Brad Lidge and the Imploding Lead: Eleventh time's a charm

Written by Mike Mariano | 24 September 2009

Should I even write something for a Brad Lidge blown save or should I simply copy and paste and old thought?  I want to trust Lidge and I want him to be our closer.  Also, I think he should be the closer.  However, Brad is doing everything possible to play himself out of the role.  I don't know what Lidge did this offseason, but he certainly pissed off the baseball gods.  How you can go perfect for a whole season and postseason and then be the walking dead, is beyond me.

Cole Hamels did a great job pitching deep into the game despite being in some trouble.  Ryan Howard led the offense with a double, a homer, and four RBIs.  Lidge just couldn't manage to close down a good win for the Phils.  Charlie Manuel is putting himself on the line with the way he's handling the closer situation, but it is a credit to him that he's built a psyche within the club such that the guys can handle struggling and bad losses.  Charlie is a baseball lifer, yet still manages to make a mess of different in-game situations and strategies.  However, Manuel is a fantastic clubhosue and personality manager.  The team can handle a faulty bullpen mentally,  The only question remaining is whether the team can handle a collapsing bullpen on the scoreboard.