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Phillies Notebook: Phillies reliever Madson realizes potential

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It was spring training, and pitching coach Rich Dubee decided it was time for a chat. The Phillies had waited for years for righthander Ryan Madson to achieve the mouth-watering potential they saw in him.

Rays' Jason Bartlett lays down bunt in fourth to score a run.
Rays' Jason Bartlett lays down bunt in fourth to score a run.Read moreRON CORTES / Staff photographer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It was spring training, and pitching coach Rich Dubee decided it was time for a chat. The Phillies had waited for years for righthander Ryan Madson to achieve the mouth-watering potential they saw in him.

But after five seasons of inconsistent play, including a strained shoulder that sidelined him for the last 2 months of 2007, Dubee pulled the 6-6 reliever aside for a chat.

"I told him he's cheating his family, cheating himself," Dubee recalled yesterday. "I said, 'You know, you've got so much upside, you aren't doing what you need to do to be the guy you should be.' I said, 'You could be the biggest piece we've got here' " . . . But, I said, 'You've got to change your ways. You've got to become more diligent about your work; you've got to become a better professional about preparation as far as looking at video and stuff.' "

Madson is finally becoming the go-to setup man the Phillies had hoped for since he became a full-time big leaguer in 2004 at age 23.

Entering last night, he had allowed only one run in 10 innings this postseason, while pitching primarily in the eighth inning. In the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Rays in Game 1 of the World Series, he retired all three batters in the eighth inning to put Brad Lidge in position to record his sixth save of the playoffs.

His velocity has frequently crept into the upper 90s, while his command has been spectacular (two walks in his final 24 1/3 innings of the regular season).

Madson didn't have a bad regular season - 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 82 2/3 innings - but he endured several valleys. In April, he was shut down for a few days after expressing concern about the health of his shoulder. Once he returned to the mound, he was used largely in low-leverage situations.

But as the season progressed, so did Madson. Since allowing three runs and recording no outs in a 6-4 loss to the Cubs on Aug. 28, he has been dominant, allowing only two earned runs and striking out 25 in 24 1/3 innings, through Game 1.

"I'm not doing anything different," said Madson, who will be in line for a hefty raise in arbitration after earning $1.4 million this season (he will be a free agent after 2009).

"I'm not trying any harder. I think it's just the combination of things. I'm not doing anything, just adrenaline and rest and all that combined."

But Dubee says he has seen a difference in Madson's preparation and approach to the game.

"I think he really bought into it," Dubee said. "And good for him, because there will be a payday for him someday, I'm sure. And he deserves it for what he's done."

Trust in Pedro

With righthander James Shields on the mound last night, manager Charlie Manuel considered starting lefthander Greg Dobbs at third base and inserting lefty Matt Stairs at designated hitter. But with Pedro Feliz' stellar fielding performance in Game 1 still fresh in his memory, he opted not to.

Feliz made what was likely a game-saving play with the bases loaded in the third inning, fielding a ground ball by B.J. Upton and throwing to second to start an inning-ending doubleplay. He had two other assists in the game and recorded the final out by catching a foul pop off the bat of Carl Crawford. He also went 2-for-3 with a walk, but was hitless in four at-bats last night.

"Every time I go in there, it doesn't matter if it is the regular season or World Series, I go and try my best," said Feliz, who finished second among NL third baseman with a .974 fielding percentage. "I'm not going to put more pressure on myself or anything. I just go in there and see it like another game."

High hopes for Howard

Manuel heard plenty of talk on the airwaves yesterday suggesting the Rays should pitch around Chase Utley, as they did in the ninth inning of Game 1, intentionally walking him to get to Ryan Howard. Howard has struggled this postseason, hitting .250 after doubling and singling in five at-bats last night. He has no homers in 40 at-bats.

But Manuel said that the strategy is fine with him, and that Howard, who hit 48 home runs and 146 RBI in the regular season, would break out at some point.

"I was listening to them say that they would pitch around Ut and stuff like that," Manuel said. "Well, pitch around him then. Howard didn't get those [146] RBIs for nothing. I don't think anybody gave him any of those.

"And those 48 home runs he hit? If you go back and look, some of those were with guys on base and some of them won games and some of them went a long [bleeping] way."

Phillers

Among the more creative placards held by Phillies fans at last night's game: "Only God saves more than Brad Lidge" . . . The Phillies are 4-12 in Game 2s of a playoff series . . . Razor Shines, the manager for Class A Clearwater this season, was named the Mets' third base coach. *