For Lidge, confidence is high

The photograph may be the most iconic in the 127 years since the Phillies first pulled on what now seem like unreasonable facsimiles of baseball gloves.

Brad Lidge on his knees, both arms thrust toward the sky in a classic hallelujah pose, welcoming teammates and an entire city of delirious Phillies fans into his embrace after he struck out Tampa Bay's Eric Hinske to nail down the World Series championship two years ago.

"Oh yeah," Lidge said when asked whether the photo was prominently displayed in his home.

"For me, that was an incredible moment," he went on. "But once that moment has come and gone, you really want to be there again, because you know how amazing that feeling was. I want that feeling again. I want to have that moment again with my teammates."

In that 2008 season, Lidge was Mr. Perfect, going 41 for 41 in regular-season save opportunities and 7 for 7 in the postseason.

Typically, though, world-class athletes don't conjure the past until they have grandchildren bouncing on their knees, but Lidge doesn't mind talking about where he was physically and mentally last fall compared with where he said he is today, as the Phillies begin their quest for another iconic photo.

A year ago at this time, Lidge was concerned about his right knee and elbow, and those concerns eroded his confidence. He'd blown 11 saves and lost eight games in the regular season with a 7.21 earned run average. He did have three saves in three opportunities and a win in the postseason. But in his only World Series appearance, he couldn't hold on to a 4-4 tie in Game 4. The Yankees got to him for three runs in the top of the ninth, and the Phillies couldn't overcome a three-games-to-one deficit.

Nothing iconic about that.

"Last year at this time, I was scrambling to figure out a way mechanically to stay on the field," he said. "I was able to lock in for a little bit during the postseason, but I didn't have a good World Series game. I only got to throw once, really, because of the way the World Series went.

"I think this year going into the playoffs I feel a lot better physically," said the 33-year-old Lidge, who had off-season surgery on his knee and elbow. "It gives you a lot more confidence, knowing when you're out there you don't have to think about your knee or your elbow. You can concentrate on your pitching and execution. So there's a big difference from last year to this year."

Lidge's claim wasn't apparent until the calendar flipped to August. A low point came July 31 in Washington, when Ryan Zimmerman sent his fastball into the center-field seats for a walk-off homer. Afterward, the righthander came to a reconciliation. He owned up to what the radar gun had made obvious: He'd lost some steam off his fastball.

According to FanGraphs, a statistical website, Lidge's fastball this season averaged 91.8 miles per hour, down from 93.6 a year ago and 94.1 in '08.

"And for the first time in my career I realized I was going to have to start pitching," he said. "That's what it was going to take to turn the season around. I said, hey, I'm healthy now, and it's time to start getting the results you know you can get."

In other words, Lidge accepted he could no longer simply rear back and pump his fastball by hitters. Precision would have to replace power. His out pitch remains a slider that is practically unhittable when it's at its most effective, and it's most effective when it's set up by well-placed fastballs.

Since that forgettable night in Washington, Lidge has 17 saves in 18 opportunities, and his ERA has plunged from 6.00 to 2.96 with 25 strikeouts in 242/3 innings. Granted, he's walked the high wire and caused heart palpitations for Phillies fans in some of those games, but he's getting the job done.

In short, Lidge is on a roll, and the timing of his renaissance couldn't be better for the Phillies.

"What I've found out is, for whatever reason, my control on my fastball is a lot better than last year, and I'm getting a little more movement," he said. "And I think it's a little more deceptive, too, at least from the response I've gotten from hitters.

"So somehow, although it's a click or two down on the gun, I'm hiding the ball better, and it's got a little more movement. But I had to make sure I sold myself on the fact that, hey, don't just rear back and let it eat. You've got to start locating."

Lidge attributed much of his turnaround to manager Charlie Manuel, who stood by him through the difficult times, ignoring a growing notion that Lidge no longer had what it took.

Lidge said Manuel's loyalty toward him was in stark contrast to 2007, when Houston gave up on him.

"It's meant a lot," Lidge said. "When I look back on '07, they took me out of the role. The rug was swept out from under me. So I've seen both ends. The great thing about Charlie is he knows his players so well, and it was like if he sticks with me, I will respond because I wanted to reward his confidence in me. He knew that. He knew it was going to happen, so I give him a lot of credit for really knowing me, and for knowing every guy on the team.

"He sticks with the guys no matter how they're playing because he knows if he does, that we'll reward his confidence."