Howard Haters Should Go To The Cliff

The dust from the miserable Philadelphia sports weekend has settled.  I can see the sun.  It’s an unusually beautiful October day, yet the only image I continue to see is Ryan Howard writhing in pain on the grass at Citizens Bank Park as the Cardinals celebrate a few feet away and a shower of boos and rally towels descended upon him.  For the second consecutive year, Ryan Howard provided the final out in the Phillies unsuccessful Postseason. 

Last year, Howard was caught looking for the final out with two players on base and down by a single run in the NLCS against the Giants.  He looked defenseless against Brian Wilson.  This year, a torn Achilles tendon prevented him from running out the final out.  He looked defense and weak this year. 

Those images fuel the group of Howard haters that exist in the city of Philadelphia.  They cry out “he’s overpaid,” “he strikes out too much,” “he’s a bum.”  These are the same people who cried out “the Phils will never sign him,” or “he’ll be a Yankee soon,” before the Phillies signed him to an extension. 

I bumped into several people over the weekend blaming one person for the Phillies loss, Ryan Howard.  My neighbor’s roofer, a bartender at a local pub, the clerk at the local convenience store all pointed the finger at Ryan Howard.  Howard definitely had some terrible at-bats in the series and finished with a batting average hovering around .100, however, he did lead the series in RBI’s.  He knocked in four in the first game and two in the second game.  

I’m going to have to stick up for Howard and point the finger at the Teflon Don of Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s Chosen Son, Clifford Phifer Lee.  If anyone person choked in the 2011 NLDS, it’s clearly Lee.  Will anyone hold any bitterness or resentment towards Lee the way they did towards Ryan Howard during last year’s off-season?  That’s highly unlikely.  I recently talked with Sports Illustrated’s Gary Smith and he asked me if anyone was un-booable in Philadelphia.  I didn’t think so if they showed a lack of effort.  He stated that his observations of the Philly fans indicated, to him, that Cliff Lee was un-booable.  I think he’s right.  The city has a strange love affair with Lee, more so than current Cy Young winner Roy Halladay or former World Series MVP Cole Hamels. 

This 2011 Phillies team was built around pitching to win 2-1 games or 3-2 games.  Lee got the bonus plan when the Phils gave him a 4-0 lead in Game 2.  And what did he do with it?  He gave up RBI singles to Yadier Molina, Ryan Theriot, and Jon Jay.  He wasn’t beaten by Albert Pujols, slugger Lance Berkman or Matt Holliday.  These batters are batters that Cliff Lee should’ve dominated.  He didn’t.  Lee finished the game with an ERA of 7.50 and a WHIP of 2.333.   Yet, the fans gave him a round of applause as he left the game after giving up 5 runs in 6 innings.

Cole Hamels started the next game and pitched six scoreless innings.  The Phillies won Game 3 3-2, as they were designed.  The series should’ve been over with a three game sweep, but Cliff Lee didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.

Howard-haters need to open their eyes.  Howard didn’t have a great series, but he drove in more runs than anyone on either team.  That’s what he’s paid to do.  Cliff Lee didn’t do what he’s paid to do.  And, in 2012, Cliff Lee will be the highest paid player on the Philadelphia Phillies making $21.5 million dollars.