Ryan Howard Returning To “All-Star” Form?

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For about a 4-year span the conversation effectively begun and ended with Ryan Howard as the best left-handed power hitter in the game. During the span the Philadelphia Phillies ran the NL East and he was a top 5 candidate who won the award in 2006 when he clobbered 58 home runs and 149 runs batted in.Howard is now 34-years old and is beginning to get up there in age, injuries have slowed down the former MVP but with his health in tact for the first time in 3 years, Howard looks like the top 10 MVP candidate he was in 2011 when he last played more than 100 games in a season. He won’t be the best slugger in the game anymore but he is still better than a lot of hitters at his position.

Coming into this season Ryan Howard had played in a combined 151 games for his 2012 and 2013 seasons. The last time he was really healthy was 2011 when he played in 152 games and hit 31 home runs with 108 runs batted in. That was the last full season we have seen from Howard and although the Phillies are in the cellar of the national league Howard remains a bright spot. His 40 runs batted in now tie him for 2nd in the national league in runs batted in with Troy Tulowitzki and Yasiel Puig. It’s good to see Howard’s name at the top in some of the leagues hitting categories which is where he belongs.

Howard has 1,000 RBIs in 1,230 games. Fewest number of Gs to reach that number of RBIs among active players. — Bob Brookover (@brookob) May 31, 2014

Howard made some history that validates the dominance he’s displayed offensively throughout his career. Howard became the fastest active player to reach 1,000 runs batted in for his career which says something with the all-time greats we have in the game like Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera still playing. Howard would have had that accolade earlier had he been healthier to.

Can he stay healthy for the rest of the year? If he does can he put up all-star caliber number? If Ryan Howard plays at least 135 games there’s no reason he shouldn’t be pushing 30+ home runs and 100+ runs batted in like he does when he is healthy. He plays in a hitter friendly ballpark, he is healthy again and his team really isn’t that good so individually he has a lot to prove to himself and a lot of production to give the Phillies.