May 31 -- HOWARD'S GREATEST HITS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, after Ryan Howard went upper tank last night, I asked him if there are some home runs that he remembers more than others.

"Ones like these, obviously, are ones that stick out in your mind," he said. "But it's the ones that provide big moments to help your team win, those you remember."

It all got me thinking: Years from now, when your children and grandchildren ask about Howard, which home run will you tell them about first? Will it be the 496-foot blast off Florida's Sergio Mitre on April 23, 2006, that, legend has it, landed in an ice-cream cart on Ashburn Alley? Or will it be the June 20, 2006 clout against the Yankees' Mike Mussina that touched down in a seat later marked with an 'H' to commemorate the first upper-deck homer at Citizens Bank Park? How about the 505-foot poke over the brick batter's eye against Cincinnati's Aaron Harang on June 27, 2007, and of course, the twin homers in Game 4 of the 2008 World Series?

That brings us to last night and Howard's latest titanic home run, his franchise-record eighth grand slam into the third deck in right field against previously undefeated Nationals starter Shairon Martis that propelled the Phillies to a 9-6 victory.

In the annals of Howard's greatest hits, it was more than worthy.

So, which one will you tell your grandkids about?

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In case you missed it, Antonio Francisco Bastardo (is that a great name, or what?) will start Tuesday night in San Diego. Want to know more about Bastardo? Check out today's notebook. And within the Sunday MLB notes, we look at the chances that the Phillies can trade for Jake Peavy.