Ryan Howard: Is the Phillies Star “Overrated” or a 2011 MVP Candidate?

Each season it seems that there are more and more Ryan Howard haters. “He strikes out too much, he’s a liability defensively, his power numbers are down” are all things that Philly Nation has heard since Howard broke onto the scene in 2005.

Let’s put this argument to rest right here and now. Ryan Howard is the key to the Phillies lineup and their success. It is no coincidence that the Phillies became the beasts of the NL East when Ryan Howard was given the everyday first basemen’s job.

The Phillies have the best record in baseball and they are missing a lot of key cogs to their team. As long as their starting staff keeps dominating the way they have been and Ryan Howard is anchoring the lineup, don’t expect much to change.

The big man is already one of the greatest baseball players in Phillies history as he has put up mind-boggling numbers. He has hit more home runs since entering the league in 2005 than any other player in baseball. Let’s shut-up the haters right now.

Here are ten reasons why Ryan Howard will win the 2011 MVP and is in no way “overrated.”

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Philadelphia Phillies: Ranking the Phillies’ Organizational Depth by Position

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the midst of the greatest era of baseball in their entire 121-year history—a history that includes more losses than any other team in Major League Baseball.

Phillies fans have sold out over 140 consecutive games at Citizens Bank Park and they are more than deserving to finally have a consistent winner.

The Philly faithful had to watch slop like the Robert Persons and Omar Daals for far too long. They now have one of the greatest rotations ever assembled (albeit on paper) and a lineup that has a ton of postseason experience.

While Philadelphia sits back and enjoys a top-20 pitcher in baseball start 80 percent of their games, the national media and fans’ perspective is that the Phillies better enjoy their success now because their window is almost closed.

After all, bringing in the top pitcher in the game in Roy Halladay does not come cheaply. Couple that with the fact that the core of this Phillies team (Utley, Howard, Rollins) are not getting any younger and maybe the national audience has a point. The Phillies’ average age last season was 31.9 years of age, by far the oldest in the league.

Are the Phillies the Boston Celtics of the NBA? No, of course not (I HATE the Celtics and Boston for that matter, Go Flyers!).

The Halladay trade continued the Phillies’ recent habit of sending away prospects for elite pitching help; while it looks terrific on the surface, how much do these type of moves deplete the farm system?

The Phillies were gift-wrapped Roy Oswalt last season from the Astros in July, in exchange for J.A. Happ and minor leaguers Anthony Gose and Jonathan Villar.

Even smaller deals, (Joe Blanton in 2008) sent away a significant amount of young talent, but accomplished the goal of keeping the team on top while its nucleus of everyday players is at its peak.

Is the cupboard bare? Absolutely not. In fact, the Phillies have a substantial amount of talent in the minors, especially at the lower levels.

Class A Lakewood has won back-to-back titles, and many players have turned themselves into legitimate prospects over the past two seasons.

It has been mentioned by scouts throughout baseball, “no team has more talent in A-ball than the Phillies.”

How does the future look for the Phillies? In this list, we will take a look at how set the Phil’s are at each position by evaluating their current players and prospects down on the farm.

Which positions need to be addressed via trade or through the draft? Which current players on the Phillies have their position locked down for the next five to 10 years?

Which positions are in good shape for years to come? Here is a ranking of the Phillies’ organizational depth by position.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ Anti J.D. Drews: The Players Who Cannot Be Booed

The Phillies are rolling to start the season. Dominant pitching and an offense that has hit the second most singles in baseball are a big reason for that. The emergence of Antonio Bastardo, Danys Baez and the now injured Jose Contreras have helped solidify the bullpen.

Too many pundits and “experts” decided to overlook the four-time defending NL East champions (and their historic starting rotation) in favor of the Atlanta Braves, a team that has done nothing in the playoffs in a decade except watch the Phillies dominate.

Road games have turned into home games for the Phillies wherever they go. From sea to shining sea, East coast to West coast, the oppositions stadium looks like a sea of red whenever the Phillies are in town. There is an 80% chance that you will see a top 20 pitcher in baseball when you go to a Phil’s game, well worth the price of admission.

The Phillies have shown thus far that even though some of the players are different than in years past, the mantra is the same: You better be ready to play us every inning of every game.

They have four starting pitchers who have the potential to dominate an entire game and if they have an off-start, they have another ace up their sleeve ready to battle the next day.

Their lineup has faltered a bit of late, but they have shown that they can still win games with timely hitting. It’s funny that the same “experts” who claimed the Phillies will struggle this season with no Utley, Werth, Lidge…list goes on and on, have kept their mouth shut while the Phillies have dominated.

The Phillies have sold out over 140 consecutive games and have already sold over three million tickets for this season. Obviously the fans have fallen in love with this team, but the city still gets a bad rap for incidents from decades ago (when most of us weren’t even born) and some idiotic actions committed by a select few.

Any way you slice it, the fans are the reason the Phillies were able to bring together one of the greatest pitching rotations (on paper) in baseball history. Three of the best pitchers in the game waived no-trade clauses and took less guaranteed money to play at Citizens Bank Park.

So why do the fans of Philadelphia still get categorized by a complete idiot who decides to vomit on a little girl, or Santa being booed over a half-century ago? Dodger Stadium has had seven people stabbed in their confines in the last decade, but does the national media report that? Absolutely not, it takes a man being seriously beaten by a bunch of thugs for the spotlight to shine down.

Philadelphia Phillies fans are some of the most loyal and passionate fans in the world and I love how they let players know if they are not playing up to their potential… Or if they just flat-out don’t like you. We boo and we boo loud.

But there are some players on this current team that may be “boo-proof.” Players that you respect so much either for their hard-work, loyalty, determination and/or past performances that it just doesn’t feel right to boo.

So here it is folk’s: The top five Philadelphia Phillies who can not be booed.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Reasons Kyle Kendrick Should Be Fifth Starter

The Philadelphia Phillies continue to lead the NL East and sit at an impressive 15-6 in the early going. It seems highly unlikely that this team will finish the season without at least 100 wins.

They have struggled to hit for power and yet they continue to win. They lead the NL East in runs scored with 88 and are second in BA at .265. They have shown that their lineup can play a little small-ball by being in the top five in MLB in singles since Opening Day.

But let’s be honest here, the Phillies are not the Vegas favorites because of their ability to hit singles. They are the smart pick to bring home another World Series down Broad Street because of their dominant pitching staff. Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee have combined thus far for a record of 9-3 with three of the “Phour Horsemen” posting ERA’s below 3.00.

Then there is Big (Fat?) Joe Blanton. While he has looked solid at times this season, his early-season woes and inconsistencies have continued in 2011. We all know Joe Blanton will most likely return to the three- to five-run, six-innings-of-work pitcher he is after every All-star break, but why should Philadelphia wait?

This is the most anticipated baseball season in the entire 121-year history of Philadelphia Phillies baseball, and the Phillies fans deserve better than Joe Blanton and his hefty contract (we’ll get into that later) stepping onto the mound every fifth day.

Ruben Amaro has proven in his short tenure as Phillies GM that he can pull off masterful trades when no one thought such things were possible. Let’s get creative here and find a way to fix some glaring holes that have poked their heads through already.

A good way to start is by making Kyle Kendrick the fifth starter, and here are five reasons why.

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Ubaldo Jimenez: How Do Phillies Match Up with Rockies If He Returns to Form?

The Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies are both off to terrific starts this season. While the Phillies were the “sexy” pick by the national media, the Rockies were a team that many felt had the potential to make the postseason.

The first 16 games of this season have many Rockie fans thinking much bigger than just an early exit from the postseason. They have raced to the best record in the National League thus far, and they have done so without Ubaldo Jimenez, a top-10 pitching talent in Major League Baseball, period.

The Rockies starting rotation went without a loss in their first nine games. Very impressive. Will the return of the Rockies ace boost an already solid starting rotation, or will the other starters take the foot off the gas pedal with their workhorse back in the mix?

We will find out in the coming weeks. Jimenez finally returned to the mound on Tuesday. He has been on the DL since injuring his thumb on Opening Day.

Baseball fans know how electric Jimenez’s arm is, but are they worried about facing the Rockies in a potential NLCS matchup?

We may be looking at a small sample size here, but the Phillies have shown through their first 16 games that they are the class of the NL East (sorry Atlanta, but who’s your daddy?). If they were to meet Colorado in a seven-game series, how would their four aces match up against the surprising Rockies, who have posted a solid 3.70 team ERA thus far?

If Jimenez can resemble anything close to the dominating pitcher he was before the All-Star break of last season (15-1, 2.20 ERA, three complete games, one no-hitter), are the Rockies a legitimate contender for the National League crown?

Does his 100-mph fastball match up to the surgical-like precision of the Doctor? Halladay showed last season that the bright lights of the postseason (or a pulled groin for that matter) will not stop him from embarrassing hitters and making Phillies Nation smile.

Colorado’s young guns have pitched great through 16 games, but can the Rockies counter Lee, Oswalt or Hamels (oh my!) even with a healthy Jimenez taking the ball twice (possibly three times) in a seven-game series?

Everyone knows that baseball is a brutal 162-game grind and a team can lose a key player or pitcher at any time. Let’s just say everyone stays healthy, and here are potential pitching matchups if the two teams square off in the NLCS this season.

The national media has fallen in love with this Rockies team and for good reason, but here is an early reality check for the “Rocky Mountain State.” Cheer, cheer for the Red Wings.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Remembering and Missing the Legend Harry Kalas

On April 13, 2009, Harry Kalas went to a better place. The voice of the Philadelphia Phillies died at the age of 73.

It has been two years and 730 days since Harry the K passed, but it still feels like yesterday.

I am only 23 years old, so Harry Kalas and his voice were Phillies baseball to me.

A lot of the articles I write contain a lot of facts and statistics, but this article quite simply will be one fan honoring one of his heroes. I hope I can do the man justice with this piece. 

He will forever be my all-time favorite Phillie.

He loved Philadelphia and he loved all of the Philadelphia fans. His delivery and signature “Outta here!” home run calls provided the soundtrack to Philadelphia baseball for nearly four decades. His voice will never be replaced and it will never be forgotten.

The love story between Kalas and the fans continues to this day with the Phillies announcing that they have gratefully accepted the gift of a bronze statue of Kalas, for placement outside their home stadium. The statue was completely funded by the fans who loved and cherished Harry Kalas.

Harry Kalas will always stand guard outside Citizens Bank Park.

You can be sure that Harry and Whitey are looking down on the Phillies with a smile because of the sell-out crowds and winning baseball since their passing.

It is still hard to turn on the television or radio and not hear Kalas’ voice calling the Phillies game. Kalas quite simply, was Philadelphia.

He even was the voice of so many famous football clips, joining NFL Films as a narrator in 1975. He did the voice over for “Inside the NFL” from 1977 through 2008.

If you have ever met the guy (I was lucky enough to meet him) only complimentary things could be said of him. He was the most genuine, charming man I have ever met.

It was only fitting that he passed after watching his beloved team win one more World Series. He was found unconscious in a broadcast booth, and it was later determined that he died of heart disease.

Kalas was unable to call the Phillies World Series in 1980 and there was such outrage by the fans of Philadelphia that the rule was changed by Major League Baseball the next season. He will forever be the voice of the Phillies and at least he got to call one World Series.

I come from a huge family of Phillies baseball fanatics and his calls still reign throughout our household. We always thought of Kalas as a member of our family. Gathering around the television or radio as a family listening to Kalas is one of the fondest memories of my childhood. He called games for the Phillies since 1871, but every game seemed to endear him more and more to Philadelphia.

He became known for many things as the announcer of the Phillies.

The sound of Harry leading the clubhouse (and now stadium) to the tune of “High Hopes” by Frank Sinatra will be forever a part of Philly as the E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES chant.

He would call homers by a certain Hall of Fame third baseman by noting the player’s full name: “Michael Jack Schmidt.” I never was able to watch Schmidt live but because of Kalas I feel like I had.

He was even known for leaving voice-messages on answering machines for fans. My uncle was lucky enough to have the following voice-mail recorded by Kalas personally:

“Sorry Joe can’t reach you right now, but he’s on A LONG DRIVE AND WAY OUTTA HERE!!!”

It is selfless acts like that will forever make Harry Kalas one of the most beloved figures in Philadelphia sports history.

Kalas was nationally recognized as well. He was a recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions to the game, and was inducted in the MLB Hall-of-Fame in 2002.

Do you still find yourself watching or listening to old Harry Kalas clips? What was it about this man that enabled him to connect so to the city of Philadelphia? Is it because in baseball, it seems you are listening to the announcers every night? Then why aren’t all baseball announcers as loved as Harry the K?

It has been two whole years since Harry passed, and I still get a little choked up every so often when I don’t hear his voice or see his smile when I turn on the game. He seemed to find the good in everybody and was loved by his colleagues and the players as much as the fans.

As mentioned earlier, I was fortunate enough to meet Harry Kalas when he came to my high school before our state championship football game (to wish us good luck of course.) Hundreds of people flocked around him as soon as he entered the gymnasium and it seemed as if everyone in attendance, young and old, referred to him simply as Harry (first name-basis with a legend was the type of man he was.)

I sat patiently while the festivities ensued not thinking about the biggest game of my life to that point, but if I was going to have the opportunity to meet my idol. A whole hour of speeches, drums, cheerleaders (you get the picture) played out in front of me and I became content with the fact that I had at least seen Harry up close and personal.

When I was leaving the gymnasium with the team, I saw my opportunity when he was walking to his car with his son. I ran over to him and called out, “Harry K!” He turned around with that same smile that I’d seen on TV a million times before and my nervousness and awe turned into comfort and relaxation. 

I will never forget what was said that day:

“Mr. Kalas, I just wanted to let you know that you have been like a father figure to me and even though this is the first time we have ever met, I feel like I have known you for years. Thank you so much for everything you have done and you will always be my favorite Phillie.”

His reply was simply, “No, thank you young man. It is incredible comments like those that make me feel like the happiest and luckiest man in the world.”

And he embraced a 6’2″,  210 pound, 17-year-old strong-safety like he was a young child.

And that same teenager who is now 23 years old, can still admit that he gets as choked up now thinking about that moment as he did when it first happened.

For all of the deserving and astounding accomplishments Harry Kalas received during his time as an announcer, his greatest feat is that of a human being that so loved his city, the fans, and his team.

Cheers Harry. We will never forget you and thank you for being such an incredible part of our lives. Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the Kalas family, and we thank you for allowing this great man to be apart of our family for so many years.

You will always be our favorite Phillie.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: Series Proves They Have It, and Atlanta Does Not

The Phillies are rolling to start the season. Dominant pitching and an offense that has hit more singles than any other team in baseball. Clearly their series against the Braves meant more to their hated rivals than it did to them, but it’s always nice to let the few fans Atlanta has (and the national media) that their “sexy” pick for NL East champion was wrong.

Too many pundits and “experts” decided to overlook the four-time defending NL East champions (and their historic starting rotation) in favor of the Atlanta Braves—a team that has done nothing in the playoffs in a decade except watch the Phillies dominate.

Here are the top five things we learned from the Phillies vs. Braves series.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Things We Learned from the Mets’ Series

The Phillies did what many “experts” well, expected Thursday by taking two out of three from the Mets. The Phillies showed great character and poise by rebounding from a dismal series opener in which one of their four aces, Cole Hamels threw a dud.Their offense was pretty offensive (not a good thing here) as well as they were shellacked seven to one.

Game two saw Joe “Krispy Kreme” Blanton cough up a seven run lead, only to watch the offense bail him out in a 10-7 victory.

Game three looked like a mismatch on paper with Roy Halladay opposing John Niese. Halladay’s numbers were outstanding last season against the NL East, but I will address that later. The Phillies dominated the rubber-match of the series in every facet of the game by winning 11-0.

Here are the top five things we learned from the opener between the Phillies and the Mets.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Keys to Come on Down and Beat the Mets

The Phillies have an early three game series against the rival Mets starting tonight (Tuesday). The Phillies have gotten off to a scorching hot start (albeit against the lowly Astros) and they look to keep the good times rolling.

The Mets won their first series as well, taking two of three from the Marlins.

This series most definitely means a lot more to Mets fragile psyche than the proven Phillies, but it is still always fun to kick a New York team while they are down right?

As expected, the Phillies have had outstanding starting pitching in their first three games. Their lineup has done their part as well (eh, Brett Myers) and the Phightin’s have again staked their claim that they are the beast of the East and the National League.

Here are the five keys to the Phillies vs. Mets series.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Things We Learned from Opening Weekend

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending all three games this weekend for the Phillies. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. The weather did not stop more than 45,000 “phanatical” fans from showing up at each game and proving once again that the stigma of the Philadelphia fans that booed Santa more than 50 years ago is indeed history.

I have written previously about how picking against the Phillies has become the sexy thing to do with the national and even local media. Whether it was the injuries, personnel decisions or the Braves being the best team ever built, the most anticipated season in the entire 121-year history of Phillies baseball lost much of its luster leading up to Opening Day.

A few of my colleagues and myself have tried to keep to keep things positive and remind everyone that we still are indeed the team to beat. Philadelphia, we are finally the Yankees (without selling our souls to the devil). Enjoy the moment. Still, many fans had their reservations and needed these three games as insurance that this team that Ruben Amaro has built can be as good on the field as it looks on paper.

I understand that these three games were against the lowly Astros and it has only been three games, but here are 10 things we have learned about the Phillies thus far, besides them being undefeated!

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