Ryan Howard Mastered the Strikeout in 2007

When Ryan Howard stepped to the plate last year, there was a 4.9% chance he'd hit a double, an 8.9% chance he'd hit a home run, a 13% chance he'd hit a single, a 20.2% chance he'd draw a walk, and a 37.8% chance that he'd strike out. Ryan Howard struck out so much last year, that his strikeout percentage was nearly as high as his on base percentage. In fact, Ryan Howard struck out so much in 2007, that he set the all time record for most strikeouts in a season, at 199.

Now Adam Dunn is notorious for striking out. Dunn's lead the majors in strikeouts each year from 2004, up until last year. And previously to 2007, Dunn had the highest and second highest single season strikeout totals of all time. But in 2007, Howard outdid even Dunn.

In fact, Howard had 57 more strikeouts than he did hits. Much was made of Ichiro when he achieved the single season hits record in 2004, getting a hit in 37.2% of his at bats. Even more was made of Bonds, when he set the single season home run record in 2006, getting a home run in 21% of his at bats. So where's the celebration for Howard?

Howard struck out in 37.8% of his 2007 at bats. And after all, which one deserves more celebration? Would the fans of the other 29 teams rather watch players get hits and home runs against their favorite team, or watch a player strike out?

Mitchell Report To Be Released Tomorrow

Sure, it won't fix baseball's history with performance enhancing drugs. The Mitchell Report isn't going to strike Bonds' tainted record from the books or change Jason Giambi's two home runs in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. It's probably not even going to provide closure, but more likely controversy.

As a fan of the sport, however, I am eager to learn more about the "Steroids Era" of baseball, in which I grew up. I'm hoping none of my Red Sox heroes now, or childhood heroes of the past will be named in the report. At the same time, if a Red Sox player used performance enhancing drugs, I want to know.

And for all the players who kept their noses clean, perhaps it will provide some kind of justice. The players who are to be named in the report did cheat after all. No matter how much the virtues of this report are going to be debated over the next few weeks, the fact that these players cheated is black and white. It's not at all a grey issue.

When the report is released at 2 p.m. tomorrow, it's expected to release the names of about 50 players who used performance enhancing drugs. I expect many of them to be pitchers. With more and more importance on radar gun readings, there is just as much incentive to get your fastball up to 95 mph as there is to be able to hit home runs. And I expect many of baseball's recent "ageless" players to have been using steroids as a kind of fountain of youth.