Dontrelle Willis likes Ryan Howard. Hey, who doesn't like Ryan Howard? But he doesn't like Ryan Howard enough to let him hit bombs into the upper tank. Willis retired Howard three times, and Howard was retired twice more by Marlins relievers in an
8-5 Marlins victory.
"That guy's dangerous," Willis said. "All he needs is that one, and here it comes. He's a friend of mine, and I'm rooting for him, but not against us, because he's a guy who can single-handedly carry a team into the postseason. I just pray he keeps struggling against us."
Howard is hitting .158 on the season, and after only five games, the "slump" word is starting to attach itself to last season's N.L. MVP.
Howard, the NL Most Valuable Player in 2006, has three singles this season and no extra-base hits. He drove in 149 runs to lead the league last year. "He's probably pressing a little bit and feels he has to live up to something," Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs said. "I hope he's out of here before he starts turning it on."
As for Willis, he had nine strikeouts in his six innings of work, and Josh Willingham was a single away from the cycle along with four RBI's. The only noise by the Phillies came on Jimmy Rollins' inside the park HR, and two runs in the ninth off of Marlins closer Jorge Julio before Howard made the final out.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-10-2007 @ 9:08PM
Toni said...
I was at the Phillies vs Marlins @ Dolphin Stadium, not as a Marlins or Phillies fan, but a Dontrelle Willis fan. Ryan Howard didn't do anything that looked memorable. There were about 10-15 Phillies fans waiting outside the stadium to meet Howard. Howard walked past the team bus to his rental car with 3 friends and ignored the fans like they weren't even there. I think MVP should mean Most Vacant Personality...he is not worthy of the fans that worship him...he isn't even that good, Pujols should have won it and I'm not even a Cardinals fan
Reply