Brad Lidge News: Pro Sports Daily

Phillies' Lidge might need minor elbow surgery

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November 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Phillies closer Brad Lidge could face arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow, where he experienced occasional pain during the season that the team thinks could be caused by loose bone fragments. Lidge was scheduled to see team Dr. Michael Ciccotti yesterday, where he was expected to receive a more definitive prognosis. If the Phillies' hypothesis is confirmed, Lidge likely would have arthroscopic surgery either to shave down a bone spur or remove any bony fragments that have broken off and are causing irritation. Such a procedure would not jeopardize Lidge's availability for spring training, said Rex Gary, his Philadelphia-based agent. Gary said that Lidge had felt discomfort for "a ..."

Manuel's wavering on Lidge

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November 4

New York Post

"Corn-pone Phillies manager Charlie Manuel did his aw-shucks best yesterday to convince everyone he hasn't lost faith in Brad Lidge. But Manuel's actions in Game 5 of the World Series Monday night spoke louder than his words. The decision not to go back to Lidge in a save situation one night after the veteran closer's Game 4 meltdown against the Yankees led many observers to wonder if Lidge won't be seen again in the Fall Classic. It's a legitimate question, considering Lidge's dreadful regular season and the fact the Phillies -- down 3-2 in the series -- have no margin for error in their bid to become the NL's first repeat champion in 33 years."

'Bad Brad' returns to bite Phils

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November 2

New York Post

"The regular-season Brad Lidge reared his ugly head at the worst possible time for the Phillies. The embattled closer had appeared to turn around his awful year in the playoffs -- until the ninth inning last night, when another Lidge meltdown led to a 7-4 loss to the Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series that put the Phillies on the brink of elimination. Lidge, who had been one of the heroes of the Phillies' run to the World Series championship last season, is poised to go down as one of the goats this year with a disastrous first appearance. Entering a 4-4 game after teammate Pedro Feliz had electrified the crowd with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth, Lidge allowed three runs on ..."

Lidge unravels in ninth

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November 2

Camden Courier-Post

"Before a pitch was thrown in the 2009 World Series, Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda predicted the team with the best bullpen would be this year's champions. Nearly every pundit in America agreed. Through the first three games of the World Series they had been wrong. Every one of them. Entering Game 4, the six pitchers who had come out of the Phillies' bullpen combined for an ERA of 3.90. The Yankees' bullpen, thanks to Phil Hughes and his ginormous ERA of 81.00, had a combined earned-run average of 16.20 spread over six relievers. So why are the Phillies staring at a three-games-to-one hole that requires them to beat the Yankees in three straight games to repeat as World Champs? Because ..."

It could all come down to the closers

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The most famous picture in Phillies history is of Tug McGraw leaping off the mound at the victorious conclusion to the 1980 World Series - the one that gave the franchise its first championship. The second most famous - and the most memorable in the minds of people under 40 - is the picture of Brad Lidge kneeling in front of the mound last October, reaching to embrace Carlos Ruiz in celebration of the second title. Come of think of it, a lot of "We Won the World Series" pictures feature a closer, which is natural, since the last of 27 outs usually comes from his hand. The closers in this World Series are even more important than usual, given the balance the teams show in other phases of ..."

Lidge's stunning return

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October 24

Washington Times

"Lidge proves his days aren't numbered A lot of numbers have been tossed around this postseason, everything from the tally of consecutive games in which Ryan Howard had an RBI to the number of times TBS broadcaster Chip Caray used the word "fisted." One figure, though, stands far above the rest: zero. Zero is the most stunning number of the playoffs, for it is how many runs Phillies closer Brad Lidge has yielded after the worst regular season by a closer - and maybe the poorest season by any reliever - in baseball history. The radical transformation of Lidge from the next Steve Blass back to a semblance of his slider-unleashing 2008 self is a plot twist no one saw coming. Expect for one ..."

Lidge gives Phillies the advantage

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October 19

Washington Post

"It all felt like overkill Sunday night ¿ the frantic waving of white towels by a bloodthirsty crowd, the frequent "Beat L.A!" chants, the conveniently bitter cold that greeted the visitors from southern California, the utter disregard showed by the Philadelphia Phillies' mighty lineup for the feelings of poor, helpless Hiroki Kuroda, the late-inning piling on. And especially Cliff Lee's merciless, bullying performance on the mound. Staked to a four-run lead in the first inning of Game 3 of the Nationals League Championship Series, then a six-run lead in the second, Lee could have eased up on the suddenly pitiable Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead, he lifted them off the ground by the throat and ..."

A clean slate for Phillies' Brad Lidge

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October 18

Denver Post

columnist Troy E. Renck

"It's not supposed to happen this way. The more pressure, the worse a player is supposed to perform. Then there's Brad Lidge. To be polite, he was horrible during the regular season, blowing nine one-run leads. He lost his way and his closer's job. Yet, he has found freedom in the Bunsen burner that is the playoffs, converting three consecutive saves entering today's game. "The regular season doesn't mean a whole lot when October rolls around, to be honest," said Lidge, who went 0-8 with a 7.21 ERA, the worst regular season by a closer since Shawn Chacon in 2004. "I had a rough season. But once the postseason started, it was totally different." Pitching coach Rich Dubee identified two ..."

Lidge preserves Game 1 win for Phillies

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October 16

Florida Today

columnist Mike Lopresti

"Whenever he walks in from the bullpen the next week, the game will likely be on the line. The pennant, too. Brad Lidge, after a season with more hills than Nepal, is vital to the fate of the Philadelphia Phillies. So it goes Thursday night. The Phillies are leading 8-6 in the ninth inning. It has been a four-hour ordeal of constant Dodger threats, and here he comes, to try to finish it. What must that be like, headed for fame or infamy? Let's ask the wife. She was perfectly willing to talk, as long as the 10-month old didn't wake from his nap and start fussing. "If it were my name, I would be terrified," Lindsay Lidge said over the phone from Philadelphia Thursday morning. "But that's ..."

Colorado's own Lidge closes out Colorado Rockies

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October 13

Denver Post

"First came the champagne shower that seemed to flow from waterfalls courtesy of Brad Lidge's delirious Phillies teammates. Then came the beer, poured from what looked like oil cans. For good measure, they added Coca-Cola just to make sure Lidge's soul patch got nice and sticky. The coup d'etat came from an avalanche of cold fluid that made Sunday night's Ice Ball seem like a July game in Phoenix. "Hey, that was a bucket of ICE WATER!" Lidge yelled with a smile even icicles couldn't break. "That doesn't count!" The last time Lidge was this happy after a game in Colorado, he had pitched Cherry Creek High School to the 1995 state title over Arvada West. That day in Colorado Springs, he beat a ..."

Lidge closes out Game 3 win for Phils

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October 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brad Lidge said many times in September that he expected playoff success to redeem his season, to render irrelevant the sour memories of his 11 blown saves. However unlikely that claim sounded, Lidge's prediction seemed wise last night. He saved a tense, cold 6-5 win over Colorado in Game 3 of the National League division series, giving the Phils a two-games-to-one lead. The teams play Game 4 today at 6:07 p.m., when a Phillies win would clinch a berth in the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. At 2:14 a.m. in Philadelphia, Lidge induced a Troy Tulowitzki popup with two on in the ninth inning. "I was starting to get the feeling that things were going to go ..."

Lidge's rough season leaves Manuel, Phillies still seeking closure

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October 7

Denver Post

"So, Charlie Manuel was asked Tuesday afternoon, who is your closer for Game 1 of the National League division series? "Hard to tell," Manuel said. "I'll answer that when we get there. Who-ever you see walking out there." In all likelihood, Manuel knows but doesn't want to say. Then again, the way things have been going for the Phillies' bullpen, maybe he has no idea who he's going to go with if the game is on the line in the ninth inning today. This isn't 2008, and Brad Lidge isn't Brad Lidge. Lidge, Cherry Creek High's own, may have had the greatest season ever for a closer in 2008. He converted 41-of-41 save opportunities during the season and 7-of-7 in the playoffs. He also posed for ..."

Time to close the door on Lidge

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September 26

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The question facing the Phillies no longer is whether Brad Lidge should be the closer, but whether last year's hero should even be on the postseason roster. Lidge can no longer close major-league games. His performance all season has shown that and his ultra-meltdown on Wednesday night was just the final nail in the coffin. Maybe he'll recover next year, but this one is over - way over - for the guy who was perfect in 2008. And if Lidge can't close games what, really, can he do? Pinch-run? It sounds cruel, and there's no disrespect intended here, but it's where the Phillies have arrived this September, through a combination of an incredible string of injuries and their failure to acquire a ..."

Phillies acknowledge it's time for alternative to Lidge

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September 26

Philadelphia Daily News

"Nobody is sure how Charlie Manuel will handle the Phillies' next save situation, not even the manager himself. One thing is clear, though: The team feels it must find an option other than Brad Lidge, who blew his 11th save and saw his ERA climb to 7.48 in a 7-6 loss to the Marlins Wednesday.Before the Phillies' game against Milwaukee last night, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. echoed the sentiment Manuel has expressed over the last 2 days, saying the club likely will experiment with other options besides Lidge."Our best [plan] is to have Lidge pitch the ninth,'' Amaro said. "Right now, he hasn't been doing that effectively. And we might have to make an adjustment off of that."Lidge's job ..."

Lidge can't hold lead

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September 24

Camden Courier-Post

"It was the Phillies' nightmare scenario. One-run lead. Ninth inning. Brad Lidge on the mound. And after only 19 pitches, the lead was gone. After 22, the game was lost. If it happens in October, the Phillies' playoff run will be short-lived. Lidge blew his majors-leading 11th save opportunity Wednesday night when he gave up Jorge Cantu's two-out RBI single to center field. He collected his eighth loss in eight decisions on pinch-hitter Brett Carroll's two-strike single up the middle that drove home Hanley Ramirez to give the Florida Marlins a come-from-behind 7-6 win at Land Shark Stadium. The latest deflating Lidge meltdown wasted a four-RBI game for Ryan Howard and prevented the Phillies ..."

Lidge blows another save as Marlins beat Phillies

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September 24

Philadelphia Daily News

"Last year, it was the perfect equation. Cole Hamels in the first seven innings. Ryan Madson in the eighth. Brad Lidge in the ninth. The result was a Phillies victory, and at the end of October, it was a World Series title.Last night, once again, it was not so.Hamels allowed four runs in seven innings, Madson allowed a key run in the eighth that cut the Phillies' lead to one run, and Lidge blew his 11th save of the season, allowing a leadoff double to Ross Gload and two-out RBI singles to Jorge Cantu and Brett Carroll.The result was a 7-6 loss that kept the Phillies' magic number at five and fanned the Marlins' slim hopes at the division title.It also renewed questions about the Phillies' ..."

Lidge, Manuel agree on adjusted role

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September 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Charlie Manuel still views Brad Lidge as an excellent closer, and he plans on shifting the bullpen dynamic this month with the goal of fixing Lidge in time for the playoffs. But if Lidge does not improve, others will use September to audition and prepare for the postseason job. What had become gradually clear this week was made official in a meeting after Wednesday's game: Lidge is no longer the Phillies' sole closer, though he could regain total control of the job this year. Last night provided the first opportunity for Lidge in his new role, which he hopes is temporary. Pitching in the eighth with the Phils behind, 8-2, to Washington, he allowed one hit and struck out two in a scoreless ..."

Manuel won't commit to just one closer for Phillies

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September 11

Philadelphia Daily News

"For 11 minutes yesterday afternoon, Charlie Manuel talked about the new state of the back of his bullpen. He said Brad Lidge could get a chance to close some games, but he also said Lidge could be used in non-save situations. He mentioned Ryan Madson, who earned saves in the first two games of the series against the Nationals, and Brett Myers, who spent most of 2007 in that role, as possibilities to pitch in save situations. He did not designate any one of the three players as The Closer. But he did not preclude any of them from consideration, either.Confusing? Perhaps.But then came perhaps his most telling comment, an unprovoked aside that bordered on philosophical."You know what?" Manuel ..."

Phillies manager Manuel finally decides to relieve his closer Lidge

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September 9

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Sam Donnellon

"The groundwork was laid hours before, when Charlie Manuel's real emotions about Brad Lidge seeped through in a 22-minute dugout conversation. "I've always looked at him as our closer," the manager said before the Phillies' hair-raising, 5-3 victory over the Nationals last night. "But also, there comes a time when we have to win a game. It's a touchy situation."So touchy that Manuel then went on to say, "We can monitor his time and things like that and try to make sure we can put him in the right places."The right place seemed to be Nationals Park, against baseball's worst team, with a two-run lead, plenty of rest and a nicked-up bullpen. After Brett Myers brilliantly bridged another ..."

Madson closes for closer Lidge and Phils beat Nationals

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September 9

Philadelphia Daily News

"You did not need to hear the emotion in Charlie Manuel's voice when he later explained his decision. You did not need to see the way he shifted in his chair and locked his eyes with different people in the room, and filled the visiting manager's office at Nationals Park with the kind of raw honesty you do not often get from men whose job description demands they operate in the best interest of the pack.One of Manuel's strengths as a manager is the way he facilitates the game's bottom line while also acknowledging the heart it takes to play it, and even before he spoke to the media in the wake of the Phillies' 5-3 victory over the Nationals last night, it was on display:With the bases ..."

Lidge opens door for Astros

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September 6

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Here are some of the things a blown save overshadowed last night: The end of the Phillies' deep offensive malaise. A lineup that overcame the loss of Chase Utley, out with a bruised foot. A quality start by Joe Blanton. Brett Myers' effective return from hip surgery. No matter what the Phillies do during closer Brad Lidge's bad games, their efforts are always marred by his struggles. With last night's 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, Lidge has squandered 10 save opportunities this season.After a game in which Myers looked impressive during a scoreless eighth inning, Lidge is certain to hear renewed, amplified questions about his job security."I'm just back there to ..."

Phillies' Lidge credits Manuel for turnaround

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September 5

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brad Lidge has endured many worries this season, but job security has not been among them. That is a significant change from his time in this east Texas city, where he was demoted several times."Charlie [Manuel] has been the most supportive manager I have ever played for," an improving Lidge said yesterday. "With all I've gone through, it's been huge knowing that I'm going to keep my job."Lidge was perfect in 2008, but before last night's game, he had a 6.89 earned run average and nine blown saves - leaving many in the City of Brotherly Love to call for his job. The 32-year-old righthander had faced those questions before; after a dominant 2005 season as closer for the Astros, Lidge ..."

Lidge welcomes good omen

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August 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Even a guy who says he doesn't believe in luck felt lucky after Eric Bruntlett yesterday became the second player in major-league history to end a game with an unassisted triple play. "Hopefully, the luck has flip-flopped now," said Brad Lidge, whose 25th save in the Phillies' 9-7 win over the Mets was as odd as they come. "At times this year, the ball hasn't bounced the way you expect it to, but Lady Luck changed. Hopefully." So far this season, Lidge has been as unreliable a closer as he was reliable last season, when he did not blow a save. He has squandered eight chances this season and is the Phils' biggest concern as they try to retain their World Series championship. He looked like ..."

Lidge sees his luck take a positive turn

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August 24

Camden Courier-Post

"Brad Lidge has never been a big believer in luck. To him, a player's fortune is determined by performance, not a preordained fate. But, after the ninth inning Sunday, Lidge thinks his luck may be turning. After errors by Ryan Howard and Eric Bruntlett led to one run and put the tying run on base, Bruntlett turned an unassisted triple play to secure a 9-7 Phillies victory. It was only the second time in Major League Baseball history that a game has ended with an unassisted triple play. And it gave Lidge, the struggling closer, his 25th save. "The luck is hopefully flip-flopping," he said. "I don't really believe in luck a whole lot, but sometimes you feel unlucky, like the ball just hasn't ..."

Manuel explains handling of Lidge in Atlanta

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August 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"It was a save situation in an important game for the Phillies on Sunday night - make that early Monday morning - in Atlanta. Although he wouldn't admit it before last night's game against Arizona at Citizens Bank Park, Charlie Manuel wouldn't have given a second thought to any reliever other than Brad Lidge to close the deal last season. But the Lidge of 2008 was an automatic save machine. Not so this season. Far from it, in fact. So Manuel saw an opportunity to bring in lefthander Scott Eyre because a pair of lefthanded hitters - Adam LaRoche and Ryan Church - were the first two Atlanta hitters scheduled to bat in the ninth. "LaRoche got a hit off Eyre earlier [in the season] and it was ..."

Lidge still key for Phillies

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August 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"The moment Ben Francisco came out to pinch-hit for Cliff Lee, the ticking started in your head. The only question was whether it was the ticking of a time bomb. Because the moment Lee was out of the game in the seventh inning, the ninth belonged to Brad Lidge. It is a testament to Lidge's imperfect season that this is now a source of anxiety for Phillies fans. The man whose perfect 2008 included the final pitch of the World Series has been a bit of a cipher. Lidge blew six saves earlier this season, then went on the disabled list to rest his sore knee. Since he's been back from the DL, Lidge has converted all eight of his save opportunities. So all is well, right? Not so fast. Yesterday's ..."

Phillies' Lidge still searching for consistency

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July 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Bob Ford

"It wasn't easy, what Brad Lidge went out and did last season, because nothing in baseball is easy at this level. You don't just throw your glove on the mound and go 41 for 41 in save opportunities and then ice that with another seven in the postseason, including, oh, by the way, a save in the clinching game of the World Series. But Lidge made it look easy somehow, and more amazing still, he made it look expected. Taking a save from the man whose fastball-slider combination was always sharp was like taking a pork chop from a rottweiler. Lidge refers to that state of being as "locked in," when you can imagine exactly where the pitch should go and then place it in that exact location, with ..."

Lidge can't 'lock in'

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July 23

Camden Courier-Post

"Brad Lidge could pitch for 100 seasons and he'd probably never have another like 2008. Perfection, especially for pitchers, is that rare. But nothing has gone right for Lidge in 2009. And, after yielding two more runs in yet another miserable ninth inning (albeit a non-save situation) Wednesday, he admitted he must be better to maximize the Phillies' chances of winning another World Series. "Physically, I feel fine," said Lidge, hobbled for much of the season by a balky right knee. "It's like I'm getting the job done but I'm not happy with how I'm throwing. I can't really say why I'm off, but I haven't really felt locked in yet this year." Since coming off the disabled list in late June, ..."

Here's hoping Lidge rights himself, and quickly

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July 23

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Sam Donnellon

""I KNOW I need to get sharper," Brad Lidge was saying late yesterday afternoon, long after the Phillies clubhouse had emptied. "So put me in there. I don't care right now what the situation is."The situation in yesterday's 10-5, streak-ending loss to the Chicago Cubs was borderline mopup. Ninth inning, down three runs, the Phillies had their once-certain closer come in to face the back end of the Cubs' normally tepid batting order. By the time the inning had ended, Lidge hit a batter, walked two more, allowed two more runs and was replaced by Ryan Madson with the bases loaded and two outs.It was a mess that followed a close call the night before, when Lidge's right foot was more effective ..."

Phillies' Lidge feels for Pirates closer Capps

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July 13

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who has endured some tough times this season, has empathy for Pirates closer Matt Capps, who blew a four-run lead in Saturday's 8-7 loss. "When we won, I was so fired up for our guys, but you definitely feel for a guy the next day," Lidge said. "You hope that it doesn't affect his confidence because he's a good closer. It was just one of those nights. I feel for him a little bit, but I don't want to say I feel bad for him, because we (closers) should be tough enough to bounce back. I know the feeling. I've blown a four-run lead before. I think he'll be fine." Even though Capps clearly was struggling - he gave up five runs in one-third of an inning and took the ..."

Lidge on verge of a comeback

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June 22

Camden Courier-Post

"When the Phillies face the Tampa Bay Rays in a 2008 World Series rematch Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., Brad Lidge will be about 25 miles away, pitching for the team's Class A club in Clearwater, Fla. By Wednesday, though, he hopes to be back in the majors. Lidge, the injured closer, is on the verge of returning from a strained right knee that has placed him on the disabled list since June 9. After throwing a scoreless inning Saturday night at Double-A Reading, he will travel with the Phillies tonight, make at least one appearance for Clearwater and be evaluated before Wednesday's game. "(General manager) Ruben (Amaro Jr.) has been great about saying, "We want you to be 100 percent ..."

Lidge starts rehab

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June 21

Camden Courier-Post

"The rain waited for Brad Lidge. Lidge, the injured Phillies closer, tossed one scoreless inning at Double-A Reading before rain halted a game against Harrisburg. Lidge allowed one hit, struck out two and threw 15 pitches (11 strikes) in his first minor-league rehab appearance since going to the disabled list June 9. Assistant general manager Benny Looper, who watched Lidge's outing, said the closer "felt very comfortable" on the mound. Lidge is eligible to be activated before Tuesday night's game in Tampa Bay, but he likely will make one more minor-league appearance before he pitches for the Phillies."

Lidge 'very happy' with rehab in Reading

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June 21

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Phillies closer Brad Lidge made his first rehabilitation appearance, pitching one scoreless inning for the Reading Phillies in tonight's game against the visiting Harrisburg Senators.After he left the game, Lidge said he felt no pain in his sprained right knee."The big thing for me is to go out there and push off my back leg and make sure it feels good and I did that today and it did feel good so I was very happy with my outing," he said.Lidge is on the 15-day disabled list and is eligible to be activated on Tuesday.The Phillies begin a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in St. Petersburg. Lidge will travel with the team, but he is planning at least one more minor ..."

Lidge eager to return

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June 19

Camden Courier-Post

"Brad Lidge could go on a rehab assignment as soon as today, provided there isn't any soreness in his knee. Lidge has been on the disabled list since June 8 with synovitis in his knee. The Phillies closer said if he can start a rehab assignment tonight that he could return to the team as soon as Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to come off the disabled list. Lidge threw 42 pitches Thursday off a mound in the bullpen and said his knee felt fine. "It felt really good again, and that's pretty darn encouraging," Lidge said. "I want to keep going and see how it feels (today). If it's feeling the way it is right now, then I want to get out there as soon as possible." The Phillies play the ..."

Lidge throws without pain

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June 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"In his second bullpen session since he went on the 15-day disabled list, Brad Lidge threw more than three dozen pain-free pitches yesterday. Afterward, he said his right knee felt fine."I threw 42 pitches and put something on them, and I felt really good again, so that's pretty darn encouraging," Lidge said. "We have to kind of see how I feel when I wake up."If the Phillies' closer does not experience swelling or inflammation this morning, he could be headed for a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, perhaps as soon as tonight in Reading. The earliest Lidge could come off the disabled list is Tuesday, when the Phillies play at Tampa Bay."If he feels 100 percent, we'll probably start him ..."

Phillies closer Lidge could be ready for rehab by weekend

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June 17

Philadelphia Daily News

"THERE WILL BE several more tests between now and whenever it is that Brad Lidge finally makes his return to the ninth inning of a game. But the closer gave himself a passing grade on his first one, which occurred yesterday at Citizens Bank Park a few hours before the first pitch.Lidge, on the disabled list since June 7 with a case of inflammation in his right knee, threw off the mound for the first time since suffering his sixth blown save of the season against the Dodgers on June 6. The righthander threw about 30 pitches, and said he felt no pain in the knee, something he hasn't been able to say since the first week of the season."I'd consider today pretty successful," said Lidge, who was ..."

Pain free, Lidge back on mound

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June 17

Camden Courier-Post

"After arriving at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday, Brad Lidge expected to throw from the bullpen mound. Beyond that, he had no expectations. But one week after going on the disabled list and getting a cortisone shot to relieve inflammation in his right knee, Lidge unleashed 30 pitches and said he was pain-free. The Phillies' closer will toss about 45 pitches Thursday and may make a minor-league appearance this weekend, possibly at Double-A Reading. "I'd consider (Tuesday) pretty successful," Lidge said. "I went down to the bullpen and completely pushed off my back leg without any pain at all. That's more than I've done for a while. We have to make sure it doesn't start feeling bad (today), but ..."

Lidge speaks about DL

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June 11

Camden Courier-Post

"It was innocuous enough, a comment made through a smile in December when the afterglow of the World Series championship still burned bright. And now, six months later, it has become fodder for conspiracy theorists. Brad Lidge, speaking with the Rocky Mountain News, described the feeling of being mobbed by his Phillies teammates on the mound at Citizens Bank Park by saying, "All of a sudden, I felt like my knee did something weird. So, after about 5, 10 seconds at the bottom of the pile, I was like, "All right, get up.' Like the joy was over and my knee was about to give." Sure enough, Lidge has been hampered by a balky right knee that finally landed him on the disabled list Tuesday. ..."

Brad Lidge shut down for knee injury

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June 10

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brad Lidge's performance for most of this season has been a mystery, but the Phillies offered a potential explanation yesterday.Lidge, 32, was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 7, with a sprained right knee. Two recent MRI exams have shown no structural damage, the Phillies said, but Lidge has pitched with inflammation for most of the season. The closer is 0-3 with 13 saves, six blown saves and a 7.27 earned run average in 28 appearances. He blew consecutive saves Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles.The team does not know how long Lidge will be out, and said that eighth-inning specialist Ryan Madson will assume the closer's role in Lidge's absence. J.C. Romero will ..."

Lidge says balky knee not a problem

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June 5

Philadelphia Daily News

"Many athletes will tell you that the mental strain inflicted by an injury presents a challenge similar to the physical toll. Closer Brad Lidge, who has struggled with inflammation in his right knee since the early part of the season, thinks he is over that hurdle.After Lidge recorded a save in four straight games from May 29 to June 1, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel stayed away from using the righthander against the Padres Tuesday and Wednesday night. While Lidge could have pitched Wednesday, Manuel was determined not to use him Tuesday to protect the knee.Lidge, who pitched on 4 straight days one other time, from May 14-17, said both the knee and his arm feel fine."It's stronger now, I ..."

Lidge Not Fazed By Deja Vu

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May 25

New York Post

"Brad Lidge, who didn't blow a save a season ago, now has coughed up four opportunities in 12 chances -- and two on consecutive days in The Bronx. Yesterday, the Phillies survived, beating the Yankees 4-3 in 11 innings at the Stadium, but with the lack of separation at the end of the year in the NL East the past two seasons, there figures to be little margin for error. "That's the way he's going," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Lidge, who gave up a pair of singles to lead off the ninth. "You start the inning by jamming the guy and the second one doesn't smoke the ball, but both sneak through. That's the way baseball is. Sometimes things don't go your way, and you've got to battle ..."

Lidge getting into form, his pitching coach says

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May 20

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brad Lidge has been inconsistent this season, but his pitching coach saw significant improvement after the Phillies' closer earned two saves - following a blown save Friday - in last weekend's sweep of the Nationals in Washington."Brad Lidge's stuff right now is better than it was the last three or four months of last year," Rich Dubee said yesterday, offering an assessment that was somewhat surprising given the closer's 8.31 earned run average. But according to Dubee, Lidge's main problem all along has been command - rather than the quality of his repertoire - and that has improved recently.Lidge pitched out of a jam against the Reds to earn his eighth save in a 4-3 win last night.After ..."

Pep talk pumps Lidge

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May 19

Camden Courier-Post

"Brad Lidge had just allowed another ninth-inning run last week against Los Angeles when, a few minutes after the game, Brett Myers walked in on the frustrated Phillies closer scanning video of his outing. "Listen," Myers said, "everyone knows you're throwing better. Relax. It'll come." Lidge knew that. It helped to gain reassurance from Myers, a starter-turned-closer-turned-starter and the only person in the Phillies' clubhouse who truly could've related to Lidge's plight. After last season's 48-for-48 save performance, he seemed invincible. Then came flawed mechanics that caused pain in his right knee that forced him to take off six days in late April. As he tried to fix his delivery, his ..."

Lidge fine with Obama at alma mater

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May 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brad Lidge, who is a Christian and attended the University of Notre Dame, said he was happy that President Obama was scheduled to speak at graduation today."With his peaceful approach for the most part, that's more Christ-like than anything, to want to make peace with people," Lidge said of the president, the day after Lidge and teammates visited the White House to celebrate their World Series title.Protesters appeared yesterday on the Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Ind., to voice their disapproval of the president's stances on abortion rights and stem-cell research. Dozens of Catholic bishops also have publicly objected to the university's decision to invite Obama."If something is that ..."

Phillies win, but only after Lidge blows save

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May 16

Philadelphia Daily News

"The good news first: the Phillies won. Raul Ibanez again came through in the clutch, hitting a two-run single in the 12th inning, then stealing second and prompting an errant throw that allowed another run to cross home.The final score, 10-6, might suggest a handy victory over a subpar opponent that snapped a two-game losing streak and pushed the Phillies back over .500. But the glass wasn't filled nearly to the brim, and the half-empty portion contained some longer-term concerns, the most pressing of which were a second blown save by Brad Lidge and two innings of relief that will leave lefthander J.A. Happ unavailable to make a scheduled start tonight."You can always build off of a win," ..."

Phillies' Lidge insists he's getting closer to regaining form

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May 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"ON SUNDAY, when Brad Lidge walked off the mound at the end of a ninth inning in which he walked Greg Norton and later allowed a two-out RBI double to Casey Kotchman, pitching coach Rich Dubee delivered a simple message. Leadoff walks will kill you. "Not a whole lot needed to be said," Lidge said. Rusty command is a problem that has plagued the veteran righthander throughout the first month-and-a-half of the season. In 13 appearances, Lidge is 0-1 with a 8.53 ERA, 15 strikeouts and nine walks in 12 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .283 against him, nearly 100 points higher than they hit last season, when he saved all 41 of his opportunities and established himself as one of the most ..."

Lidge unconcerned with non-save issues

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May 10

MLB.com

"Brad Lidge plans to trick his mind the next time he pitches in a non-save situation.He allowed a three-run homer Friday in the Phillies' 10-6 victory over the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. It made him 0-1 with an 8.49 ERA (11 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings) with four saves in five opportunities this season. Lidge also has allowed an eye-popping five homers. Consider that Lidge didn't allow his 11th run in 2008 until his 43rd appearance July 25. The veteran closer also allowed just two home runs all year. "One thing my few bad outings had in common is that after I've given up a home run or whatever, I've kind of put in my head, 'OK, it's a one-run lead. Pitch like it. The next three guys ..."