"You don't have to be a genius to say he has a big future ahead of him, I think he's going to keep going and not look back." When Arizona Fall League Desert Dogs hitting coach, Eric Richardson uttered those words to Baseball America's Jack Magruder you'd think he was crazy from the heat.
Keep going? Where? A first baseman in an organization with a superstar at the same position who has a 5-year, forty-six million-dollar, contract. A superstar who crushed 89 home runs and 236 RBI's in two seasons with the club. Face it this guy's buried alive. He has no shot of getting out of AAA ball.
The Devil's in the Details
A funny thing happens on the way to foregone conclusions. The player Richardson has high hopes for keeps grinding it out. A real throwback and a guy who spends every minute working and learning, focused on every aspect of his game.
He shows promise, hits to every field. Takes extra batting practice but still strikes out too frequently. A big swing, big misses. What he swats goes out of the park. An NFL defensive end sized 6-4, 260 pound 5th round pick from Southwest Missouri State he's no sure thing. 139 players drafted ahead of him look better on paper.
Sometimes the Experts are Wrong
Is he any good? In 4 full seasons in the minors he hits .302, with 506 hits, 99 doubles, 8 triples and 104 home runs. He leads the FSL "A" League in home runs and batting average. In any other organization he's a starter on the big club.
Called up when the major league rosters expand at the end of his 3rd full season he hits .282-2-5 in 39 AB's spread over 19 games. That's where the story might end. No hope of displacing the superstar on a team desperate for pitching. A trade his most likely ticket to the big leagues.
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
The next year after hitting .300-3-9 in spring training he's packed off to AAA. His path to majors blocked by the superstar with the guaranteed contract. A May call up to fill in for the injured superstar yields a .214 BA and 1 HR. Bad enough for a return ticket to AAA and questions. Is he just another minor league phenom? Can he handle MLB pitching? Is his trade value beyond repair?
Sixty-one games come and go without the call that sends him to the next team and eventual destiny. He hits a gaudy .371-16-54, cracks 78 hits, and 19 doubles. Then the phone rings.
Houston We Have Liftoff
In a season where back injuries plague the superstar he will get a rare second chance to jumpstart his career. The door slammed shut opens a tiny crack.
This is the part of the movie where the rookie steps into big shoes with half a season left, swats .288, launches 22 HR's, drives 63 across the plate on 90 hits, 17 doubles, and 2 triples. Wins Rookie of the Year and leads his team to the World Series.
I'm here to tell you that don't happen. The team misses winning the wild card by two games. The rest of it, Oh yeah, that all happens. But the best is yet to come.
Sometimes the Best Trades are the Ones You Don't Make
The dreadful GM, who made one stinking, lousy trade after another, giving away every decent prospect the team ever had, gets fired. The new GM in his 1st press conference suggests the rookie needs to learn patience and where to sit on the bench when the superstar comes back from injuries. The rookie might even be dealt.
I'm here to tell you that don't happen either. The fans completely fed up with years of relentless stupidity put their foot down. Trade or bench the rookie and the new stadium will look like a ghost town. The team backs down and eats twenty-four million dollars to ship the injured superstar to the White Sox.
Happily Ever After
That my friend; is the tale of Ryan "Home Run" Howard the hard-hitting 2005 Rookie of the Year for those Philadelphia Phillies. This year Howard broke the Phillies club record by swatting 11 HR's in spring training, a record held for 40 years by another Phillies Rookie of the Year, #### Allen.
This season, Ryan'#### .295-15-38 batting 5th in the order. He's currently on pace to hit more than 50 home runs in his first full season. Plagued early on by outside breaking balls he made the necessary adjustments. Richardson also mentioned that in 2004, "He does a great job of making adjustments, and that's what it's all about. If you can make the adjustments and overcome, you are going to put up the numbers he is going to put up."
His Achilles Heel last season was left-handed pitching. Howard victimizes them this year. Hitting .309-4-10 in 29 games. He's no picnic for right-handers either swatting .288-11-28 in 43 games. Was Eric Richardson crazy in 2004? Maybe: but crazy like a fox. Sometimes the long shot comes in. When it does it pays big money. To paraphrase Chazz Palminteri: "You can ask anybody from my neighborhood...they'll tell you. This is just another Philly tale."
Hey great post and the Phillies have a great talent in Ryan Howard. He will be a star for many years. I just hope that the Mariners will get some help from their farm system like the Phillies did
Thanks bayknee, I appreciate it.
I think with payrolls the way they are the farm system products will be critical to success. If you have a good Asst. GM of scouting like Mike Arbuckle for the Phillies he can turn it around quick, the Phillies now have 40% of the starters from their own system and that number's going up with all the arms on the farm they've stockpiled.
Thanks Half I appreciate it, you're right about depleted systems those teams are in for trouble, the Yanks as long as Steinbrenner's there are immune but will the next owner or generation want to drop that much on the 2nd best team in the NL every year based on where they've been finishing?
Maybe I'm misreading him, but it almost seems like George is losing interest. Hard to imagine and maybe I'm totally off base, but I guess it really doesn't matter as long as he keeps writing the checks....
Nice post ed, on Ryan Howard and good subject choice. HalfBaked and I talk a lot, and I know I agree with both of you when you talk about the farm system. Good job!
"I'm here to tell you" and "swat" caught my eye. This is picky, but correct; when he was with the Phillies he went by Richie Allen, he became #### Allen when he went to the White Sox.
baf, thanks, appreciate it. I struggled with that because to those of us who grew up in Philly he'll always be Richie Allen and not #### Allen.
Every kid in my neighborhood used to hold the bat and make his trademark question mark in the air as we waited for a pitch.
Good post, Ed. It hits all the bases of the kind of article I enjoy reading.
May I be critical for a moment? I'm not great at it, but here goes...I felt anxious not finding out his name until the 14th paragraph. I don't think it takes anything away from the piece to put his name after "The player Richardson has hopes for..."
"That my friend is the story of Ryan..." still works. Like you summed up his baseball life thusfar. Not sure you gain anything by keeping it a secret til the end.
Just my two cents. (btw, that was very difficult for me to type...I feel awful! I HATE being critical! I'll never be a real sportswriter!)
Thanks Carolyn I appreciate your comments and efforts and depend on your feedback.
In this case I went with my own delight in finding the toy surprise in the box of CrackerJacks.
I also used the same device previously in "The Greatest Dodger Who Never Was" concerning how racism caused the Dodgers to pass on Roberto Clemente.
So I had the concern you voiced but seeing how it didn't effect the other story's readers and seemed so well suited to Howard's I went with it.
I would hope you always tell it like it is, there's no harm or "fowl" in helping me out.
You already are a "real" sportswriter, just keep scribbling like I do.
That's a good choice for topic, Ed. Ryan Howard should have a great career in front of him...he is an entertaining player to watch.
The Howard-Thome situation was one of few "everybody wins" situations. The Phillies are better in the long term with Howard & Rowand, Ryan Howard gets a well-deserved shot at full time play, The ChiSox get a rejuvenated Thome to help their championship squad...
Thanks Shooter, I appreciate it, can't wait to read your scribble, best of luck also. I think the Sox feel its a great deal or they wouldn't have given us two young stud arms in Haigwood and Gonzalez as well as Rowand, who plays baseball the old fashioned way. Howard and Utley are looking like twin monsters.
Servicable entrance, Ed, but the "delayed" subject reveal went on far too long (re: Carolyn's comment).
Solid presentation of the stats, and with relevance. This demonstrated to me that the Phillies, as well as baseball, represent far more than a casual interest in your life -- a necessary evil for a top-tier sportswriter.
Nice exit, but it didn't button the story as well as it could have. I think this burden falls on the entrance more than the exit.
Finally, I hear your love for Philadelphia and the Phillies, but I don't quite hear the unique voice, or read the individual style that big-league sportswriting requires. The talent and the elements are there: You just haven't quite figured out how to assemble the parts yet.
Ed, I appreciate your allowing me to comment constructively on your NGSII piece. It has solid merit.
Great job -- as painful as it is for me to root for a phillie beyond schmidt, murphy, kruk and possibly wild thing, I love this guy Howard...and you drew him out well.
The story is good in that it's ripe with potential controversy yet ends well -- I found something in your style which I hadn't noticed before. It has a very old school feel to it and that's definitely meant to be a compliment. I sense someone on the sportsbeat in like the fifties smoking a cig and typing away on one of those clakety-claks -- not that you smoke and you shouldn't if you do --- haha
look back on the last paragraph for grammar -- or maybe I'm reading it wrong --
and a note on that as well -- I love the poetic license used when you said "I'm here to tell you that don't happen." -- that's part of what had that old school appeal which in itself is refreshing but you add to that a good feel for today's sensitivity. It's a good combo.
Thanks MD appreciate the comments and the critique, there is an economy of words issue I had to deal with in that I wanted to come in around 800 words. I'd be interested to know what your idea of unique voice requirements are. Your opinion is valued and always welcome, writing for a wide audience requires you accept the limitations of your point of view and respect and appreciate the views of your peers.
Thanks Mav, appreciate it, I like the old-school ref very much, grammatically there isn't anything wrong in the last paragraph but the "crazy like a fox" sentence some might consider a fragment, which it isn't. The worst struggle for me was the line you quoted, "don't" is actually the correct word grammatically while the urge to use "doesn't" is overwhelming. As always your continued support and enthusiasm makes my day.
Great post. Mid 90s A.
As a Braves fan, there are 2 players that frighten me in the NL East. Howard and David Wright. I read the whole thing. Way to keep my interest.
Judges, pay attention...this is your front runner.
Thanks agable6 appreciate it, especially the high praise, I hope I can continue to earn your support and enthusiasm with my next effort and hope the judges heed your advice. Thanks again.
Considering I'm a Mets fan, I think you were dead on about Howard. That boy scares me to no end everytime he comes to the plate.
You set the tone well in the opening, though the reveal of the player may have been better served about one or two paragraphs before. (I would like to point out here that I give that constructive criticism only because I have been known to wait to long to get to the point. You still got it out way before I probably would have though, so yay for you!) But you finished well, and kept me interested throughout.
Very nice. Because of the area I live in, I knew who you were talking about before the reveal, but I love that kind of mystery-to-figure-out-as-a-reader sort of thing. I actually thought the Phillies should have traded Thome before last season, but you could definitely argue that things have worked out better as they did. Good job.
Thanks DanJ appreciate it, Well said, I was surprised to learn just how good Howard was in the minors, his work ethic and that people picked up on his talent well before he did it with a ####.
Ed, a unique voice is this: If you were to ask two-hundred would-be sportswriters to write an aricle on Hank Aaron, the facts and circumstances of his life are undeniably and universally accessible. So, what will set one writer's piece apart from the others? It is his/her voice, style, design, etc.
My approach to criticism is based on my past and current experience in print and broadcast news. So perhaps my bar is set a little higher than others. Still, my constructive criticism represents a distinguishable characteristic of my unique voice and style.
Thanks whathappnd, I appreciate it. Your criticism is shared by others but I think on the whole the late reveal serves the story well, I encourage and hope you'll continue to read and critique my writing in the future. It will only make my writing better. I think Howard or Utley are scary on any team.
You are welcome, and I will be back to critique and give feedback and all that other good stuff.
Howard and Utley are scary on any team. I hate when the Mets play the Phillies. But when Howard goes up to the plate, I am literally holding my breath (can you tell I have no faith in Mets pitching? Typical Met fan I am).
MD I just wanted a clear picture of what you defined as unique, the invaluable advice you and others bring through thoughtful, well grounded, criticism is always appreciated and extremely valuable.
Given the parameters of the contest it was important to establish a good baseline for myself as well as compete against the others. During the contest when compared to the other fine work I hope you'll recognize my continued efforts will reflect such sage counsel and that's a testament to its many authors efforts on my behalf. Thanks again I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Like my Pop-Pop once told me, he was only standing on the shoulders of his dad who stood on the shoulders of his, and one day mine would lift my sons and grandsons up...our success is a byproduct of the combined efforts of many.
interesting yes ed I know it comes out correctly on microsoft word when you put "don't" but the way you mean the sentence to read sounds like poetic license -- either way it's a decent sentence -- think about it this way: if you uncontracted the sentence to read "I am here to tell you that do not happen." The sentence reads that you are stating that the "you" doesn't "happen" -- if you read it the way you meant it to be understood, in other words "that" does not happen. I do believe your emphasis is on the word "that" and therefore you'd be correct in using "doesn't" -- either way dude it reads well so no worries -- you and I both don't want to debate grammar but I think it can go both ways despite word underlining doesn't when you write the sentence in what would be understood as the correct way. Word doesn't always know the word you mean to emphasize.
whathappnd, who has faith in any pitching staff any more? You guys have Carlos-Squared both in double figs for boxes of waffles. As for Howard he is a book you can judge by his cover, a gifted hardworking slugger. Fielding-wise he has a way to go. I just wish the Phightin's would take one from your Metropolitans. Two close losses in a row.
Mav, I agree, Word spellcheck just annoys me, its Gates-speak grammer. But yes I agree the "don't" pops. I was just explaining the grammer issue I had.
Ed - I thoroughly enjoyed this. I live in Minnesota and for years the Twins have had a first rate farm system. Not so sure now, though. I am not a critic so what I am going to tell you probably won't help much, especially since it goes against some of the others thinking. However, I like the fact that you held out a while to let me know who you were talking about. As someone who does not follow MLB a lot and therefore not the Phillies, it really kept me involved in the article. Good luck and keep up the good work.
Mav, were you here when I wrote this?...lol
Actually it read "Ryan victimizes left-handed pitching this year which is a change from last season." I canned that as a tedious calendric bore, then "Ryan's problem with southpaws last year ended this season." Which had no real bite and was still a bit treadmilly. So yes in the interest of using "victimized" the sentence in place got the nod.
Last edited by edhardiman on May 25th at 11:26 AM.
I have to agree with Gcoach -- I was going to mention that -- and I want to wash my mouth of the grammar issue -- gcoach is right in the respect that you held out -- a lot of us knew who you were talking about -- but holding back doesn't matter -- sometimes you know what's going to happen in a movie and they even hint to it and it doesn't give it away. you could have added something like, "for those of you who follow the phillies it's obvious I've been talking about Ryan Howard." but I think the way you did it is fine --
gcoach-Thanks I appreciate it and hope to enjoy your continued support. Loved the Twins when Puckett was there they were like Jack the Giant Killers. Your opinion and criticism are just as valid as anyone's I'm glad you liked the reveal at the end like I prefer. I didn't see this as a straight ahead recap so for me it was more cinematic than some might like in its approach. But every point of view so far has been well reasoned and I value them all.
that's funny ed -- yeah just not a fan of starting off sentences with subjunctive clauses something I learned in screenwriting -- you got good verbs and nouns here buddy-- I think victimize is a good word -- punch us in the belly don't lead us down a flimsy subjunctive tightrope -- alright keep up the good work! see you need this nitpicking to make you think and get your butt to the finals! regardless of whether you use the comments or not and don't use every comment you here -- you got a great personality that comes out in your writing but you know that!
Mav can you believe we both went movies at the same time in regards to this?
Were we twins seperated at birth?
I like discussing the nuts and bolts of scribbling so please hit any screed of mine as hard as you like. Never a problem. Your interest and effort is appreciated especially in a contest like this.
You are spot on about who can (or cannont) trust their pitching staffs (staves? what is the plural of staff?) anymore.
Now, there would be no fun in letting my Mets let you have one game. You guys (wait, Burrell, I take that back) have been beating up on us for years. It's only time we strike back, dang it!
whathappnd, "staves" that kills me, good one. Look if they break even and decide the division by beating everyone else I'd settle for that...go ahead and have Carlos-Squared as my gift to you...
Correction: You mean so long as they beat the Braves. Like Washington and Florida really have a shot at the division? Come on now, man, get it together.
whathappnd, Ack, anyone but the Braves! But don't let MavPilla hear that...the scary thing about the Fins is every time they implode that team they win the WS a year later with guys named "Who?" "Never heard of him" and "Wasn't he washed up?"
ed, there is something to be said about "every time they blow up the team"...there is so much truth to that.
However, their whole stadium/relocating issue needs to be resolved. Until that point, they will most likely be mired in mediocrity unitl the issue is completely resolved and there is enough "fund-age".
I don't know if you follow hockey, but just look at Pittsburgh and St. Louis. They had to blow the whole thing up to sell (or at least try) and look where they finished in the standings. Same can most likely be said for the fish.
As for Mav, Braves Shmaves. If, so help me God, I have to listen to: Don't count them out, they've won the last 14 years one more time, I'm jumping out the window. I live on the 3rd floor. It'll hurt.
I'm actually working on a sports related screenplay right now. Starting out, wrote and rewrote a lot of horror and period pieces, one based on a dostoevsky story called "a christmas tree and a wedding". well that's the only one that's up on imdb right now and man that seems like forever ago -- took a long layover to work on a book.
