After two days of waiting and wondering, the Phillies seem to have settled on a plan for struggling closer Brad Lidge.The right-hander, who has blown 10 saves this year, will pitch mostly in low-leverage situations with occasional save chances possible, manager Charlie Manuel said before Thursday night's game against the Nationals.
Manuel left the door open for Lidge to close again in a full-time role if he gets himself straightened out, but made it clear that for now he'll mostly get work in mop-up situations when the Phillies are either way ahead or behind.
From MLB.com's Todd Zolecki:
"I don't see us using him in the seventh or eighth inning," Manuel said. "I look at him as a closer. That's kind of where he fits. I see him pitching once he needs work. If we're behind in the game or we're ahead or something by a good margin we'll get him to make sure he pitches live in the game and things. That's kind of how I look at it."Philadelphia seems to have settled on this plan Wednesday night after a conversation between Manuel, Lidge and pitching coach Rich Dubee.
Could he still close?
"He could close," Manuel said.
"It's real simple," Lidge said. "Just get me work to get me where I need to be. That's about it. I told him, 'Listen, whatever you need to do, I'll be ready to take the ball at any time.' I told him it doesn't need to be a save situation.' Obviously, I'm ready to throw in those. But if we're up by six runs, down by six runs, I feel like I'm very close to where I need to be, but it wouldn't hurt to get a couple more outings. We're on the same page with everything and we had a good talk."If Lidge can get himself sorted out before the end of the season, that would obviously be a huge boon to Philadelphia's hopes of repeating as champions. When he's at his best, Lidge is one of the very best closers in the game.
But those concerns are secondary now, and they have been for some time.
The Phillies can no longer afford to wait on the enigmatic Lidge, but as they hurtle toward October, they still need a reliable closer. Finding that ninth-inning ace has to be a big focus for Manuel over the next few weeks.
Ryan Madson has gotten the call the last two nights and he's performed well, locking up two saves, but he inspired little confidence as a fill-in closer in June when Lidge was on the disabled list, posting a 5.00 ERA, blowing two saves and losing two games.
Madson will likely get the nod for now, but you have to figure he is on a short leash. If he struggles, the door will be wide open for Brett Myers, who saved 21 games in 2007 for Philadelphia. Myers returned to the Phillies last week in a relief role after missing more than three months with a torn labrum in his right hip.
He is a proven closer (and better yet, one who has proven himself under Manuel) and he has yet to allow an earned run since coming off the disabled list.
Ultimately, Myers may be the man the Phillies turn to in the ninth inning as they look to make another run to the Fall Classic.
