Ryan Howard - has he peaked

[Blackout]

i hate to start a thread like this

but I'm really starting to wonder...

[SamtheBravesFan]

There is a possibilty, although I think it's very small. He is just 28 years old.

Is he going through A peak? He should be. He is at that age. I doubt he is in decline, though.

[Colorado Express]

Yes, I think he's peaked, but I certainly think that he's good for a few more years of threatening 50 HR, 140 RBI and .280 AVG. I guess I never thought he had much more upside than he did in his first full season.

[willshad]

At this point I think the question isnt whether he's peaked, but whether he is washed up. I know its early, but he's come down quite a bit from last year, when he came down quite a bit from the year before. He's gone from being Jimmie Foxx to being adam Dunn to being Dave Kingman. The guy strikes out too much and at this point is a one dimensional home run hitter. Anyone care to disagree?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Howard hit .313 in his MVP season. That was acomplete fluke given that he struck out 181 times. The league had adjusted to him and he hasn't adjust to them. I do think he's better than his current .176 BA, though. I think he'll turn it around this season but his complete lack of commad of the strike zone is boarding on the ridiculous. Forty two strikouts in just 30 games is just absurd.

[Blackout]

At this point I think the question isnt whether he's peaked, but whether he is washed up. I know its early, but he's come down quite a bit from last year, when he came down quite a bit from the year before. He's gone from being Jimmie Foxx to being adam Dunn to being Dave Kingman. The guy strikes out too much and at this point is a one dimensional home run hitter. Anyone care to disagree?

18 walks in 30 games isn't bad

thats what, 97.2 walks per 162 games?

[willshad]

How about a 'Will Ryan Howard strike out over 200 times this season?' poll.

[willshad]

18 walks in 30 games isn't bad

thats what, 97.2 walks per 162 games?

It's bad when your on base percentage is still under .300

[bob]

He's on course for a 200+ SO season right now, currently getting an average of 1.4 strikeouts per game. Combined that with his very poor offense and he's got to be under pressure to improve or find himself warming the bench for half the season.

[uberpsycho]

I'm sorry but Ryan Howard is one of the most overrated players in the game. Sure he'll hit some bombs and drive in runs in the process, but that's about it. No defense, doesn't hit for average, doesn't get on base outside of being pitched around and he strikes out a ton. Nothing special.

[willshad]

Is it me, or is he beginning to look eerily like the next Cecil Fielder?

[Bothrops Atrox]

It is true that Howard isn't quite as good as his MVP and stats indicate (zillions of strikeouts, luxury of playing in the Baker Bowl 2, guys swarming the bases-driving up his RBI total, hrroble baserunner and defender), but I will not say the guy is washed up yet. He started off very slowly last year too, and produced big. He walks a ton and his power is of course massive. Look for him to rebound the rest of the year. If he continues at this pace all year, however, we can talk.