Lidge truth hurts
Hopefully, Brad Lidge will discover his problem.
Lidge truth hurts
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
The statistical anomalies of the Phillies' 2008 run to the World Series were these: a starting pitching staff that remained completely healthy for the entire season and closer Brad Lidge remaining completely, pristinely, impeccably perfect for the whole year.
Now comes the backlash, the statistical reversion to the mean. Brett Myers is now out for the season following hip surgery and closer Brad Lidge is now on the disabled list with a bum knee after blowing a bunch of saves already in 2009.
This is the same knee that Lidge had surgically repaired twice before the 2008 season. He had cartilage repaired in October and his meniscus repaired in February. He was on crutches, in fact, when the Phillies signed him that winter as a free agent. It seems like a long time ago.
But the knee bothered him in late April, they all admitted. He had an MRI done back then and it was said to have shown no tears and no structural damage. A little rest and a cortisone injection was the prescription and then it was back to work. But the work has been spotty at best and alarming at worst.
All through it, Lidge said he was fine. Now, this -- the disabled list, without a hint that it was coming.
The hope is that this is it -- that a couple of weeks of rest will cure Lidge of what ails him. But you don't know. You have to assume that more testing will be done or already has been done. You have to assume, also, that he is finally frustrated enough with his outcomes to tell the truth about how much this has been bothering him. You want athletes who pitch through pain sometimes. You don't want athletes who try to pitch through injuries -- because this tends to be what happens. It is a fine line, obviously. But you would hate to think that Lidge made things a lot worse by stubbornly ignoring the pain.
There is another possibility, too: that this is just a convenient way of dealing with a confidence issue. Pray that that isn't the case. Because if it is, the next months will be tenuous at best and gut-wrenching at worst.
There is a lot we don't know yet, obviously. The only certainty is that it isn't 2008 anymore.
Marky Marky ROTFLMAO!! HDTV is not kind to #54. Madson has been working up to this point for 5 years. It's his time! MAD DOG !!!
Madson will thrive as a closer. Bet on it. They have plenty to set up, with JC and Eyre and Durbin and Condrey. Then the Phils will have a real issue when Lidge returns -- can you pay a set-up guy $12 mil a year?— jmk1512- Also, Mustang, don't you think that Coste, rather than Marson, is the one who has to be a little nervous right now?— jmk1512
- "the disabled list, without a hint that it was coming"....Huh? Is anyone NOT surprised that he wound up on the DL?— Captain Awesome
- Phantom injury. Long overdue anyway. The book is out on Lidge. This aint 2008 anymore. No way the Phils win the Series with a closer averaging a blown save once every 3 outings! So tired of hearing all the 'It's early' 'It's only one game' talk. Umm, it's more like 6 games. And how many awful Aprils cost this team in recent seasons? And it's June. 1/3 of the season in the books. That aint early anymore. Every game counts, and come September, who knows, we may wish we had a few more games— stigs
- He's hurt so all youse guy's need to back off. Wether it's mental, physical or both, Lidge deserves a break and a vote of confidence from the Phillies because he has earned it. We don't need him regressing into his Houston funk! He'll be back for the stretch to bury the muts and braves. In the mean time we have Madson who throws smoke!— brinkmang
- He's hurt so all youse guy's need to back off. Wether it's mental, physical or both, Lidge deserves a break and a vote of confidence from the Phillies because he has earned it. We don't need him regressing into his Houston funk! He'll be back for the stretch to bury the muts and braves. In the mean time we have Madson who throws smoke!— brinkmang
- It seems that 'catamount' is the only one that caught that gaffe by a guy I consider very readable. C'mon Rich, think a little deeper on the facts. And by the way, with today's privacy issues concerning health, the only way we see the truty is for the patient to offer it up to the public....neither Doctors, nor any non-patient may disclose information on illness or injury. Here's hoping the bullpen can survive another adjustment.— TBear
- Rich, if you didn't see this coming you should cover a different sport. It should have been obvious to everyone that the knee was bothering him to the point it was affecting his work. Get the thing fixed now while you have Romero as setup and Madsen to close. Confrey and Eyre to provide earlier short relief.— vnvets
- First of all, to say that the Phillies starting pitching staff remained 100% healthy all year last season is really misleading. Kendrick and Eaton were taken out of the rotation due to poor performance. Myers was a headcase the first half of the year and was sent down to the minors. So it's not like our opening day rotation just coasted through the season. As for Lidge, the guy has been hurt since Spring Training. There's been talk for several weeks about how he's got pain in his knee, but his arm is okay and he can still pitch. The guy got a special insert for his shoe because his compensating for the knee pain was throwing off his mechanics. It's been pretty obvious that his control has been way off all year. Without control, he's not confident about throwing his fastball or slider for strikes and he's second-guessing himself when it comes to pitch selection. Please stop acting like this just came out of nowhere. He's been hurt all year.— JimG
- I'm in the camp that says it's not an injury. Lidge has confidence issues, and it's really a shame b/c his stuff is wicked when he's on. As much as I like him, and as grateful as I am for last year, if he can't get his head on straight in the next couple outings after he comes off the DL, it's time to go with Madsen, he's a stud. I'm never nervous with Madsen pitching, even if he walks the leadoff guy. Who can say that about Lidge, even last year? I wonder if he could adjust to being a setup man or middle relief.— JHolmsey
- It's all mental with Lidge. He no longer believes he is a shutdown closer. This happened to him in Houston.— Repubrebirth
- Some good posts. Many thanks to Brad Lidge for his crucial role in winning the world series. Too bad the Phils didn't reward him with a one year deal for 12 mil. Madson just might have what it takes to be a closer - but I hope somebody is scouring the farm system- today- for a stud pitcher to develop into a bona fide closer down the road. To me, after your #1 pitcher, you gotta have a closer; even more important than a #2. Its the worst feeling to be leading by one or two runs in the ninth and then blow the game...unless its the Mets...— Cameiros
- Re-work his contract then he'll pitch better in the words of Donovan Bigmac— gogetem
- I live close enough to D.C. that we get lots of Nats games, for whom (former Reds closer) Rob Dibble is doing color. Regarding Lidge a few weeks ago, he said something along the lines of "I don't care what they're saying, he isn't right." Meaning, he's not healthy. The Phillies hoped he could be effective with the knee problem. That didn't work, so now he's on the D.L. That simple.— wooderice
