Amaro on Lidge's role: "Those are mainly decisions for Charlie to make."
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Amaro on Lidge's role: "Those are mainly decisions for Charlie to make."
Andy Martino
We all know that Charlie Manuel has been publicly supportive of Brad Lidge. But what does Ruben Amaro Jr. think, on a day when all of Philly seems to be buzzing with Lidge-related anxiety? After all, he’s the general manager, "the decider," to quote a former president.
Reached by phone a few hours ago, Amaro did not say, suggest, hint or imply that he was thinking about making a change at the position. But he did place the onus for any decision largely on Manuel.
“Those are mainly decisions for Charlie to make,” Amaro said. “But I believe in Charlie and I believe in Lidge. There is no question he has had some rough games. He has had some struggles, but when Lidge is pitching right, I’ll put my money on Lidge.”
Of course, Lidge isn’t pitching right this season, and I don’t have to retype the stats to prove it. My personal opinion hasn’t evolved on this since I blogged last night. It’s a problem for the team. Some of the more sabermetrically-inclined members of the Philles Zone community have rightly pointed out that a closer’s importance is overstated, and the Phils should just put different people in that role or mix-and-match. I almost always agree with sabermetric arguments, but actually covering baseball has changed my view on this one.
Yes, the save stat is one of the dumbest metrics in baseball, and middle-relief swingmen are more valuable than closers—at least modern, one-inning closers in the post-Eckersley/Sutter/Lee Smith era. But actually getting to know relief pitchers has taught me that they like to be in prescribed roles, and they really do believe that the ninth inning is different from any other.
So while the Jamesian crowd smartly notes that stuff that works in the seventh innings should translate to the ninth, it just doesn’t seem to work that way for the humans who play the game. That’s why demoting Lidge would potentially create new and serious problems for the bullpen, reshuffling the whole mix with weeks to go before the playoffs.
Also, Manuel was also asked today whether he would use Lidge again four days in a row. “If he’s sore or if he’s stiff or whatever and he feels like it’s going to be tough for him, if he tells me I won’t use him,” Manuel said. “I mean that. But at the same time, I felt like he was ready.”
***
Tomorrow, Antonio Bastardo (shoulder strain) will pitch a Gulf Coast League rehab game, Clay Condrey (oblique) will throw in a simulated game, and J.C. Romero (forearm strain) will throw a bullpen session, according to Amaro. The GM said that he still hopes to have all three back this season.
Comments (62)
Looks like any possibility of Amaro picking up another closer like Hoffman or Cordero off waivers, is off the table this season. I guess he's grooming Myers for his return part instead. The big question? Will Cholly finally admit that he's seen enough and summon Myers or will this team go down in flames because Cholly was too supporting of his players. We'll see. Got a feeling it's gonna be painful, though.— Mark1npt- Please replace Lidge...I can't this this anymore...— madeinphilly
- What else was Ruben gonna say? He watches the same games we do. He knows Lidge is a train wreck right now.— duffers
- Hoffman is certainly no upgrade anymore...he is about done. Cordero isn't much better. It's amazing how closers often follow a great year with a terrible one. They do have a few weeks to see if he somehow comes out of it, but I'm having serious doubts he will at this point. With Myers, they at least might have some options in combination with Madsen. At least they didn't make any moves towards knucklehead Wagner. I still don't forgive him for the two blown saves against Houston that cost us the division.— dirttracker
- Hoffman is certainly no upgrade anymore...he is about done. Cordero isn't much better. It's amazing how closers often follow a great year with a terrible one. They do have a few weeks to see if he somehow comes out of it, but I'm having serious doubts he will at this point. With Myers, they at least might have some options in combination with Madsen. At least they didn't make any moves towards knucklehead Wagner. I still don't forgive him for the two blown saves against Houston that cost us the division.— dirttracker
- My guess is that they are well-able to make the tough decisions. After all, they moved Moyer to the bullpen (regardless of Jamie's #s, that was a tough personnel decision to make) to make room for Pedro. Charlie's loyal as hell but he's got to me moving to the point of deciding that their chances of closing out games might be increased with someone whose name isn't Lidge.— JohnnySak
- I don't think hoffman will make it to us anyway. 1.89 era with 27 saves in 29 chances is very solid. He'll get picked up well before our turn to claim him.— IanG
- No one realistically expected Lidge to repeat 2008's performance but most would have expected a reasonable degree of effectiveness. Early season struggles became mid-season stuggles and the guy has just not gotten any better. This is crunch time now, Cholly just cannot parade this guy out in the ninth inning of a close game in the post-season. I'm sorry, but its time for Brad to sit.— baseman
- Craig Counsell would be a nice pick up if he fell to the Phils though. He could finally replace Bruntlett as the utility infielder and he's only making a mill in 2009.— IanG
- dirttracker...have you seen what hoffman has done this year? 1.89 era with 27 out of 29 save opps. Not much of an upgrade? Seriously?— IanG
- Shoulda asked him about the other train wreck who piches tonight. Hamels can't be counted on as the "two" either...without Lidge and Hamels you can forget getting past the Rockies and/or Cardinals.— scootch
- Andy, I enjoy your work and usually agree with you. However, what could be more of a disaster than the current situation? Will someone other than Lidge have an over-7 ERA? A WHIP of 2? I concede that it will cause some personal turmoil for the pitchers themselves, but he's had 3/4 of a season to figure it out and hasn't. It seems then that the pitcher vibe is to leave Lidge as closer, how about the field players?— Scholes
- They demoted Myers last year and didn't worry about loyalty. They put Park and Moyer in the bullpen when neither of them wanted to go and didn't worry about loyalty. Is Lidge so sensitive that putting someone else in the ninth inning will destroy him? Charlie, it's about winning, not about being loyal. Loyalty lost that game last night, and how many more blown saves will you allow the guy? I think most Phillie fans would love to see Lidge get it right, but this has been a disaster and I'd hate to see Lidge do in the playoffs what he did yesterday. If you can't get the job done then make way for someone who can.— AlanInFlorida
- They have enough in the pen, with more arms coming, to find another option in house. But they have to admit it's a problem then go fix it. This "Lidge is our closer" bravado talk has to end. It's not behavior of a championship team. Stop the insanity. Make a move.— scootch
- From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Hopefully Lidge will take the offseason to regroup and come back strong next year. In the mean time when does Charlie pull the plug?— Bex
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