i feel sorry for brad lidge. pujols ruined his career. he's flirting with blowing saves everyday. trade him before his value goes down even more
He had a curve ball in the minor leagues, he really does need an off speed pitch, hitters must be reading the slider out of his hand. I wonder if he is tipping his pitches? DD
19 games . . . seven out of 8 saves . . . that's pretty damn good pitching, considering you cant throw strikes at the moment. once he finds his arm slot, he'll start knocking them down 1,2,3 again. May 8th this thread will look foolish. Who closes on this team and gets seven out of eight saves, if not for mr. lidge. Qualls doesn't save seven out of eight, and i don't think wheller does either. if there is a problem with pitching and loses . . . look in Andy's corner, not brad's.
Has anyone else noticed that this is the third save Lidge has blown off of a Berkman HR in the bottom of the 8th? I remember during the last week of the season in 2005, he blew a game to the Cubs. Then there was the HR to Pujols. Tonight it was the salami to Nomar. I think that for as much trouble Brad has gotten himself into through out his 7 saves, he's done a good job. But he just doesn't seem to have that swagger anymore. I have the idea of turning Backe into a closer. He has the intensity, more pitches, and the decreaser in innings would be good for his arm. Given his command would have to get better because he's been known to walk his fair share of batters, I think Brandon Backe could become very good as a closer. (Especially with the promising start to Buchholz's career).
Technically, any starter has the "stuff" to be a closer... that's why they're starters. You turn guys who have just two plus pitches, or guys who seem to taper off after the 5th inning into bullpen guys... not proven starters.
Time to get Huston Street. Oh yeah not gonna happen. We are stuck with Lidge and that's ok. I am pissed off too but it is only April and unlike Trever Miller or Mike Gallo Lidge has proven himself in this game. Let's hope he gets it together because if he does not we are in big trouble!
i understand the complaining, but as long as he is not injured, brad is our closer. he might not close every night, but he isn't going to be traded, he isn't going to move to middle relief . . . he isn't going to start . . . and he isn't going to AAA . . . that leaves him closing a bunch of games. He's still the best closer on this team, hands down.
That is a joke if I've ever seen one. In three games now that the team lost when he started, Pettitte has gotten exactly 3 runs of run support...his only when we got 6 runs. As someone pointed out earlier, 7/8 saves is deceiving right now. His ERA is ridiculous for a closer (over 4.00 coming in to today)...I think he's given up 3 or 4 homeruns too. Hopefully they'll start working on developing another pitch, if he doens't have one already.
ok, yeah . . . the andy thing was a bit over the top . . . my apologies for an over dramatization and exaggeration. The numbers aren't good for lidge so far. The seven saves were totally shakey, and maybe it is time to test the waters on developing some other pitchers; but we have what we have with lidge right now. Total agreement with the need for another pitch, whenever that may or may not happen. But in the meantime, Garner needs (in my opinion) to play with the ole' garner handbook and keep on marching Lidge out there with the game on the line. The only way to get an ERA to drop is to get out there and pitch.
Lidge has been inconsistent at best this year. But he's still throwing 97 and his control on the slider will comeback. I'm not at all worried about lidge because he still has a great slider and fastball and he still has the fire inside him that will push him thru a tough time.
He's been working on a splitter & a deviation of his slider since the offseason. His problem is location & mechanics. He'll get it worked out.
Im here. All of yall are being way too hard on Lights Out. The guy is still one of the best closers in the league and he will turn things around. Even Riveria and Wagner have gone through times like this. Just dont be so fickle guys and try to show some loyalty to our boy. It seems like Astros fans are becoming more and more like Yankees fans every single day what with the booing of Wilson and so many people ready to give up on Lidge. Brad Ausmus said it best last night: "There are 29 other teams in this league that would love to have him." That says something right there. Lidge is still the man and I have total faith in him.
No, he won't. Our only hope as a franchise is that Lidge somehow gets in a horrible accident and is unable to pitch anymore. If not, this franchise is DOOMED.
