Manuel reports no pain after watching Lidge throw off mound
Charlie Manuel told reporters that he felt no pain while watching Brad Lidge throw 30 pitches off of a mound on Thursday.
“I really felt good out there today,” Manuel said of his Lidge-watching session. “A lot of people didn’t know this, but I watched in a good deal of pain for most of 2009 when Brad was on the mound. It’s one of those things you just have to fight through and keep watching though. Today’s outing was a good sign that I may be able to stay pain-free all year.”
Manuel also suffered through bouts of Jimmy and Cole last season in addition to the painful Lidge outings, but according to team doctors, being able to watch Roy Halladay every fifth day should help the manager stay healthy and pain-free.
Lidge out 4-6 weeks after doctor blows fifth surgery of season
Unable to successfully complete his one job in life, surgeon Fran Gargiulo botched a simple procedure on Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who will now likely be out for the next four to six weeks as a result.
“It was a pretty simple procedure and I’ve done it hundreds of times before, but things have been rough for me this year,” said Gargiulo after he failed to close the door on another surgery for the second time in his last three attempts. “This is just a part of the job. Some days we have it and some days we don’t. I just couldn’t cut it out there today.”
Physicians assistants were forced to bail Garguilo out and literally stop the bleeding as the 27-year veteran operated on the wrong knee to begin with and then used a toothbrush and a spork to perform the procedure.
“It’s almost like he completely forgot how to do his job all of the sudden,” said one nurse. “I just hope we can get whatever is wrong with him fixed soon because we really need him back out there as soon as possible.”
Gargiulo is scheduled to undergo surgery on his surgery hand as early as next week and may miss that breast implant procedure he was really looking forward to.
Comparing Phillies 2009 bullpen to the current bunch
January 4, 2010 by Zaki
Filed under Analysis & Opinions
Danys Baez is set to take a physical and finalize his two-year deal with the Phillies this week, which may be the last significant move the Phils make this offseason, according to Todd Zolecki. Apparently, Ruben Amaro may still sign a couple muppets and your uncle Jimbo, but the days of signing “significant” talent like Danys Baez and his 4.04 career ERA may over with. In other words, get ready for another ride on The Bullpen. Scares the bageezus outta me.
I thought I’d compare this year’s bullpen to last year to see if we’ve gained any ground at all so far, so here goes nothin’:
Closer: No change. Brad Lidge posted a 7.21 ERA and netted 20 saves (31 saves minus the 11 he blew) as the closer for the eventual National League champs. Let’s put it this way: I don’t think it’s possible to repeat the worst closer performance in the history of closers, so I’ll say we improved slightly no matter what happens. Charlie can’t throw him out there the way he did last year if the struggles continue, right? Anybody wanna back me up on that and make me feel better?
Setup: Ryan Madson stays. Scott Eyre and Clay Condrey combined for a 2.38 ERA over 72 innings for the Phils last year and as of right now, neither will not be back for 2010. J.C. Romero returns and it looks like Baez will join him and Madson as the go-to guys in the latter innings. Romero and Baez combined for a 3.77 ERA last season in 88.1 innings, with only 16.2 of those coming from Romero. J.C.’s coming off of an injury and a long layoff, so I wouldn’t expect him to be the shut-down reliever we’re used to. Baez is coming from the AL East, so it’s possible he could look better in a Phils uniform than what he did last year with the Orioles.
Overall, I’d say 2.38 is lower than 3.77, so it looks like we had a better crew setting things up for impending disaster (Lidge) in 2009 than we currently do.
The Rest: Chad Durbin stays. Chan Ho Park, Tyler Walker and Jack Taschner combined for a 3.30 ERA over 114.2 innings and if it wasn’t for “Take out the” Taschner, that ERA would be a lot lower. As of right now, that group is gone, and likely replaced with some combination of Antonio Bastardo (6.46 ERA in 6 games), Drew Carpenter (11.12 ERA in 3 games), Sergio Escalona (4.61 ERA in 14 games) and Mike Zagurski, who posted a 3.57 ERA in 45 games at Double-A Clearwater last year.
I’d say this year’s bunch might make us beg for the ‘08 and ‘09 versions that we took for granted.
Overall, this year’s bullpen is essentially the opposite of what you’d want from a team that is supposed to contend for a World Series championship: A closer coming off a miserable season and very little depth with inexperienced middle relievers.
One good sign is that last year’s horrible bullpen turned it around about when Cliff Lee came on board and consistently pitched deep into games, saving the pen. Halladay should do that even better than Lee, and this time, for a full season.
This World Series stuff is getting pretty old, says nobody
The Phillies will make their second trip to the World Series in as many years and while most fans are once again overjoyed and totally hung over with Phils Phever, one fan can’t seem to get into this most recent title run.
“I just can’t get excited this time around,” says nobody, a business manager from Doylestown. “It’s like it happens every year now where someone steps up big every night to completely obliterate the heart and soul of some opposing team that everyone outside of this area wanted to see win instead of the Phillies. How is that exciting?”
Nobody went on to say that if the Phillies end up topping the Yankees for their third World Championship in franchise history and second straight World Phuckin Championship, that he may stop watching the Phillies altogether and follow the Philadelphia Union or something.
Manuel: I trust my bullpen, just not around my wife or a baseball
Charlie Manuel answered questions on Friday about his decision to go with potential Game 3 starters Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ out of the bullpen after Cole Hamels — who apparently couldn’t wait until February to knock his wife up — left after five innings in the 5-4 loss to the Rockies.
Some have said Manuel brought in his starters because he no longer trusts anyone out of the bullpen.
“Everybody says I don’t trust my bullpen and that’s just not true,” Manuel said. “Just because I don’t want them anywhere near my wife or to pitch in a game ever again doesn’t mean I don’t trust them with other things…like driving to the ballpark and dressing themselves.”
Though Blanton and Happ’s use in Game 2 doesn’t prevent either from starting Game 4, it does mean that Pedro Martinez will start for the Phillies on Saturday for Game 3. It also means that Kyle Kendrick and/or Brad Lidge’s spot on the playoff roster could have been filled by John Mayberry Jr., who could have pinch run on Thursday instead of risking Cliff Lee with the game on the line.
Manuel also suffered a mild stroke in the seventh inning when he was forced to bring in Scott Eyre to replace Happ, who took a line drive off of the leg and had to leave the game.
“It’s not that I won’t use the guys from the ‘pen,” Manuel explained on Friday. “They’re just last on my list after I’ve used the starters and asked all 46,000 or so fans if they want to take a crack at it first.”
Procrastinating Phils finally get around to clinching division
The Philadelphia Phillies clinched their third straight NL East title after putting it off for the past week by spending entirely too much time on Failblog and Hulu-ing those old episodes of It’s Always Sunny they missed.
“It was rough, man,” Ryan Howard said of the Phillies’ late-season procrastination. “As much as we wanted to secure our spot and get it over with, someone would send out an email about a funny video and by the time you start looking at all the related videos, you look up and it’s the ninth inning and you’re down by like 10. At that point, you just try again the next day, but then Chase [Utley] starts talking about how Journey is the greatest band of all time, which starts a three-hour-long debate and you end up in the same place as yesterday.”
The Phils finally pulled it together on Wednesday to down the Astros 10-3, though technically the team clinched the division a few minutes before the game ended due to Atlanta losing on an epic Matt Diaz baserunning error to end the game against the Marlins.
In a moving gesture to once again prove his commitment and eternal love for Brad Lidge, Charlie Manuel called on the team’s pseudo-closer to record the final out of the 10-3 route in a non-save situation. Lidge warmed up for about five minutes and threw one pitch to Lance Berkman, who grounded out to Ryan Howard at first base to end the game.
“Any other guy would have left me by now, but Charlie isn’t just any other guy,” Lidge said after the game. “We pledged our lives to one another when I signed here and I’m blessed to be able to have him right by my side no matter how badly I screw up. I’m definitely one of the lucky ones.”
The Phillies also paid a fitting tribute to the late Harry Kalas by embracing the HK sign in left field after the game. Harry is still very much a part of this team and I personally hope the Phillies are able to pay the greatest tribute to him by rolling down Broad Street one more time, in his honor. Go Phils!
Manuel elevates Madson’s official role to ‘bullpen janitor’
Charlie Manuel rewarded Ryan Madson’s efforts in Tuesday’s win over the Nationals by giving him a special role for the remainder of the season as the bullpen’s designated orderly.
In his new role, Madson will shadow the team’s current closer, Brad Lidge, to tidy up any mess left behind as well as change an occasional bedpan.
“When Charlie pulled me into his office yesterday, I thought he was going to name me the team’s new closer,” Madson said on Wednesday sporting his new uniform with clip-on ID badge. “But he just said Lidge is still our best option and handed me this mop and a can of toilet bowl cleaner.”
Madson bailed out Lidge and the Phillies by recording the final two outs with the bases loaded against two of the better hitters in the National League in Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn.
“It was one of those situations that shows you’ve got the stuff to close out the tough games,” Madson said of his performance. “But as much as I’d love to continue this interview, Brad just shat the bed again. Duty calls.”
Lidge confident Manuel will regain form at some point
Brad Lidge came out once again on Monday to throw his full support behind Charlie Manuel in hopes that the manager will find his ‘08 form and finally pull him as the Phillies closer.
“Charlie was on top of his game last year,” said Lidge. “I would’ve been gone in June if this was ‘08 Charlie. This year is a totally different story and here we are in September dealing with him struggling to make the right decision. I think he just needs more time though.”
Lidge blew his 10th save on Saturday, allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth against the Astros. The closer now has an 0-7 record and a 7.15 ERA in 57 appearances, easily setting the mark for the worst season of any closer in the history of both Major and Little League Baseball.
“That’s my guy, come hell or high water,” Manuel said of Lidge on Monday with his head more than halfway submerged in the sand. “If you just take away his bad outings, he’s been a solid pitcher this season and that’s what we have to focus on…to keep from pulling out my hair and rocking in the fetal position all day and night at least.”
Phils scout Adam Eaton, pretty much anyone to replace Lidge
Phillies’ closer Brad Lidge successfully converted his ninth blown save of the season Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, serving up a two-run walk-off home run to rookie Andrew McCutchen. The man once known as “Lights Out” was anything but, illuminating PNC Park with an impressive five-pitch, three-earned run performance.
Despite Manager Charlie Manuel’s inexplicable faith in his closer, it appears bullpen help may be on the way – and it may come in an unexpected form. According to reports, former Phillies GM Pat Gillick and Special Assistant Charlie Kerfeld were in Denver this week, scouting a familiar face – former Phillie and current Colorado Rockies’ pitcher Adam Eaton.
As the apparent last man in the bullpen, Eaton came on in the 13th inning in a 1-1 game on Monday night against the Giants. After working a 1-2-3-4-5-6 scoreless inning, he surrendered three runs in the 14th, giving San Francisco a 4-1 lead. But the Rockies clawed back to earn a 6-4 win on Ryan Spilborghs’ walk-off grand slam. Eaton played a role in the Rockies’ comeback, working a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run and scoring the game-winner. “I pride myself on putting my team in the best position to win,” said Eaton. “And that’s exactly what I did on Monday.”
How does Eaton feel about potentially replacing his former teammate in the ‘pen? “It would be a little awkward, but let’s face it. I’m 1-0, Lidge is what, 0-10? We were both members of the team that won the World Series last year, so we’re equal in that regard.” In addition to his pitching, Eaton was quick to point out his performance on at the plate. “I drove in a run and scored another on Monday,” he said. “So essentially I only gave up one run in two innings, which is pretty (expletive) nasty.”
Although Eaton believes he could help the Phils repeat as World Champions, he is doubtful he would clear waivers due to the fact that “a World Series hero is a valuable commodity in late August.”
The Phillies have also apparently shown interest in Jose Mesa, should they fail to acquire Eaton.
Lidge blows 23rd blown save of season to finish off Braves
Brad Lidge’s season-long struggles continued last night as he notched his 23rd blown blown save of the season by pitching to one batter in the final frame.
With the Phillies up 4-1 in the ninth inning, Scott Eyre retired the first two batters he faced, but walked Greg Norton to load first base. Sensing an opportunity for Lidge to blow the three-run lead, Charlie Manuel brought him in to face Omar Infante for the final out. The Phils closer allowed a shallow pop-up by Infante to close the game and renew concerns about his ability to post crooked numbers in the clutch.
“I feel like my mechanics are there, but unfortunately, luck was on my side and Omar [Infante] couldn’t get the fat part of the bat on it,” said Lidge after the game. “I think I just need more time and opportunities. Charlie only had me out there for one out. Maybe if he brought me in for the 8th or even the 7th inning, I could get the job done and get a good 12 or so runs on the board.”
Manuel explained his decision to bring in Lidge for the final out was planned out ahead of time.
“Lidgey’s role on the team now is obviously to blow leads, but there may be a few games we might want to win between now and the end of the season,” Manuel said on Monday. “Last night was one of those games. Plus, we had an opportunity to get him an actual save. We were close to letting Scotty [Eyre] get two strikes on that last batter and bring in Lidge for the last one, but we didn’t want to risk Scotty getting one of Lidgey’s well-earned saves by getting a ground-out or something.”
