Lidge could return in time for Atlanta
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Lidge could return in time for Atlanta
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Brad Lidge hasn't pitched in a game since May 9, when he picked up his first save of the season. But that could change by the end of this road trip, assuming the veteran closer continues his forward progress. After throwing 25 fastballs in a bullpen session yesterday, his first since a cortisone injection into his elbow last Monday, Lidge said he believed that he was on pace to return to the active roster by the Phillies' three-game series in atlanta that begins a week from today.
"They haven't let me get that far in planning," Lidge said, "but it does look that way."
Lidge missed most of the first month of the season while finishing his recovery from offseason flexor tendon surgery (his knee was also repaired in a separate procedure), returning on April 30 against the Mets and allowing two hits, one of them a solo home run, and recording one out.
In three subsequent appearances, Lidge threw three scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three. Against the Cardinals on May 4 he inherited a tie game in the ninth inning and the go-ahead run on second and proceeded to record three outs, allowing his only baserunner on an intentional walk. Five days later, he pitched a perfect ninth inning against the Braves while recording his first save of the year in a 5-3 win.
But Lidge was already battling tenderness in his elbow against the Braves, when he allowed two hard-hit fly outs. He tried to play catch two days later in Colorado, but was unable to throw without pain at 65-to-70 feet.
The Phillies placed him on the disabled list later in the week and turned the closing duties over to righthander Jose Contreras, who enters tonight having allowed just one run, eight hits and two walks while striking out 20 in 14.1 innings pitched.
Contreras has recorded two saves since Lidge went back on the disabled list, but hasn't pitched in a game since May 20 against the Cubs.
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Jimmy Rollins, J.A. Happ and Ryan Madson are all scheduled to head to Clearwater this week to continue their respective rehab programs at the Phillies' spring training complex.
Madson is sidelined until at least July with a broken foot.
Happ and the Phillies are hoping for a mid-to-late June return from a forearm strain, although his exact future depends on how he responds to each marginal step of progression in his program.
Rollins' calf strain isn't expected to keep him out as long as the one he suffered on April 12, which led to a five-week stay on the disabled list.
Please stop with the Lidge stories! He will come back; he won't be healthy again and he won't be any help ever again. That's the whole story; we don't need to hear it over and over again!— JBinPA- Gotta love those Ruben contracts. Lidge is already signed for $11.5 million for 2011.— Dull
- was there a Lidge update somewhere in here?— phairmount
- ah, there it is, thanks Murph!— phairmount
Dull - Gillick gave Lidge that contract. How about learning some facts before posting?- Lidge seems like a great guy, but can't he take a lesson from Chase Utley and keep his trap shut until he's back in the flow of things and really pitching healthy?— frankenslade
- On injuries,I read where Rollins felt pain in fourth inning before pulling up lame in sixth, Happ felt soreness throughout his last outing before being pulled from next start, Lidge serving up fastballs in WS because his knee/elbow were bothering him. Are there any team medical guidelines especially for those who have had injuries in same area to speak up and come out of the game before aggravating them and losing the game?— dcardone
- Lidge was finished last year. He was clearly hurt, but Charlie kept pitching him as we watched the world series slip away. Even when he came back this year, he had nothing. No zip on the fastball, the slider not sliding that much. But he "felt great". Cut the losses and move on. Maybe we can trick the Mets into taking him.— fmMD
- I'm with JBinPA - out of sight, out of mind is how I like my Brad Lidge
- Can he hit?— Rick Wise Guy
- i'm so ready to move on from lidge.. he cant leave the team too soon imo. lets see what aumont has as a closer.. i need some reason to feel like the lee deal wasnt a complete disaster— zwarte piet
Comment removed.- Any news on whether the bats will return by the ATL series as well?— sla6yer
- I'd like to see Lidge back and healthy as much as the next person. But why any writer would bother talking to him about how he feels and then writing it is beyond me. The guy's said he was fine the last two injury-plagued years.— PhillySubsMac
- leave lidge wherever he is for good..just release him at the end of the season the guy is completely out of it his mind is blown and injuries piling up, next week this time the headlines will read: lidge to return to the disabled list but says he feels fine"— only 9
