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Ryan Howard (born November 19, 1979 in Saint Louis, Missouri) is a baseball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. Drafted in the 5th round in 2001, Howard played in 19 games for the 2004 Phillies as a first baseman. He hit 2 home runs and hit .282.
In 2005, Howard took over first base duties for the injured Jim Thome, and emerged as a strong Rookie of the Year candidate in the National League. Like Thome, the left-handed power hitter has a penchant for hitting opposite-field home runs into the Left Field flower bed at Citizens Bank Park.
Howard finished 2005 with 22 home runs and 62 runs batted in in just 385 plate appearances, but Thome's expensive contract gives the Phillies a difficult decision to make during the offseason. Possibilities include trying Howard in left field, trading Howard, or trading Thome, which would almost certainly include agreeing to pay a large portion of his salary.
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