PHILADELPHIA– In a year where the Philadelphia Phillies’ have celebrated the tenth anniversary of the 2008 World Championship team, a number of members of that team have announced their retirements.
Add a Big Piece to that list.
Former Phillies’ 1B Ryan Howard officially announced his retirement from baseball Tuesday, in a piece written for The Player’s Tribune.
In the piece titled “Thank you, Philly” , Howard, 38, said “Y’all took a chance on this big, quiet kid from St. Louis — and for that I’ll always be grateful.”
Howard, a three-time All-Star and former NL MVP and Rookie of the Year, hit .258 with 382 HR’s and 1194 RBI’s over 13 seasons with the Phillies.
“The Big Piece” was a centerpiece of a Phillies’ lineup that won five straight division titles and the 2008 World Series.
From 2006-2011, Howard led all of baseball with 262 home runs and 796 RBI’s. He hit .279 during that 6-year span with a .929 OPS, and the Phillies averaged 93 wins, and appeared in back-to-back World Series.
Howard joins former Phillies’ Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley as other 2008 teammates to announce their retirements this season.
