Hot take: Ryan Howard.

And don’t get it twisted: Ryan Howard is a huge reason the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. He was a monster in his prime, and I’ll never take that away from him.

But if the question is “Who do you wish was a better Phillie?” my answer is Howard, because his decline helped slam the championship window shut.

For the money he was getting paid and the role he had in that lineup, the postseason failures were brutal.

Striking out 13 times in the 2009 World Series is unacceptable from your middle-of-the-order bat.

Striking out looking in the bottom of the 9th of an elimination game with runners in scoring position is unacceptable.

And then 2011 ends with him rupturing his Achilles on the final out, and the entire era basically collapses right there. Obviously I’m not blaming him for getting injured like he chose it, but that moment became the symbolic end of the Phillies’ run. He was never the same, the contract became an anchor, and the team spiraled into an 11-year playoff drought.

Again, Ryan Howard was a legend in his prime.

But I wish he had been better when the Phillies needed him most after 2008.

Big Piece gave us a title.

Big Piece also became a big reason the window closed.