DIDN'T KNOW DOC WAS ALSO A MECHANIC
We should have a better idea soon on whether Brad Lidge's elbow soreness is really as minor as he said it is Tuesday. The Phillies closer said he will play catch Wednesday to test the arm.
Of course, there is some pause when Lidge talks about his elbow. He had off-season surgery on it. He has made two trips to the disabled list with inflammation resulting from the surgery. He has had two cortisone shots to liven the area up this season.
"It is different from what I had before," Lidge said Tuesday. "But instead of trying to throw through the pain and maybe make it worse, we decided I should take two nights off. It really is minor."
That instantly made me think of earlier this season, when Lidge effectively said the same exact thing in Denver. In fact, I went back to find the story from May 12. Lidge went on the DL four days later.
DENVER -- Brad Lidge has always been an optimist when it comes to any injury. He has pitched (sometimes unsuccessfully) through his share of ailments. And rarely does he admit anything is wrong.
Lidge was not available to close for the Phillies Monday night after he began feeling some stiffness in his right arm a few days ago. Manager Charlie Manuel would only go as far as to say he was trying to stay away from Lidge.
A few hours before Tuesday's game with the Colorado Rockies was rained out, Lidge said he was not concerned.
"It's fine," he said. "I just had a little stiffness, and we wanted to be cautionary."
A few minutes later, Lidge walked outside to the cold Colorado air and played catch with Chad Durbin. He didn't appear to exert his arm much.
Upon returning to the clubhouse, Lidge was asked how it went. He was visibly discouraged.
"It didn't really feel like I wanted it to," he said.
Those are scary words for a Phillies team that is already shorthanded in the bullpen with Ryan Madson (broken toe) on the 60-day disabled list.
Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said the team planned to wait and see on Lidge's progress.
In four games since returning from the disabled list on April 30, Lidge has allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings.
"It's something to monitor day-to-day, and see how he feels," Proefrock said. "Remember, he's only made four appearances since he's been back. None of this is ever going to be a straight-line progression."
But do the Phillies need to make a move to replace Lidge's arm since it may not be ready to go on any given day?
"I don't think it's at that point," Proefrock said. "If it gets to that point, then we can explore that. Right now, it's just something we're monitoring day-to-day."
Should I just copy and paste?
Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.
This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.
Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
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