Did Manuel fix Lidge?
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Did Manuel fix Lidge?
Andy Martino
Charlie Manuel said it many times this summer and fall, no matter how dark and confusing Brad Lidge’s season became. The manager believed that Lidge was his most talented reliever, and should be the one to close important games.
Now, after the closer finished two one-run saves in the National League division series, looking meaner and more confident than he had since 2008, the question can be asked: Did Manuel fix Lidge in time for another World Series run?
After a perfect season last year, Lidge blew his first save as a Phillie on April 18, then failed to convert 10 more opportunities. Several events in September appeared to argue against the wisdom of using Lidge is further save situations—but Manuel’s handling of the pitcher that month now looks like a successful improvisation aimed at preparing Lidge for the playoffs.
If Lidge does indeed reverse his ugly summer with a sublime postseason, no one deserves more credit than he. But Manuel, in consultation wit pitching coach and top lieutenant Rich Dubee, helped navigate a challenging situation.
The Lidge-fixing strategy began in earnest on Sept. 8. That night, Lidge created a ninth-inning jam in Washington against the Nationals, and for the first time, Manuel removed him for Ryan Madson to prevent a blown save. Madson successfully finished the game, ending Lidge’s reign as the team’s sole closer. Manuel announced in the dugout before the next night’s game that Lidge would be used in a mop-up role while he worked to refine his pitches and regain confidence.
Lidge was back in the ninth inning by Sept. 13, and he successfully closed three consecutive games. But a very messy night in Florida on Sept. 23 appeared to indicate that, despite his talent, Lidge could not be relied on in 2009.
With the Phillies hoping to reduce their magic number and clinch the National League East as early as possible, Lidge was asked to protect a 6-5 lead against the Marlins.
The game provided a perfect study of his issues. Confidence appeared to be primary among Lidge’s problems as the season progressed. He did not throw his pitches with conviction, or in the right instances.
Take Ross Gload’s leadoff at-bat of that Sept. 23 game. Lidge opened the ninth as he did so many times this season, by throwing a slider for a ball. Behind in the count too early, Lidge allowed hitters to assume they would see a fastball in the strike zone.
Fitting that pattern, Lidge’s second pitch to Gload was a fat strike, and Gload smacked it for a double. Standing on the mound, Lidge did not appear intimidating or even confident. His face was red and sweaty; his eyes seemed to say I hope I don’t blow this.
And when a pitcher thinks like that, he blows it. Lidge allowed two more runs in the inning, for his final blown save of the regular season. That game appeared to eliminate him from consideration as the team’s closer, and Manuel refused to name anyone in that role from then on.
But he continued to say that he believed in Lidge’s stuff. Knowing that confidence was the largest barrier to success for the pitcher, Manuel puffed him up, and gave him the chance to work on his pitches during games.
Pitching mostly in long relief, Lidge fine-tuned his fastball, and even added a cutter. As the month ended, he began to feel better, and enjoyed a memorable celebration when Manuel called for him to earn the final out of the division-clinching game on Sept. 30.
That moment, combined with the improvements in command and confidence, sealed what Lidge considered a turning point. “There was something about the last homestand,” he said in a jubilant clubhouse at Coors Field after the Phils won the division series Monday. “Charlie had me in the clinching game, and it’s a new season once the postseason starts.”
For Lidge’s sake, that is fortunate. In the regular season, he was 0-8, with 11 blown saves and a 7.21 earned run average (he also had 31 saves). Those numbers were stunning, compared to his 2008 performance: 2-0, with a 1.95 ERA, and a perfect 41-for-41 in save opportunities.
Faced with a situation that could undermine his hopes of a second championship, Manuel was forced to finesse the situation and search for a solution. With help from pitching coach Rich Dubee, he navigated September in a way that prepared Lidge for division series success.
Now, entering the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team has more confidence in its closer than they have since the beginning of the season. Lidge’s year has been too messy to rule out the possibility of more setbacks, but if Lidge succeeds deep into October, his triumph will be even more satisfying for him and the team than last year.
Comments (68)
Why I am supposed glean confidence from the fact that the pitcher you are trying to sell me on is walking the go-ahead run? I don't care why he walked him! When I look at first base and see Todd Helton standing there should I take solace in the fact that my supposed best relief pitcher put him there cause he was afraid to pitch to him? Lidge is still not throwing quality strikes, and that may or may not manifest itself in the playoffs. The sample size from here on out is minuscule, so Brad may not let up another run, but if you are trying to tip probability in your favor you are using situational matchups(Eyre Vs LHP, Madson against the best hitters, etc) and not relying on Brad Lidge. Saves are a ridiculously pointless stat, using them to bolster any opinion is at your own peril. I am not going to reward a player for recording the last out in a game with a certain run difference.— Either/Or- Who cares about the speelling?Geta life peeple!LMBO!!— tuck
- who knows how this turns out, but Lidge just outpitched Street (35 for 37 coming in) and didn't implode like Papelbon. Enjoy the positives, you whiners. And i'd suggest getting your 12 year old "off the juice" if he can hit Lidge.— stopbooing
- Fixed? Do you mean like a dog? Definitely not his pitching. If the Phils win the big one again, it won't be because they have a real "lights out" closer. You bet Charlie Manuel would give half his salary for a real one right now. As it is, he's stuck with Lidge.— DonQ
Mostly good points here. But the main thing is there is no way any rational baseball person can consider Lidge "fixed" at this point. Best description in the original post is to say that Charlie and Dubee have "navigated" their way with Lidge very carefully, and for the most successfully. They wisely are using him in a more limited role than that of pure closer. It's kind of like when you have a car that's broken down on you a few times. You don't take it cross country; but it can do the job on shorter trips!— bobby- the best thing the phillies could have done, was to leave lidge off the post season roster...then there would not be this distraction called "lidge"...if you look back to last year, the defense saved him most of the time...i never thought he was the guy when they brought him here...they baby him too much....been a phillie fan since the 50's... this guy is a disaster waiting to happen!!! go phillies!— hankahanka
- hankahanka: Wow, talk about a loser mentality! Were you seriously grumbling about Lidge all of last year?? You must be a real hoot at parties.— bobby
- hanka and either/or: Here's a song you may enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ujg1t19j8— bobby
- For Lidge to maintain his 7+ ERA, he has to have at least one scoreless inning per 9.— PhillyPhantastico
- If Lidge is "fixed", it's a Mitch Williams fix. So old your breath it's going to be a bumpy ride to whatever end it turns out to be. (What amazes me is that the Phils by most standards had a mediocre year, long losing streaks, middle of the pack ERA by the pitchers, middle of the pack batting average, large number of runners left on base, largest number of blown saves....but somehow they managed to have the second best NL record (would have been the best easily with a dependable closer). Don't know how they do it, but they have so far)— atp2007
- We've heard "Lidge is back" about 7 or 8 times this season... just before another blown save... Until he can get the first or second pitch over the plate, he's not back. He's walking too many guys for a closer.— fafafooey
Charlie can fix anything.- I agree Lidge is not "back." The evidence presented here supports that. But I do think Charlie's handling rescued him from oblivion, and Lidge might get some more key outs this series. I do hope that his confidence was the biggest problem all along, for that stuff can return in a flood... Either/Or, you have insightful comments, and your point about Lidge having to walk men reveals as much as anything here that he's not back to elite form. But you're confusing two arguments when you say "walks are not good in any circumstance." That's a stunning absolute. If I have an open base and Pujols up and the other team is down to just pitchers, I put him on first even if he is the go-ahead run. Because the percentages drastically favor taking that risk. And in the case of a still uncertain pitcher like Lidge, having him face Tulowitzki instead of Helton there was the wisest move (in theory and actuality). An extra-base hit by Tulowitzki vs. Lidge, while much more damaging, was also far less likely than a single from Helton vs. Lidge. A move's being a risk doesn't inherently make it wrong.— PhilaLogic
- I agree Lidge is not "back." The evidence presented here supports that. But I do think Charlie's handling rescued him from oblivion, and Lidge might get some more key outs this series. I do hope that his confidence was the biggest problem all along, for that stuff can return in a flood... Either/Or, you have insightful comments, and your point about Lidge having to walk men reveals as much as anything here that he's not back to elite form. But you're confusing two arguments when you say "walks are not good in any circumstance." That's a stunning absolute. If I have an open base and Pujols up and the other team is down to just pitchers, I put him on first even if he is the go-ahead run. Because the percentages drastically favor taking that risk. And in the case of a still uncertain pitcher like Lidge, having him face Tulowitzki instead of Helton there was the wisest move (in theory and actuality). An extra-base hit by Tulowitzki vs. Lidge, while much more damaging, was also far less likely than a single from Helton vs. Lidge. A move's being a risk doesn't inherently make it wrong.— PhilaLogic
- Oh, and while my sense is that Lidge isn't back to 2008 form, I also totally agree with jtj06's comments. The two ideas are not mutually exclusive. Lidge's upside is higher than any reliever we have, and Charlie knew this all season. Charlie's latest approach towards Lidge seems to be "handle with care," and it's worked so far. I say continue that against LA. If Lidge looks ever stronger, then gradually use him like it's 2008. But ironically, removing some pressure might well have been one of the larger factors in Lidge's tentative, brief improvement. Still, let's score a lot early!!!— PhilaLogic
About this blog
The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
Matt Gelb
Inquirer Staff Writer
Bob Brookover
Inquirer Baseball Columnist
Search this blog:
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners:
Powered By:
