Lidge abuse

We aren't the only one's noticing

Right Now Brad Lidge Couldn't Close a Hot Dog Stand

Posted Apr 2nd 2007 10:38PM by Pat Lackey
Filed under: Houston, Astros, Pirates, NL Central, Pittsburgh
The Astros check list to win the game tonight probably went something like this: Give the ball to Roy Oswalt, let him dominate the inferior Pirates lineup, score just enough runs to win. Things were pretty much going according to plan through eight innings. Oswalt threw 7 and 2/3 dominating frames in which he threw 75 of 92 pitches for strikes against the Pirates hacking batters and the 'Stros took a 2-1 lead into the ninth.

In the ninth, Phil Garner made the curious choice of bringing Brad Lidge out to close instead of leaving Dan Wheeler in to finish the Pirates off (Wheeler had only pitched to one batter in the eighth) as he should've. Lidge got two outs, but Xavier Nady launched a 2 out game tying homer. Lidge managed to get out of the ninth, but Jason Bay launched a two run homer off of Chad Qualls in the tenth and the Pirates stole the Opening Day win.

Beyond Lidge, this was mostly a pitcher's battle for the first eight innings. As mentioned, Oswalt completely baffled Pirate hitters, save pinch hitter Nate McLouth who hit a homer in the eighth, and Zach Duke mostly cruised through seven strong innings with some solid defense behind him lead by Chris Duffy's two outfield assists and Jose Castillo's two tough double play turns and a diving catch and flip DP. It was mostly a lucky win for the Pirates, but hey, us Pirate fans will take whatever we can get.

The Astros' lone runs came from a Luke Scott two run homer in the fifth and that probably should've been enough except for the Lidge fiasco. So yeah, the Lidge watch is on and it probably isn't going to last much longer than the Pirates' reign in first place.

http://astros.aolsportsblog.com/2007/04/02/right-now-brad-lidge-couldnt-close-a-hot-dog-stand/

Let's just all pretend Brad Lidge is having a fine spring.

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The thing we're all wondering is pretty basic: did Albert Pujols ruin Brad Lidge? He had moments last season when he looked as dominant as ever, but has had other days when he couldn't do a thing right. It's hard to remember that for three years he was as dominant as any reliever ever.
Sticking resolutely and stubbornly to my previously stated policy that spring training statistics don't matter, I think we should wait a week or two before screaming ''Fire!'' The truth is that the Astros have to be worried about Lidge. It's not like last year's problems have carried over into this season. It's like they've gotten worse.
He has allowed 17 baserunners in eight innings this spring and compiled a 12.38 ERA. He has four walks and seven strikeouts. He got hit hard in one of his minor league assigments as well.
It would be different if it was Woody Williams or Roy Oswalt or Jason Jennings getting lit up. No one would think a thing about it. For one thing, pitchers do have spring games when they're out there working on certain things. I think both Fernando Nieve and Wandy Rodriguez have had games like that this spring. And veteran pitchers break out their ''A'' game a little at time.
Still, every pitcher should all have command of the strike zone with the fastball. And breaking stuff shouldn't be rolling up there. Lidge has no bite on his slider and--I've only seen him twice--little command of the strike zone.
It seems those mechanical problems that hurt him last season are still issues. It's hard for me to understand why they can't be fixed, but then I'm not the one out there trying to get Ryan Howard out, either.
Lidge seemed so confident at the beginning of spring training after spending the winter working on specific things. The session with Nolan Ryan seemed to have helped.
Once upon a time in paradise... Jeff Bagwell said hitters would sometimes reach first base and mutter: ''Oh my God.'' That meant Lidge's combination of a 97-mph fastball and knee-buckling slider was as good as anything they'd seen. Here's hoping that Brad Lidge can return this season. He's as good a guy as you'll meet. Watching this Brad Lidge is too painful.
Phil Garner and Tim Purpura are saying all the right things about Lidge still being the closer. They have no other choice. To say anything else would rattle his confidence even more.''
I'm hoping that when the games count next week the adrenalin and all will snap him back, will bring his slider back, will focus his mind on his mechanics. One worry is that he may be listening to too many people. I would hope no one other than Dave Wallace and Dewey Robinson are speaking to him. But if the Rocket wants to pay Brad a visit, that would be all right by me.

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2007/03/lets_just_all_p.html

Phil Garner Pulls the Plug on Brad Lidge

Posted Apr 9th 2007 3:37PM by Matt Watson
Filed under: Houston, Astros, NL Central
It's still early ... but don't tell that to Phil Garner. The Astros skipper announced before Monday's series with the Cubs that Brad Lidge would not be closing games "for the foreseeable future." From MLB.com:
In two appearances this year, Lidge has allowed three runs off of eight base-runners in less than two innings. He's already blown one save, and Garner would rather not give him the opportunity to blow any more, at least not until Lidge can prove that he's over his early-season struggles. In the meantime, Dan Wheeler (who already has a blown save of his own) will assume primary closing duties.

But are these really just "early-season struggles" for Lidge? Whether or not you believe a single pitch can completely alter a pitcher's career path, there's no denying that most of Lidge's struggles began with Albert Pujols' three-run blast off Lidge in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. The Astros came back to win Game 6 and advanced to the World Series, but Lidge continued to pitch poorly while watching his team get swept.

Last year was a complete disaster, as well: despite holding onto his job by a thread all season, he blew a career-high six saves while watching his ERA swell up to 5.28, three runs more than 2004. He's still a dynamite strikeout pitcher so there's always hope that he'll turn things around, but no matter what happens, I'm guessing Garner will think twice about using him against Pujols at any point this year.

http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/04/09/phil-garner-pulls-the-plug-on-brad-lidge/

Trade ya Jorge Julio for him?:lol:

I don't want him, I just want to abuse him (unhealed wounds :madasshol)

TTinCO said:

I don't want him, I just want to abuse him (unhealed wounds :madasshol)

Click to expand...

go brad lidge....:lol: :lol: :lol:

he has never been the same since pujols hit that homerun off of him.

Makes one wonder why ESPN still thinks he has dominating stuff, but needs only a change of scenery to get back to that level.

SAYS WHO

hno:

Notable quotes From the Houston Chronicle

"I'm definitely upset about losing my role after throwing in two games, after throwing in one save situation," Lidge told The Houston Chronicle. "Garner made the decision, and I will of course stand by it. He's my manager, and I'll do whatever he wants me to do. But that being said, I'm pretty ticked off about it. I guess the only thing I can do is use it as motivation."

Lidge recorded 32 saves in 38 chances in 2006, although he posted a record of 1-5 with a 5.26 ERA. He has a 16.20 ERA in two games this season.

"I wrestled with this all of yesterday," manager Phil Garner said. "I feel that I have to make this move for the benefit of the team. In the situation that we are in right now, we can't afford to lose any more ballgames late."

Garner did the right thing...Wheeler has better stuff and is more confident than Lidge is right now.