Lidge shut down with new shoulder pain
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Lidge shut down with new shoulder pain
Matt Gelb
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Brad Lidge came to spring training healthy, a rare occurrence. He will leave Florida on the disabled list with a new, troubling injury: Pain in the back of his right shoulder.
Lidge said he will be shut down for the unforeseen future and will undergo an MRI when the team returns to Philadelphia next week. He will miss opening day.
The 34-year-old closer said this is new pain he has not experienced. He had been sidelined earlier this spring with biceps tendinitis, but the pain has now migrated to the back of the shoulder.
The Phillies are hopeful it is not a long-term issue but they will not know until the MRI is performed. They have not ruled out a structural problem in the shoulder.
Lidge, who is perpetually positive when it comes to discussing injuries, was noticably distraught Friday morning.
"I’m a little concerned because I haven’t had shoulder problems in the past," Lidge said. "That being said, it might just be – there’s other things in there you can have that can be a byproduct of just straining it and they’re not serious. That’s obviously what I’m counting on right now."
But that will not be known for a few days.
Lidge was definitely upset after Thursday's outing because he uncharacteristically chose not to speak to reporters. He struck out the first two batters he faced against Minnesota and then on the first pitch to the third batter, he felt a great deal more of pain in the shoulder.
He allowed a home run, then a single and then two walks before he was removed without completing the inning against a bunch of Twins minor-leaguers.
It was his first outing in the Grapefruit League since March 11. He had pitched in a minor-league game Tuesday.
"It didn’t go the way we were hoping," Lidge said. "Basically trying to bump up from the percentage that I was throwing at, which was that 85, 86, 87-mph range, trying to get to the next step, I wasn’t ready yet. So we’re going to have to take a little more time off and start back up again. Hopefully with a little more time to recover this time, that will get us where we need to go.”
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Lidge will "likely" begin on the disabled list. He doesn't believe it will be serious, but he admitted he cannot be sure.
"It's all concerning, of course," Amaro said. "Once we do further studies, we'll know more. We don't think it'll be a long-term issue, but it could be."
In his absence, Amaro said either Ryan Madson or Jose Contreras will close. The team will also likely break camp with 12 pitchers.
Lidge is due $11.5 million in 2011. The Phillies hold a $12.5 million option for 2012 with a $1.5 million buyout.
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Madson has NOT blown every save/close opportunity! He has never really been given the job; always been a part-timer at it. He will do fine once he settles in physically and mentally. I believe that this is his year. I just hope that we can re-sign him (Boras-agent) after this year.— terrycindyian
Comment removed.- Get it done Mad Dog!— NJtoWS
- I'm not so sure I want to take Madson out of the 8th inning, he struggled when filling in at closer before. I would try Contreras there first, then go to Madson if he doesn't work.
— HealthyScratch - I like how the Phillies got old overnight, Ruben is a lousy GM, Offense can't hit, Lidge is cooked, yada, yada, yada. Call me in August when the season starts.— delcodanno
- If we can have Utley for the second half we will be fine. We will do well enough without Utley and Lidge-we are a good team. Don't underestimate the "team"aspect. The Packers lost their best defensive players in the Super Bowl and won because they are a good team, so will we.— terrycindyian
- Not new...even the rotund Chair pointed out that 'biceps tendinitis' is a nice term for a sore shoulder.— PhillySubsMac
- Uh Oh!
-Carl Lewis— mistere22 - His arm has been toast for a while. Lidge is tough and will try to come back, but it will be to the detriment of his team. Thanks for 2008 buddy.— comin4ya23
This is funny. The idiot in the dugout has been quoted all month as how Lidge was healthly, pitching really well, and was only getting lit up because he was working on a pitch. Even earlier this week he said his BP session "went really, really well".- Lidge is what he is; overrated and a perpetual problem for this team. Personally, I'm tired of overpaid athletes sitting around all winter and then having "problems" in the spring, just in time for the season. Yeah, Chase, I'm talkin' to you...— danderooski
- Conteras as closer? Are they delusional? Contreras can barely achieve mediocrity as a middle man. Again, not a shred of creative strategy by clueless management. At this point, the Phis are leaking, old battle cruiser that could sink with one more torpedo, that said, they have to be bold and either bring up Worely or that young rookie pitcher who was impressive and stick them in with Madson. It was too good to be true.....they have the best four starters in the majors (arguably) and now, no offense, and a highly dubious bullpen which was the most egregious error Amaro made, NOT lassoing an ace closer to replace an aging and way too often, erratic Lidge. Even before Werth had announced his free agent status, Amaro should have had BULLPEN ACE as his number one, priority! He has actually had two seasons to address that glaring deficit and has still failed to accomplish it. Getting Lee looks great on paper and it made huge headlines which Amaro seems to thrive on but it did not shore up a sub par bullpen or provide a bat to replace Werth, two positions that will be far more in demand that a starter who pitches once every 5 games. Braves still have NO injuries, what gives, who are they making human sacrifices to?:-)— daystrum
- Is Madsen a free agent after the 2011 season and represented by Scott Boras? If so, he'll have a career year as the closer so he can get a huge contract with SOMEONE ELSE next year and beyond.— sonnybuoy01
- I don't agree with all of the negative posts, but the fact remains the team is overly reliant on older, high salary players, which gives the team no margin for error when something goes wrong.— Steve Jeltz
- Where's Tug McGraw when you need him!!!— chesterfield
