WASHINGTON - For 11 minutes yesterday afternoon, Charlie Manuel talked about the new state of the back of his bullpen. He said Brad Lidge could get a chance to close some games, but he also said Lidge could be used in non-save situations. He mentioned Ryan Madson, who earned saves in the first two games of the series against the Nationals, and Brett Myers, who spent most of 2007 in that role, as possibilities to pitch in save situations. He did not designate any one of the three players as The Closer. But he did not preclude any of them from consideration, either.
Confusing? Perhaps.
But then came perhaps his most telling comment, an unprovoked aside that bordered on philosophical.
"You know what?" Manuel asked rhetorically. "It'll be what it's going to be. That's kind of the way I look at it."
As of right now, Manuel has given every indication that he will ride his hottest hand in the ninth inning of close games and see how things transpire, something he did last season in the eighth inning when Madson ultimately cemented himself into the setup role. On Tuesday and Wednesday night, that hand belonged to Madson, who retired five of the six batters he faced, each time with the tying or go-ahead run on base or at the plate. But Myers had already pitched 1 1/3 innings on Tuesday when Lidge loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning of the Phillies' 5-3 win over the Nationals. And he was unavailable to pitch Wednesday.
Only two things are clear: One, Lidge is no longer the automatic option in save situations. Two, Manuel does not want to designate a specific player to assume the duties that Lidge has held for the past 2 years.
Manuel, Lidge and pitching coach Rich Dubee met after the Phillies' 6-5 victory on Wednesday night, when Manuel decided to use Madson in the ninth inning instead of Lidge.
"I don't see us using him in the seventh or eighth inning," Manuel said of Lidge. "We might use him sometime to get him some work, if we are winning by a large margin or losing by a large margin, but I don't see pitching him in the seventh or eighth inning. I look at him as a closer. For me, that's kind of where he fits. I see him pitching once he needs work if we are behind in a game or ahead by a big margin to make sure he pitches live in the games and things."
But Manuel also said Lidge, who has blown 10 saves and has a 7.11 ERA, could get a chance to close some games.
"I'm definitely not giving up on him as a closer and in talking to him he is definitely not going to give up on himself," Manuel said. "Basically what we have to do, is we have to get him where he can be consistent, where he can pitch a little bit better than how he's been pitching.
"He needs to get work where he can command his pitches and feel good about himself and is putting the ball where he wants to; he's having some success. I agree he needs work like that. But I don't know how much work here at the end of the season we can get him like that. But at the same time, I still look at him as being a closer. I don't think Brad Lidge is a seventh- or eighth-inning guy."
Lidge said he understood the decision, and that he believes he will still see steady work over the remaining 24 games.
"It's real simple - [they will] just get me work to get me where I need to be," Lidge said. "I told them, listen, whatever you need me to do, I'll be ready to take the ball at any time. I told them it doesn't need to be a save situation. Obviously, I'm ready to throw in those. But if we are up by six runs, down by six runs, I feel like I'm very close to where I need to be, but it wouldn't hurt to get a couple more outings and that's really it. But we're on the same page with everything, and we had a good talk."
Lidge pitched the eighth inning last night with the Phillies trailing, 8-2. He got Jesus Flores to pop out, then allowed a triple to Willie Harris before striking out Pete Orr and Ryan Zimmerman to end the frame.
Eyre update
An MRI yesterday revealed a "loose body" in the pitching elbow of lefthander Scott Eyre that has caused him discomfort since his appearance Monday against the Astros.
Eyre's status for the rest of the season is uncertain. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said the team was hopeful that the veteran would be able to return to action, and that Eyre and team doctors were currently considering various courses of treatment. He did not identify the various options under consideration. Eyre will miss at least the next 2 days while recovering from the MRI, during which dye was injected into his arm.
Phillers
The Phillies still have not announced a definite timetable for the returns of lefthander J.C. Romero (forearm), righthander Clay Condrey (oblique) or infielder Greg Dobbs (calf). Scott Proefrock said that Dobbs is running at 90 percent, and the team remains hopeful that he will return within the next 7 or 8 days. Condrey is almost ready to pitch in a competitive situation, but the team is unsure whether that will come in a minor league playoff game or in a simulated game.
For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at http://go.philly.com/highcheese.
