Posted: Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 10:04 PM | 25 comments |
 

Manuel calls on Madson, who records second straight save
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The call came just before 10 o'clock tonight. Bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer answered. Brad Lidge was already beginning to get loose, still wearing his warm up jacket but stretching his legs for what until now had been the inevitable notification that the save situation was his.

But this time, Billmeyer relayed the message to Ryan Madson, who Tuesday night relieved Lidge with the bases loaded and one out in a 5-3 game, retiring the final two batters to record the save. Madson walked to the mound to warm-up. Lidge, meanwhile, disappeared beneath the stands, then re-emerged a few moments later. He took a drink of water, then walked to join the rest of the relievers seated in plastic folding chairs as Madson readied to enter the game.

Is Ryan Madson the new Phillies closer, replacing a struggling Lidge who has blown 10 saves while posting an ERA of more than a touchdown? He was tonight.

After allowing a leadoff single to Justin Maxwell, he struck Cristian Guzman out looking, then got Adam Dunn to line into a game-ending double play, preserving the 6-5 victory.
Posted by David Murphy @ 10:04 PM  Permalink | 25 comments
25
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:16 PM, 09/09/2009
    Charlie's gut told him to use Madson tonight.
    — krupps58
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:28 PM, 09/09/2009
    Chase Utley- You are the Man! He single handedly saved the game for Madson and the Fightins this evening. I also enjoyed Howard's smash single up the middle in the 9th inning-I thought it was gonna take the Nats' pitcher's head off! This win was a steal for sure...
    — kjuggs77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:31 PM, 09/09/2009
    We need the wins...gotta go with the hot hand.
    — Grazman
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:33 PM, 09/09/2009
    Too bad Lidge re-emerged after his disappearance.
    — rollskreet
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:43 PM, 09/09/2009
    What was Maxwell thinking? How he got doubled off in that situation is beyond me, but thank goodness it did happen. No wonder the Nats may not even win 50 games this year.
    — catnameddomino
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:46 PM, 09/09/2009
    This really is a joke. How is there any indecision when you are talking about a pitcher with an ERA of over seven?
    — Frindless Coyote
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:51 PM, 09/09/2009
    when the phillies lost in 93, i was more upset at fregosi than i was at mitch williams, because he kept running him out there when he didn't have it, pulled roger mason in game six, and brought mitch in, it's amazing to watch people bury lidge after last year, i realize you have to go in a different direction [myers or madson]i think lidge will be better next season,this team has other issues that go beyond lidge, and it's going to be a struggle in the playoffs, [bench]
    — dfrancis1958
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:29 PM, 09/09/2009
    madson is not the answer... he will break our hearts soon enough... lidge is not the answer... we may not have an answer... trouble trouble
    — EndTheDrought
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:31 PM, 09/09/2009
    dfrancis, do you know what a comma splice is? Jeez, end a sentence correctly already. At least end a sentence.
    — phillyinsd
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:08 AM, 09/10/2009
    Madson's just warming up the pitching rubber until Myers gets his legs back. Phils salaries: Howard 15M/yr., Myers 12.3M/yr, Lidge 12M/yr, Utley 11.3M/yr-----Which doesn't seem right?
    — flyfantx
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:15 AM, 09/10/2009
    what about chan ho in the 9th?
    — canada51stSTATE
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:16 AM, 09/10/2009
    Did somebody just name-drop "comma splice"? That warms my heart. And, yeah, Madson's gotta stay until he blows up and everybody calls for Myers. Until he blows up and everybody calls for Park. Until...
    — e4stringer
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:53 AM, 09/10/2009
    Good thing utley ended the game. Two of the nats runs were utleys fault! The botched grounder ti end the inning and the botched double play later in the game. Bith resulted in runs.
    — BallsDeep
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:50 AM, 09/10/2009
    So, Rube finally made his presence known, at least to Charlie. Bet on this being Amaro's decision.
    — mainlinephan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:53 AM, 09/10/2009
    Uh, Lidge? (at least this year). You've got to remember, Lidge earned his entire salary last year. We went to the big dance last year thanks, in no small part, to him. But, this is another year. I seem to remember that outstanding relief pitchers were outstanding for most of their careers, not just one year at a time.
    — mainlinephan


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About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times. E-mail Dave at dmurphy@phillynews.com.

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