Brad Lidge

[CD]

I think the question has to be asked. He was dominant for the Astros in the playoffs last season and started out that way this season too. But in the end, he gave it up like Donnie Moore and Byung-Hyun Kim.

In his last four playoff appearances, he was the losing pitcher three times, with the Pujols moonshot, the Podsednik walk-off and then the eighth inning tonight.

[Indu WangZi]

I think his arm was gassed...and he was over-worked the past month. However, I also think this may impact him (not sure as to the extent) mentally..how could it not.

[lasvegasreb]

Let's post pictures of his futility..

[Ohio Blues]

QUOTE(lasvegasreb @ Oct 27 2005, 02:00 AM) Quoted post

Let's post pictures of his futility..


[/b][/quote]
Is this the next Lidge pic to be OSS'd? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

[ChiTownBluesFan]

QUOTE(lasvegasreb @ Oct 27 2005, 01:00 AM) Quoted post

Let's post pictures of his futility..


[/b][/quote]

That's a 'Caption This' picture if I've ever seen one.

[gibsongirl]

He looked OK last night, though...more than OK in fact. He'll be fine and nasty next year.

Except against Albert the Great. Then he'll poop his pants.

[Blues Fan in TX]

He'll be fine.

Really.

29 other ballclubs would kill to have this guy...

Of course, it goes without saying that I fucking hate him [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

[kah]

Yes.

[MsFunkay]

i think he'll be fine. considering he gave up 2 major HRs he looked fine last night and tonight really. i mean he only let one run score and if his team could score, he probably would've looked better.

[Indu WangZi]

QUOTE(MsFunkay @ Oct 27 2005, 12:22 AM) Quoted post

i mean he only let one run score and if his team could score, he probably would've looked better. [/b][/quote]

Fun-kay:

It's his job to close..which means not letting ANY runs score. He failed tonight..yesterday..and well, quite a lot this post-season.

[triggercut1]

I *don't* think he'll be fine.

What I saw in the playoffs was a guy who was not fooling anyone all that much.

Hitters were laying off the low slider.

When the slider was even remotely in the strike zone, it had a bunch of "roll" to it. Lidge knew it, hitters knew it.

Hitters were sitting dead red on his fastball, daring him to bring that slider out of the dirt.

What I also saw: Lidge's fastball looked awfully straight and Farnsworthy in the postseason; even when Jenks was "only" hitting 95-96, the movement on his express was jaw-dropping, and in sharp contrast to Lidge's.

I think he's tired, hurt, possibly both, and mentally fucked. There's a book on him now. How he responds shapes the rest of his career.

[Glovey]

He'll be fine.

[dhaab]

QUOTE(triggercut1 @ Oct 27 2005, 01:27 AM) Quoted post

I *don't* think he'll be fine.

What I saw in the playoffs was a guy who was not fooling anyone all that much.

Hitters were laying off the low slider.

When the slider was even remotely in the strike zone, it had a bunch of "roll" to it. Lidge knew it, hitters knew it.

Hitters were sitting dead red on his fastball, daring him to bring that slider out of the dirt.

What I also saw: Lidge's fastball looked awfully straight and Farnsworthy in the postseason; even when Jenks was "only" hitting 95-96, the movement on his express was jaw-dropping, and in sharp contrast to Lidge's.

I think he's tired, hurt, possibly both, and mentally fucked. There's a book on him now. How he responds shapes the rest of his career.
[/b][/quote]

+ +

Relievers don't always simply bounce back from major breakdowns in crucial playoff games like these. Plus, Garner has completely abused Lidge in the last two years. His arm looks very tired. He may come back next year and be a serviceable closer, but I think his days of dominating the league are over.

[MsFunkay]

QUOTE(Indu WangZi @ Oct 27 2005, 01:24 AM) Quoted post

QUOTE(MsFunkay @ Oct 27 2005, 12:22 AM) Quoted post

i mean he only let one run score and if his team could score, he probably would've looked better. [/b][/quote]

Fun-kay:

It's his job to close..which means not letting ANY runs score. He failed tonight..yesterday..and well, quite a lot this post-season.
[/b][/quote]

i didn't think he let any runs in game 3 in the extra innings.

yes, he's supposed to "close" the game, but i bet closing games is a bit easier when your team can actually get runs on the board and not leave who knows how many guys on base. had the astros been up 4-0 in the 8th, dye's hit wouldn't have mattered as much as it does now. needless to say, he's not the only one who didn't do his job, just the most obvious one because of those 2 HRs.

had lidge gone out and looked like total crap in the past 2 games, i'd understand people thinking he's lost it, but i'm not about to say he's totally screwed when he did a lot better than most of us expected. he may have looked a bit different but the guy has been called out who knows how many times and like others say his arm has gotta be sh*t by now.

but hey, in the end this is one of those things that we can look back on in some months and say who's right, but right now this is just another conversation like the cards threads that for now, no one really knows and we can only use past history to argue for or against it. however i'm gonna pull for him since he seems to generally be a good guy and he knows everyone will be watching him next yr.

[kah]

QUOTE(MsFunkay @ Oct 27 2005, 01:31 AM) Quoted post

had lidge gone out and looked like total crap in the past 2 games, i'd understand people thinking he's lost it, but i'm not about to say he's totally screwed when he did a lot better than most of us expected. [/b][/quote]

Lidge gave up a run in the 9th inning of Game 3 of the NLCS, barely escaped blowing the save in Game 4, blew the save in spectacular fashion in Game 5, took the loss in Game 2 of the World Series, took the loss again in Game 4 of the World Series, and had ERAs of 7.20 for the LCS and 4.91 for the WS.

That is not even close to "better than most of us expected", since most of us expected his usual overpowering dominance.