome’s career as a DH ended up being an enormous shift that won us a championship in 08. But yeah, ever since the Achilles in 2011, it was downright painful to watch Howard swing through letter high fastballs, totally overmatched against a guy throwing 90mph. What a time….
Howard was one of my favs that entire Phillies team was so fun to watch especially during the years my padres were absolutely scuffling for what seems infinitely
I saw his last professional home run when he was playing at Albuquerque in 2017. He got a small standing ovation, and for me, it was one of the saddest moments I’ve ever had watching baseball.
I had a family friend who was a season ticket holder for the Phillies 04-09 I had so many great nights at Citizens Bank and Ryan Howard was 'The Truth" . One of my favorite players of all - time.
one of my favorites of all time, very similar story to you. Always use to imitate his swing in little league.
It’s just sad I almost cry every time hearing the story
I remember this time in his career. He was in all the highlight reels at the time. Beast
Please make a video on Jimmy Rollins or Chase Utley next? Pretty please? Those two plus Ryan Howard were basically my childhood.
Ryan Howard was an absolute monster for a few years I remember those days. Unreal power back in the day
The BIG PIECE! Those summers 06-11 were amazing. This team was phenomenal! GO PHILS!
This is a great way to look at Ryan. As a lifelong Philly fan, I loved those 06 to 09 teams and Ryan was a HUGE part of that. The city has a love hate relationship with him. Such amazing highs and frustrating inability to hit anything breaking low and away. I think that huge contract soured the fanbase on him a bit, too. I wish he had been more healthy so that hadn't happened to him.
EDIT: Holy crap, I completely forgot how amazing his '06 was. I love you, Ryan. I take it all back.
Wait y r u verified u have 9 subs and no videos
Mets fan here... my stomach use to turn over when Howard came up to plate against us. There was no stopping him in his prime. Was such a shame to see him fall off quite the way he did.
Unless You Got Lucky And Struck Him Out
Ryan MADE my childhood, being a diehard Phillies fan along with my dad, he was my absolute hero
As a diehard Phillies fan, a huge reason he's under appreciated is due to his massive contract, & even his arbitration win. Philly fans cannot seem to forgive a great player who gets paid, then declines, (look at Wentz, McNabb or Jason Peters.) there was so much hatred among his own fanbase that it bleed out & obscured what a brilliant player he was at his best.
Ryan Howard gave me some of the best thrills I've had as a Phillies fan, & one day will be recognized as the legend he is.
Brilliant. Well said. As a fan of the Phils, that always rubbed me the wrong way. The guy was one of the reasons we could make those playoff runs in that time and people wanted his head on a platter after the injury bug got ahold of him.
SadJetFan especially since he always put in the effort, & gave (& still gives) back to the city. Remember when someone threw a beer bottle at him? Philly loves a scrappy player, it's why Chooch & Utley are universally loved.
But Ryan Howard never gave fans a hint of the "attitude" of Rollins or McNabb. He didn't become a celebrity like "Hollywood Hamels" did for a couple years. He didn't get the yips like Chris Davis. He just got injured pushing the envelope for a guy his side, & didn't use PED's to have a miraculous recovery.
The sad thing is, the players who left the city before the twilight of their careers got to remain in higher esteem than the guys who stayed.
I believe one day he'll get all the respect he deserves.
The fact that declining Howard got paid instead of Jayson Werth - who may not have lived up to his own huge deal on the field, but his arrival in the clubhouse is literally the BC/AD moment in Nationals history - I think made it even worse...but we all know that the real crime was the beard.
There was nothing quite like being behind and seeing Howard connect. Dude golfed balls to the moon. Miss that era of Phillies
I've been a Mets fan my whole life, and started watching them seriously right around the same time as you... and Ryan Howard is my favorite player of all time (Tied with Mr.Wright) His swing was the one I imitated in wiffleball lmao
This was a great video, really brought me back into my childhood. You think you can do a Craig Biggio video?
Thank you! No promises, but will definitely consider it
The player I admired even though I didn’t cheer for the team was David Ortiz... dude absolutely mashed and was one of the best personalities in baseball
I feel such a connection. My two favorite 1st baseman are also Carlos Delgado and Ryan howard.
OMMMMFG BRO i too started watching baseball in mid 2000s i kinda remember the 04 season. but the 05 season i remember very vividly it boggles my mind that only 4 short years b4 that bonds hit 73....and i never knew anything about it because my dad never talked about bonds. i always would hear "howard hit another one" hahahaha
Ryan Howard was absolutely unreal....when he got hurt it absolutely crushed me because I knew he was gonna dwindle immensely...still had some pop tho on the way out
I'm lifelong Phillies fan & Wow was Howard off to a great start. His mammoth opposite field home runs were unbelievable. When he blew his Achilles it was the signal of the end of that Phillies team.
Howies my favorite player ever, not sure I'd be a baseball fan without him.
I wish Ryan Howard was in the show now. Still to this day one of my favorite all time players. I still remember him hitting one of his final home runs against the giants
Another Mets fan here, and I absolutely loved Howard. My favorite player to never play for the Mets.
Great video! I always rooted for Ryan Howard because he's also from St. Louis, and he's only a year older than me.
I’m love this guy thank you for makin this video
It’s easy to forget how amazing he was considering it was such a short peak. I think he will be remembered by baseball fans in a similar “what if” conversation that is often had around Griffey and his health.
Chase Utley, as a 2nd baseman growing up and a Phillies fan, I loved him. Got to see him at his last game in Philly, even though he was on the Dodgers, was a great experience
Derek Lee was a great underrated 1st baseman that had injuries take it's toll on him. Love the video! Ryan Howard didn't get the respect he deserved. Ain't no tellin what numbers he'd put up if it wasn't for the shift. He was still ridiculous anyway.
I remember watching Phillies games with my grandfather when I was way younger. Night would never be complete without Ryan Howard hitting a nuke. Man was a lifelong Phillies fan
Grew up in the same area as Ryan Howard in St. Louis. I was in middle school playing on the same fields he did as a kid. All the umpires and staff at the fields would tell stories of him launching 400 foot home runs onto the roof of a red lobster behind the fields I would play. Such an amazing talent, love seeing people from my home city tear it up in the MLB. Him and David Freeze went to the same highschool and yah my highschool team beat their former highscool team everytime I played them haha
I will never forget Ryan Howard , he had one of the most beautiful swings and he was so OP in the old Xbox 360 games lol
He had an insane 4 years and was pretty good for about 7 years, unfortunately he came up very late and got injured in 2011 and was never the same, also the shift killed his batting average alot
I’m a Phillies and I love this man
Was awesome going to to sellout baseball games with this guy ringing the bell
As a Red Sox fan, I always loved David Ortiz, and I always see Ryan Howard as the Phillies’s David Ortiz
i think an episode on Shawn Green would be cool. He's pretty interesting. and he had some insane peak year stats.
I have always loved Ryan Howard. I remember going back to mvp baseball 2005 and giving him Luis Gonzalez stance because that was the closest to his real stance and would hit nukes with him. But outside of that, I just loved Ryan Howard, good dude. Love the swing. Probably my favorite first baseman of all time.
Edit: how do we have such similar taste in players. I loved your manny videos since he is my favorite player of all time. Now I find out your 2nd favorite first baseman is Ryan Howard, and my 2nd favorite first baseman is Carlos Delgado. You have great taste in favorite players.
Fantastic video!!! Thank you
Saw him injure his ankle in nationals park in August of 2010, he was never the same after that. Struck out a ton which gave my dad agita, but man he was fun to watch
I met your fav player Delgado outside a Blue Jay game when I was a teenager. Great guy, as well as a great Blue Jay :)
His opposite field power was staggering. As a Phillies fan, those years of his prime were the most fun I've ever had watching baseball.
I'm a Mets fan and I knew everytime Ryan Howard came up in a Big Spot, he was going Deep! and his Homeruns use to look so effortless
I always admired Adam Jones of the (mostly) Baltimore Orioles. His cool calm demeanor, zest for life, his joking, competitiveness, accountability, and consistency.
Great video. My all time favorite.
You should make a whole video about David Wright and Ryan Howard. I remember growing up in Philly and watching that NY-Philly rivalry. Both were 1st ballot HoFers before their injuries.
When you said that these guys were in there prime when you started to love the game I felt that I definitely remember those 2008 Phillies and loved watching them play one player I feel close too even though he played on the rival Mets is David Wright and also hanley Ramirez and dontrelle Willis
Great video! 💙 Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard was a huge part of my childhood!
I went to the game where it all changed. Was sitting 5 rows up on the first base line. There he was in front of me, writhing in pain, holding that ankle. I cried so much that day.