Lidge Must Keep Closing

Not since the days of Randy “Boom Boom” Lerch have Philadelphia Phillies’ fans been forced to endure a sustained look at a pitcher so obviously failing as the erstwhile closer Brad Lidge.

Lidge has been terrible from the get go, terrible consistently, terrible month to month- almost Jimmy Rollins’ terrible.

But I’m inclined to keep on running Lidge out there.

At this point the Phillies season has degenerated into a clock-watching exercise- run the season out, stay healthy, get ready for October.

The latter goal- October baseball- is what Lidge is about now and not some forgetable game with the Pirates. The Phillies need a back of the bullpen solution- and Lidge is both the most credible and bring the most upside: a lights out level. And I’m willing to blow a few more games over the next forty to keep giving him every chance to get right. If the Phillies large lead gives them some flexiblity, “Lidge as Closer” seems to me to be the most worthwhile roster experiment going.

The most credible alternative, “Brett Myers as Closer” isn’t ready yet. Plus, twenty games is more than enough to have Myers audition six, seven times for the role if the Phillies decide to pull the plug on Lidge in mid-September. But since the Phillies don’t have to exercise that option until then, why not use this cushion to try and get Lidge right for the only part of the season that counts now? Plus, the Phillies are on the hook for this guy for tens of millions of dollars going forward. Bench him- and that money takes a not insignificant step toward being dead.

The Phillies could try Madson again. But that definitely weakens the set-up role for a not so sure shot as strengthening the closer role. After the first failure, he is an emergency option- so let's wait for the emergency and hope then, rather than lose the classy set-up guy who can go both ways.

And Lidge does show flashes. He was out there for the fourth straight night because he got outs the previous three. So I’m inclined to take a lesson from this: no more back to back to back outings, give him a day off and send Lidge back out there again.

Marooned on Ceti Alpha Five

You are not going to get me to complain, right? I thought the Phillies would do well to play .500 on this trip to San Diego, Los Angeles and New York. The Mets portion is still to come- but the Phillies did a nice job through the west coast portion. They hammered the Padres- and played well enough versus the Dodgers to deserve a sweep frankly.

But they did not get the sweep because, frankly, the closer ain’t got much right now. Channeling his inner Randy “Boom Boom” Lerch, Brad Lidge is that deadly combination of unlucky and not too good right now. And thus, while the rotation continues to improve via subtraction (Park stinks and Myers is the most touted .500 starting pitcher in my Phillies’ history), the closer dilemma waxes.

Normally, you will find no bigger fan than me of Charlie’s inclination to let the stars play no matter how bad they are going. So I believe him when he says he is going to keep running Lidge out there.

But can’t we come up with a Jimmy Rollins' style solution here? Must Lidge be sent out to fail in the biggest possible spots- rather than easing him into a short term role with less pressure? Much like the recent easing Rollins out of the lead-off hole into a less-pressure packed six-hole solution?

I mean, I get Lidge's situation. Normally an ERA around nine gets you a mop up role or “disappeared”. But the Phillies are on the hook for a ton of dough and years. The situation does not lend itself to the same sort of exile Myers went through last year: marooned on Ceti Alpha Five until he got his act together.

But the Phillies do have a guy who could probably close for a few weeks (Ryan Madson), the recent addition of Romero gives the Phillies another back of the bullpen arm that did not exist a week and a half ago. So why not steer Lidge to “we’re up three runs in the ninth” saves and a few set-up/mop up appearances? After he throws a few successive scoreless innings, put him right back.

I know the organizational position is that Lidge lacks “confidence” right now- and to demote him would merely make matters worse. Well, we’ve tried it that way for the last month, and it has cost the Phillies six blown saves, a few losses, and a dozen or so additional “appearances” of quality relievers to pitch on into he games he’s blown. That is too much cost- and also, it isn’t working. Sending him out there to get shelled can’t be doing much for his confidence either. Plus, the dirty secret is that his velocity is down and his pitches are up. Right now he isn’t equipped to close, but to struggle. So why put him out there to fail?

Look, Lidge is making a zillion dollars- and the Phillies bullpen is a proven championship one only with Madson as chief set up guy, not closer. So like Charlie, I want the status quo back as soon as possible. But I can’t believe giving Lidge a few lower pressure outings, without disaster tugging at his elbow, can’t be good for his psyche (particularly heading back to Philadelphia and the AL East thumping crews)- and give him some room to work on his mechanics/velocity.