Ryan Howard comes back strong

LOS ANGELES - Professional at-bats, Charlie Manuel likes to call them.

Ryan Howard kept getting them last night. Three singles, all to right field, an early run and RBI, followed by a professional walk. That postseason slump? That headline on Philly.com? The one that said, "Howard's vanishing act." Take it off the Web site.

On the night the Phillies punched their ticket to the 2008 World Series, Howard had himself some professional at-bats. Like the one in the third inning when the Phillies got a little cushion. Two on, one out, Howard up. Was this the very-possible National League MVP, the guy who led the majors in homers and RBIs? Or the man who had hit .185 average with two RBIs in the postseason?

First pitch: Inside, ball.

Second pitch: Check-swing foul on a fastball.

Third pitch: Missed a 95 m.p.h. heater.

Fourth pitch: Held off on a breaking ball in the dirt.

Fifth pitch: Ripped an 88 m.p.h. fastball past a diving James Loney, the Dodgers' first baseman.

Howard had struggled during these playoffs, though he had a big hit in Game 4 to get the Phillies' rally inning going. Before Game 3, Manuel had talked about how Howard looked "overanxious" and wasn't following the ball. Howard himself handled it all calmly, talking about the magnitude of the playoffs, how everything is dissected.

But the stakes right now are history-changing, and everybody in the Phillies' clubhouse understands what some good at-bats from Howard mean to all of them.

"When he gets going, we can start putting a thumping on people," Phillies closer Brad Lidge said afterward in the clubhouse.

Howard knows the questions about his struggles kept coming. Last night felt pretty good, he acknowledged - "you know what, it does," but he quickly added, "You don't just play to get to the World Series, you play to win the World Series. Come holler at me when we win the World Series, and I'll tell you how good it feels."

Even when the final Lidge pitch popped foul, Howard kept his cool. He coiled to leap, then just took a small little hop, adding a fist pump.

The day before, Howard had been talking about how the playoffs are "still the same game," that there are ups and downs, good and bad days, that you come out the next day ready to go.

"You never know what's going to happen," he'd said. "You may hit for the cycle."

More than anything, Howard understood he didn't have to try to take everything over the wall to have an impact.

He also may be glad to know Phillies fans still had his back. Most e-mails after yesterday's Howard slump story had the same theme: "Why not join the community and team by showing some well deserved appreciation? . . . If he were clutch every night and every series, he wouldn't be [just] clutch, he would be god. Come on now. . . . Why are you trying to berate Howard when the Phillies are still in the Playoffs . . ."

Last night, after their Phillies took their celebration out to the field, the Phillies fans chanted his name and brought another back: "MVP, MVP." That was right after they chanted, "We want beer!"

The people have spoken. And Howard was plenty loud in piling up those pro at-bats.