Retirement

Heading into the final four weeks of the season, Tuesday's news about Ryan Howard seemed oddly out of the place. The longtime Phillies slugger, who last played in the majors two years ago, officially announced his retirement.
The 2005 Rookie of the Year's greatest seasons coincided with the Phils run of success from 2006 through 2011, when he twice led the National League in home runs and claimed three RBI titles.
But it was 2011, where after putting together the NL's best record, their bats went maddeningly cold in the NLDS, as they were eliminated by the Cardinals. The final pitch of that series changed the course of Phillies history and Howard's career -- as he tore his achilles swinging and pivoting on a Chris Carpenter pitch. Ironically, it came against the team he grew up rooting for in St. Louis.
Howard missed more than half of the 2012 season and neither he nor the Phils were ever the same. The playoff run was over, Ryan was noticeably slower and less capable, and plagued by more injuries, Howard played through the end of his contract, but he proved to be more an albatross than an icon.
Unsigned following the 2016 season, he treid to make a comeback in the minors, but the magic was gone, the skills had faded.
His announcement in The Players Tribune thanked Phillies phans for their love over his 14 big league seasons. The only mystery is why we didn't see this last winter, when it was clear that it time to step away; or perhaps sometime the upcoming off-season when teams are looking for a story to compete with basketball, hockey or football on sports radio or in the papers.
Ryan Howard was an intimidating presence alongside Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Shane Victorino. 382 career homers, and just under 1200 RBI place him in the upper tier of alltime Phillies -- and a beloved name from just the franchise's second World Series title.
It won't too long until the club unveils his plaque on the Phillies Wall of Fame. It wouldn't be a surprise if his number-six gets retired. And Howard will hear the cheers once more time.

(My image of Ryan Howard is from a 2011 Phillies/Mets game at Citi Field.)

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