A TALE OF 2 SLUGGERS
WHEN THE subject turns toward the greatest Phillies slugger of all time, the discussion must begin with Mike Schmidt. Schmidt is not only the only Phillie with 500 home runs. He's also the only guy with 400. Ryan Howard, though, is getting close to joining him in the 300 club.
WHEN THE subject turns toward the greatest Phillies slugger of all time, the discussion must begin with Mike Schmidt.
Schmidt is not only the only Phillie with 500 home runs. He's also the only guy with 400. Ryan Howard, though, is getting close to joining him in the 300 club.
Howard, who is second in club history, hit his 274th homer on Saturday to put him halfway to Schmidt's total of 548. The Daily News decided to take a look at the two players with stats and stuff on Page 49, but here are a couple other observations and fun facts:
Howard probably missed about a full season of major league experience in 2004 and 2005 because Jim Thome played first for the Phillies. Still, Howard needed 237 fewer games and 568 fewer at-bats to reach 274.
Schmidt hit eight of his first 274 home runs when there were runners on second and third and the opposing manager opted not to walk him. Only three of Howard's were in that situation. Howard has been intentionally walked twice as often as Schmidt was at these similar points in their careers.
Schmidt wore No. 20 and hit his 20th home run off Tug McGraw, who was on the mound for the Phillies for the defining moment of Schmidt's career: the 1980 World Series.
Each player hit four walkoff homers among their first 274. Schmidt would go on to hit six more.
Two of Schmidt's first 274 were inside-the-park, and Schmidt, in 1980, had 12 stolen bases. Howard has never hit an inside-the-park HR and entered last night with 12 stolen bases in his career.
Two of Schmidt's homers came as a leadoff hitter in 1978. Can you imagine Howard leading off?
Schmidt, a third baseman, won four Gold Gloves in his first eight seasons and 10 in his career. Howard was a poor fielder at the start of his career but has improved greatly. He's still not Gold Glove-caliber, however.
Howard is the superior run producer. Schmidt's career high for RBI in a season is 121, which he set in 1980. Howard has four seasons of more than 121, including 149 in 2006. Howard is on pace for 123 this season.