Phillies' Howard in dumps over slump

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Ryan Howard is treating a spring training slump like a playoff collapse.
The reigning NL MVP clearly showed his frustration Sunday before snapping an 0-for-17 skid with a single in the fifth inning of Philadelphia's 10-2 win over Minnesota.
Howard uncharacteristically snapped at a writer before the game and didn't hide his dejection after striking out in the third inning. He's batting just .231 (12-for-52) with two homers and nine RBIs after hitting .313 with 58 homers and 149 RBIs in perhaps the best season ever for a second-year player.
Always accessible and friendly with the media, Howard turned away a reporter before the game, loudly proclaimed it was "Ryan Howard Day" and said he would resume doing interviews today.
Howard broke his bat on a groundout to second in the first inning and went down swinging in the third. It was his 18th strikeout this spring, a higher pace than last season when he fanned 181 times in 581 at-bats.
He stood near the pitcher's mound, shaking his head while waiting for a teammate to bring out his glove. He slowly walked over to first base and fired a grounder to second baseman Chase Utley in warmups.
The hitless drought finally ended when Howard hit a hard grounder up the middle off Ramon Ortiz. He walked his next time up and came out in the seventh.
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