Phillies fans had been waiting for the moment all year: a day when Charlie Manuel?s lineup card had both names Chase Utley and Ryan Howard penciled in.?
With Howard's return to the Phillies from the DL Friday night, the Phils? lineup looked like the one that won them five straight NL East titles from 2007 to 2011.
Unfortunately, Friday night?s game was vintage 2012 Phillies. The bullpen failed the Phils as Antonio Bastardo allowed five runs in the eighth to hand the Braves a 5-0 victory (see game recap).?Howard did not disappoint in his debut, however. He went 2 for 4 in his first game back after rupturing his Achilles last postseason with a double and a single. From the beginning, excitement was pulsing through Citizens Bank Park because of the return of "The Big Piece."
?I knew going into it there was going to be a lot of expectations,? Howard said. ?I knew the crowd was going to be into it.?
Indeed, the 44,401 in attendance welcomed Howard back with a standing ovation at every mention of his name. In his first at-bat, Howard rewarded the Phillies faithful with a double hit deep into the right-center gap. Howard drove the ball sharply on just the second pitch he saw. The crowd roared to its feet, thinking that Howard matched Utley and went yard in his first at-bat of the season.
?I just hit it and ran like hell,? Howard said. ?I didn?t know it was going to carry as far as it did.?
Howard also singled in the seventh, grounded into a double play and grounded out to second in his other at-bats. There was no noticeable rust at the plate. Howard looked like the cleanup hitter the Phils' lineup has missed all year.
?Hitting-wise, it's normal,? Howard said. ?I think a lot of people were questioning if it would be normal or if I was going to be able to drive off [the Achilles].?
While Howard looked normal at the plate, playing defense and running the bases was a different story. The slugger says he is free of pain, although Howard admitted the strength in his Achilles still has a ways to go. He was running and moving laterally with a slight limp.
?[The Achilles] doesn?t feel any different than when I was running in Lakewood or in Lehigh. There?s probably going to be a small hitch in there, so get used to it,? Howard said.
Running and fielding are not the major concern with Howard, however. He has never been confused for a Gold Glover or a speed demon on the basepaths. Howard has been the Phillies? slugger and run producer in the past. The Phils will need him to produce in that role if they are to dig themselves out of the cellar.
Howard insists the Phillies have the ability to do just that.?
?It?s a matter of going out and winning series,? Howard said. ?You?re not going to win every single game, but if you can go out there and win a series, the next thing you know you find yourself in the mix.?
The Phillies are now 11 games under .500 and are firmly in last place in the NL East. Howard brings a spark back to the team, but that spark needs to ignite a fire. While the Phillies lost on Friday, the team certainly noticed the presence Howard carried in his return.
?We feel it in the lineup and at first base. It?s nice to have him back for sure,? said starter Kyle Kendrick, who pitched seven scoreless innings. ?Just like old times.?
Not quite. Last season the Phillies went into the All-Star break with the league's best record. This year, they will be nine games under .500 at best. Howard believes there is a way out of their rut, much like there was a way back from his injury.
?Going through my situation with my ankle, I was forced to stay positive,? Howard said. ?In a situation like this, yeah it looks bleak, but there still is a lot of ball to play. We hold our own destiny.??
robert wagner robert wagner live with regis and kelly heavy d funeral christopher walken ok state ok state
No comments:
Post a Comment