After dominating Triple A pitching, Ryan Howard finally got called up to the majors when Philadelphia Phillies' 1st baseman Jim Thome went down with a season-ending injury. He has yet to disappoint.

Raw power combined with clutch hitting has not only made Howard a force in the middle of the Phillies' lineup, but has made him an instant fan favorite. With nothing but promise for the future, Howard looks to be a cornerstone of the Phillies franchise for years to come. In fact, in only 88 games in the 2005 season, Howard launched 22 home runs and knocked in 63 runs.  10 of those homers came in September when Howard took the team on his back and led them withing one game of the playoffs.  This incredible performance made Howard the run away recipient of the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year Award. 

Howard then came out with a bang his sophomore season, ranking among the league leaders in home runs and RBIs and earned his first All-Star appearance. He also set the Phillies' single season homerun mark, shattering Mike Schmidt's previous record of 48, and finishing the year with an astounding 58 homeruns and 149 RBIs, earning National Leage MVP Honors in the process.