The Slide Piece
Brad Lidge throws one of the nastiest sliders in baseball.
The Slide Piece
Todd Zolecki
Brad Lidge shows the grip to his "slide piece." (WILFREDO LEE / Associated Press)
Brad Lidge has one of the best sliders in baseball today.
Jim Salisbury takes a look at how Lidge throws it, and why it's so effective:
Lidge's "out pitch" slider breaks so unusually that some folks don't know what it is. Jamie Moyer said it looks like an "accelerated curveball." Former major leaguer Fernando Vina, an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight, routinely calls it a splitter. A splitter will break downward, but it does so with more of a tumbling effect. Lidge's slider breaks down with a more intense bite.
A longtime NL scout who didn't want to be named said Lidge has the best slider he's seen this season.
But even the scout wasn't sure it was a slider when he first started seeing it.
"If you walked into a park, you'd say, 'Oh, he's throwing a split,' " the scout said. "For years I thought he was. But it's a slider. And it's a great one. He's throwing it for strikes. Last year, he wasn't. That, along with his fastball coming back, have been the key for him."
*
This isn't exactly how they planned it, but the Phillies will take yesterday's 10-9 victory over the Braves.
*
Bob Ford tells us that yesterday was a good time to remember how good Cole Hamels has been this season. He also makes this observation about Jimmy Rollins:
"And the team needs to get Jimmy Rollins' situation settled.
"Rollins blew off reporters again yesterday. ("What a game. That's my quote," he said as he left the locker room.) But that's the least of it. Since being benched for getting to Shea Stadium late on Thursday, Rollins has made a point of showing up just in time to beat the manager's arrival deadline, and he affects a body language that indicates he doesn't much care what anyone thinks of it. If his teammates aren't tired of the act, you can be sure the front office is. It doesn't take much to mess up the mechanism of a baseball team. Rollins could do it all by himself.
"That is a combustion for another day, however. The Phillies are letting it simmer now and hoping the heat dissipates. Good luck."
*
In the Phillies Notebook: Greg Dobbs tied the franchise record with 20 pinch-hits in a season. Doc Miller also had 20 pinch-hits in 1913.
Comments (37)
I wish they'd trade Rollins and prospects to Colorado for Tutolwiczski(sorry for the spelling). He's hitting over .500 the last couple of weeks after a terrible start and a long injury. Probably won't happen but I can dream can't i? THey should trade their entire farm system for Aaron Cook, Brian Fuentes and the Colorado SS. If they can get Adkins (3b) so much the better.— James TL- KarenA....You're welcome! Anything I can do for the team! LOL!— Norma
- Good to see you Filly fans realizing what a jerk that Rollins really is.He had his "career year" last season and it's gone to his head. A real good team mate! And if I were FUtley and Vicarino, I'd wear some armor when they come up to bat in Atlanta on September 16th. It could and should get nasty.— The Wizard
- So, Mr. Gillick, the converse is also true for bringing in a new pitcher? It would be unfair to him since neither he nor the catcher's aren't familar with each other? Yeah, right. I forget what they called that in logic class in college, so I'll just call it manure.— jimmymack
Comment removed.- I don't think they have the nads to trade Jroll, but he's certainly acting like he doesn't want to be here......we also wouldn't get top dollar for him this year either.....I still say he's gonna need his ankle cleaned out at the end of the season....— Mark1npt
- I don't think they have the nads to trade Jroll, but he's certainly acting like he doesn't want to be here......we also wouldn't get top dollar for him this year either.....I still say he's gonna need his ankle cleaned out at the end of the season....— Mark1npt
- JRoll will be gone by the deadline. He is emulating Manny and that is absolute poison.— mick314
- It was great to see us put up double digit runs in back to back games. I think it's the last time we did it was against Colorado, right? We scored 15 and then 20 runs on consecutive days. Anyway, Jimmymack...on Saturday I happened to catch a little of Pat Gillick on the radio taking phone calls prior to the game. He very clearly stated that he is aware that we need another lefty reliever. He also addressed the Marson situation by saying it would be unfair to bring him up at this point in the season because neither he nor the pitchers are familiar with each other.— bski
- I hope Gillick doesn't think bringing up Happ to replace Eaton solves our problems. We still need, at mimimum, another lefty in the pen, a right handed bat and a quality starter (yeah I know, sounds easier than it is to get them). C'mon Pat, go for it, make your last year a memorable one for the team and the fans.— jimmymack
- Don't know if I could qualify the wins this weekend as great.....we can't survive for any length of time winning 10-9, 12-10.....that is not playoff caliber baseball....good pitching always trumps us 2-0, 4-1, etc.....not to be a downer but that braintrust of ours better be working on something.— Mark1npt
- Don't know if I could qualify the wins this weekend as great.....we can't survive for any length of time winning 10-9, 12-10.....that is not playoff caliber baseball....good pitching always trumps us 2-0, 4-1, etc.....not to be a downer but that braintrust of ours better be working on something.— Mark1npt
- Trade Rollins now if we can! Send Myers packing too and get Eaton to carry their bags. Chase hurt is not good!!! This team soooooo needs a LEADER!!!!!!— mondonj
- It seems like from what I've read Eaton will suddenly develop a mysterious ailment and be put on the DL and Happ will make his return to the majors. Sounds like a positive move. Great wins over the weekend---I hope this really the start of a winning streak for our Fightin' Phils. Jimmymack & Norma thanks for bring some positive energy to the team!— KarenA
- Anybody think we might have a deal in the works? Paul Hagen reports that J. A. Happ was removed from his start yesterday after only 2 2/3 innings and he was getting high fives in the dugout. It looks like he's coming back up, but who is he replacing? Maybe the Phils are just going to put someone on the DL. Anyway, we'll find out soon. Here's the link to the article: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20080728_Phillies_Notebook__If_Happ_is_back__who_will_be_gone_.html— bski
- Yes Norma, I did. These Sunday games have been an adventure with rain delays this season. But it was a great game after the delay. Have fun at the Phestival tonight. Two bonehead plays from yesterday, Smith waving in Utley and Werth trying to catch a ball clearly in front of him. And I'm with KMG on Eaton, this guy has got oe be put on ice, worth $5 to me.— jimmymack
- Truth, his hip is probably more than a little sore, he may have torn cartilage in it which makes it hard to pivot with all your weight loaded on it....he is very avg when injured significantly, any star player would be reduced to average. It also tells me that it's something more than what a few days off at the all star break would have helped. He's going to play out the string for the team and put up avg stuff til he can get it taken care of after the season, same as we've seen in Jroll all season too......— Mark1npt
- CHASE UTLEY'S last 72 gms, close to half a season.--.253 with 12 homers and 45 RBI.--Very Avg.— Truth
- One question.......Knowing that Chase has been playing with a sore hip....WHY THE HECK DID STEVE SMITH WAVE HIM HOME FROM 1ST??? A sore hip is not only going to affect a players hitting, it will affect his running, too. DUH! Plus, Chase barreled into McCann on the play. More damage? Is the DL far behind?— Norma
- PS....I've been saying for 6 weeks now that Utley was hurt/hiding an injury (most likely from diving to snare all the line drives given up by Eaton and Myers)......and that's why his hitting has dropped off so much.....PG confirms it tonight and admits it's hurt his hitting.....— Mark1npt
- PS....I've been saying for 6 weeks now that Utley was hurt/hiding an injury (most likely from diving to snare all the line drives given up by Eaton and Myers)......and that's why his hitting has dropped off so much.....PG confirms it tonight and admits it's hurt his hitting.....— Mark1npt
could not get logged in on ramirez comments. GIVE ME A BREAK! RAMIREZ IS A LOSER! OVERPAID , UNDERPERFORMING.. yOUSE PHILLY FANS WHO WANT HIM HAVE BEEN DRINKING TOO MUCH BEER. HE IS POISON. HIS SALARY IS OVERWHELMING. I WOULD NEVER TRADE ANY OF OUR GUYS FOR THIS 'STAR'- Nice KMG!!!— Clinton, NJ
- The bullpen REALLY needs a day off and we desperately need a couple of fresh arms out there. I will take the two wins. Despite everything, we're only a game out. Can't we stash Eaton on the DL with some b.s. injury like they do all the time in the NBA? The next home game could be "Adam Eaton bogus injury day"; each fan in attendance pays $5 and all the money goes to Eaton in exchange for his agreeing to go on the DL until September 1 when the rosters increase to 40. We can add him to the roster them with the guarantee that any time the Phils are ahead or behind by 15 runs in September, he gets to pitch.— KMG
- For all of those people who didn't believe me when I said Blanton = Eaton.....look at their pitching lines for today...nearly identical. Now we have 2 Eatons....Isn't that great?— Mark1npt
- For all of those people who didn't believe me when I said Blanton = Eaton.....look at their pitching lines for today...nearly identical. Now we have 2 Eatons....Isn't that great?— Mark1npt
- Tomorrows day off couldnt have come at a worse time. I guess the bullpen could use the rest, but these guys have finally scored some runs in back to back games, and now they will sit a day. Lets hope they can keep it going when they resume play tuesday.— Clinton, NJ
- jimmymack........Did you stay for the whole game today? LOL!— Norma
- Battle of the bullpens!!!! I like our chances, if Lidge goes three days in a row. I hate to say it, but he is due to blow a save sooner or later...lets hope its later, like next year LOL— Clinton, NJ
- Clinton NJ--he must be since he just hit his 7-8 HR! I don't care who the opposition has pitching---having this kind of lead late in the game--I'll take it! Go Phils!— KarenA
- Is J-roll reading this blog inbetween innings??— Clinton, NJ
- Victorino is the best player on the team.— hawaiianPhilly8
- Eaton still rules!!!— Clinton, NJ
- Stand there and take strike 3 JIMMY.....trying to pull a Manny on us? Pitiful.....— Mark1npt
- Rollins stinks!!— Clinton, NJ
- Clinton-looks like the baseball gods heard you, I think he'll be out. Of course, we have Adam Eaton coming in. On a side note, I was very disappointed to read that Rollins has made a point of showing up right before the deadline to be in the clubhouse for each game since he was late in New York. This sounds like the behavior of a petulant child, not a team leader. A team leader makes it a point to show up an hour earlier than normal, not later.— KMG
- I'd be shocked if they score more than 2 or 3 runs off the Braves starter, unless the rain delay takes a long time and they pull him. Thats the Phils only chance to win this game!— Clinton, NJ
1
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:
