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.”
Phillies players want to know if you’re entertained yet
The once mighty Phillies had lost their way after being sold into slavery by Subway, Dick’s Sporting Goods, New Era and ESPN the Magazine.
Now forced to battle for the freedom they once took for granted, the defending WFCs arrived back at the legendary Citizens Bank Coliseum to dismantle a barbarian hoard of Metropolitans in three straight matches and slaughtered an unarmed gang of Redstockings 22-1 in an effort to re-establish their major league dominance.
“My name is Cole Hamels, soon-to-be father to an African baby, husband to a hot wife and we will win another WFC, in this season or the next,” said Hamels after the victory. “But hopefully this season.”
Rollins extends pop-up streak in bizarre, nut-kicking loss to Dodgers
Jimmy Rollins extended his historic pop-up streak to one too many games and in a completely unrelated story, the Phils suffered a tough 4-3 loss to the Dodgers, ending their 7-game win-streak.
Brad Lidge took the loss in a bizarre ninth inning where he recorded two quick outs then loaded the bases with the next three batters after getting ahead with 1-2 counts on each of them. Casey Blake singled, James Loney walked and then came the real bizarre play where Pedro Feliz booted a Russell Martin grounder. Andre Ethier then busted one to the right field fence, ending the game.
Lost in the fray was Jamie Moyer’s second straight quality start. Not lost in the fray was Rollins’ continued egg-laying atop the Phils order.
“If it would help the team to drop me in the batting order, you best believe I’d do it,” Rollins told reporters after the game. “As the vocal team leader and most recent MVP winner on the squad, I have to admit when I’m struggling. And when that day comes when I realize I’m struggling, you’ll be the first to know.”
Weekend series win over Yanks overshadowed by disappearance of Brad Lidge
The Phils took two of three from the Skanks over the weekend, but the real story was the ongoing search for closer Brad Lidge, who may have been abducted following last year’s World Series win.
“We’re all trying to pull ourselves together as a team and get through this,” said Ryan Madson. “Don’t get me wrong, it was great to walk into the Yanks’ new home and drop a deuce on their living room floor . . . but we just really miss Lidgey.”
In his absence, the team has replaced Lidge with a fake, look-alike Lidge subsitute, Frad Fidge, who has posted a 9.15 ERA in 21 games. Fidge blew two saves during the weekend series, giving him four for the season, which is four more than Lidge blew all of last season.
“Fidge is doing his best out there given the situation,” said Eric Bruntlett. “He’s getting his face beaten in at a pretty nasty clip until the real Lidge is found, and we just hope that’s sooner than later.”
Lidge approaching Gagne’s possible roids-induced saves record
Depending on who you talk to, Brad Lidge may sit 10 or 40 saves away from the major league record for most consecutive saves.
If the thought of dropping your drawers while another man sticks a needle in your hindmeat gets you all hot and bothered, then Lidge would need 40 more saves to catch Eric Gagne for the record. However, if you are not a waste of human skin and enjoy not destroying scared institutions of sport, then he will only need 10 more to top former Phillies closer Flash Gordon for the record.
Gagne, who was named in the 2007 Mitchell Report as a human growth hormone recipient and possible steroid user, has gone from a 2003 NL Cy Young award winner to being out of baseball this spring at the age of 33.
“I’m going to wait until we have more conclusive evidence before I say that Gagne doesn’t hold the record,” said Lidge. “It’s not enough that he was named in the Mitchell Report, or that he apologized after the report came out, or that Gagne completely blew chunks on the mound directly after we started testing for roids. I want to give the guy the benefit of the doubt because he’s earned it, you know?”