The life of Ryan

03/23/2006
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Ryan Howard's competitive nature and uncanny grudge-holding ability extend to his first days picking up a bat on the T-ball fields of St. Louis.
It was an ugly time that the defending National League Rookie of the Year prefers not to discuss. The pain is just too great.
"My twin (Corey Howard) and I somehow got put on different teams, and his team wound up winning the league," Howard said. "That was tough."
Stories of Howard's distaste for losing extend to bowling, as teammates describe how personally he takes low scores, especially when he "zoos" one for his team. While his opponents relish the alley mishaps -- teammates and Spring Training roommate Chris Roberson, in particular -- they warn that such a topic shouldn't be broached in his presence.
"Yep, because he wants to be a perfectionist at everything, so when he can't get there, he gets really upset," said Jimmy Rollins. "The dude can definitely bowl, though."
The dude can definitely hit, too, and that's what the Phillies are counting on. They want him to punish strikes, instead of rolling them, and build on an award-winning season.
The public Ryan Howard is typically quiet and reflective, and refuses to get too high or too low regarding his accomplishments. With the bases loaded, he understands there's a fine line between hitting a game-winning home run and striking out, or rolling a gutter ball.
The private Ryan Howard is more outgoing and gregarious, and is fiercely motivated by the few failures he's had.
A communications major in college and a fan of video games -- and occasionally professional wrestling -- Howard tends to go unnoticed, despite his size. At home plate, he's an imposing figure, with broad shoulders and a menacing batting stance.
Atlanta's Jorge Sosa became the latest victim of Howard's spring power binge on Wednesday as he bashed his ninth homer, tying a Phillies' record set by Dick Allen in 1964.
"He's a silent assassin," said Shane Victorino. "He's a big man and can be intimidating, but he's so soft-spoken. But you always know when he's around."
Howard grew up in west St. Louis, playing T-ball and basketball, and played tight end and defensive end at Lafayette High School.
During his junior and senior years, he spent much time in the basement of his parents' home, pounding balls off a soft-toss machine under a framed batting net built by his father, Ron. He often hit the ball so hard that it smacked off the dry wall, beyond the net.
Howard cruised from high school star to college All-America at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) to Minor League MVP to star-in-waiting.
He could have gone to Arizona State, Kansas State, or Nebraska -- perhaps on a scholarship -- but chose Missouri State because it offered him a chance to play as a freshman. He blasted 19 homers and hit .355, and ended the season batting cleanup.
He struck out a school-record 74 times in 2001, and looks back fondly on that, even if it might have caused his draft value to drop.
"My junior was just a bad year," he said. "I guess you're not allowed to have an off year because everybody gives up on you. That's considered the big year. I heard people talking about draft-itis. When I look at it now, that was probably the most important year I've had because it allowed me to see what it's like on the other side. It's something everyone needs to go through."
That came from my dad. He taught us to be that way. That's just the mindset. You have to know there's going to be failure, and you have to let your failure motivate you."
Did it ever. Flash forward to last season, with the Phillies in the heat of a pennant race. On the day the team learned that Jim Thome was lost for the season, Howard hit a grand slam deep into the seats at Dodger Stadium. The next month, he bashed a crucial grand slam off Atlanta lefty John Foster, keeping the Phillies' playoff hopes alive.
"It's in his character," Victorino said. "He wants to be that guy. He wants to carry that load, and that's a special characteristic to have."
"It's just a matter of trying to provide a spark for the team, and trying to get everybody going," Howard said.
Generally, that's all you're going to get out of Howard.
And it's more than enough.
When Howard arrived with the Phillies he stayed with Rollins at his New Jersey house, an experience for which he is grateful.
Rollins accused Howard of "never doing the dishes and rarely being home," a story that Howard finds inaccurate, at best.
"A) I never washed dishes because I never used the dishes," Howard said. "B) I used plastic plates and C) How can I use dishes if I was never there? There are definitely some flaws in his story."
Howard had plenty on his plate last season, and could've had an even more difficult offseason, if not for general manager Pat Gillick finding a new home for Thome. Howard's relief is consistently answered with the line, "at least I don't have to answer those questions anymore."
Rollins tells it differently.
"We knew something had to be done in the offseason," he said. "I was happy for him, because what more can he do in the Minor Leagues? Let's be real, especially in the last year and a half. There's no room for him down there. It's not like he's a guy who had a shot to get up here four or five different times to eat off the plate, in six small bites. He got up here and ate the whole meal. Look at him, he's a big man. He should eat the whole meal."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/