Phillies fans have grown to have a better appreciation for Ryan Howard since he stepped away from the game. Yes, his Hall of Fame chances were likely killed the second his Achillies went out in the playoffs, but the dominance he displayed early in his career is something that should be remembered.
From 2006-09 Howard averaged a staggering 50 home runs and 143 RBI per season, numbers that no one puts up. If he maintained that average over just a 10 year career we’re talking about a first ballot Hall of Famer who is pushing towards Mike Schmidt’s franchise-record 548 home runs.