PHILADELPHIA — As clutch as Jimmy Rollins was here last night, the never-say-die Phillies have a new heart and soul.
That can happen when you treat postseason pitching like batting practice, as Ryan Howard continued to do with such gusto in a 5-4 walk-off victory in Game 4 of the NLCS.
The Phillies’ engine used to be Rollins, and the shortstop certainly made a case for keeping that mantle with his game-winning, two-run double off Jonathan Broxton in the ninth last night.
But Rollins’ name isn’t as feared as it once was, especially with his fellow former NL MVP absolutely scorching the ball in these playoffs while helping put the Phillies one step from their second consecutive World Series berth.
Howard remains a sight to behold at the plate, proving that the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez haven’t cornered the market this October when it comes to ridiculous hitting performances.
After belting a two-run homer off Randy Wolf in the first inning last night, Howard has two homers and an astounding 14 RBIs in this year’s postseason.
Howard’s eight consecutive games with a least one RBI is a new major-league playoff record, and the big first baseman also has a hit and an RBI in every postseason game this fall.
“I’m just up there trying to make things happen, and I’m feeling it,” Howard said in a boisterous postgame clubhouse.”
The Yankees, in fact, had better be prepared for a few Howard-inspired headaches if it comes down to a Turnpike Series with Philadelphia.
The mind — or at least a Phillies fan’s mind — races at the prospect of Howard’s potent lefty bat matched up with the 314-foot porch in right field at Yankee Stadium.
Another Reggie Jackson night in the making?
It’s very possible, because the Yankees — like the Rockies and Dodgers before them — will have to pitch to Howard if the defending world champs make it back to the Fall Classic.
Philadelphia’s lineup is far too deep to pitch around him, with even such unlikely candidates as catcher Carlos Ruiz (.391 postseason average through last night) offering protection.
What makes Howard’s October even more impressive is the energy he continues to bring to his teammates with more than just his ridiculous bat.
The sight of the 230-pound Howard diving with a two-run triple — just his fifth triple of the year — in the first inning of Sunday’s eventual 11-0 laugher electrified not only the Citizens Bank Park crowd but the Phillies’ dugout as well.
But make no mistake: Howard in the batter’s box is still the prime attraction for the Phillies this fall.
Of course, Howard’s off-the-charts postseason is hardly a surprise. Not after he hit three homers in last year’s World Series against Tampa Bay while driving in nine runs overall in October.
It’s just that Howard looks so much more calm and confident while doling out punishment this year. His serene, almost Zen-like regimen as he readies himself for an at-bat has not gone unnoticed, largely because the results that usually follow it have been so devastating.
Howard hasn’t been piling up the strikeouts as profusely as he did in the past, either, showing more discipline and maturity.
In short, Howard is becoming the total package — a thought that should not only give their opponents this month pause, but should also send shivers down the spines of the Mets and the rest of the NL East beyond this year.
A lot more MVP trophies look like they’re in Howard’s future, and not just the regular-season variety.
