For example, Linebrink - one of SD's bigtime setup men - had 9 blown saves last year, and 5 the year before (with a 1.8 ERA). Setup men pitch primarily in close games in non-save opportunities. So anytime they give up a run, they have a decent chance of getting a blown save.
I think you meant to say that he can get a blown save that's not in the 9th innning... but its still very much a save opportunity. I'm not saying he's bad because he doesn't have a lot of saves... he only gets a chance to get holds. But, in 2005 he had ZERO blown saves, while pitching the same amount of late innings/holds as 2006. That's not consistency. And I know several Padres fans who HATED Linebrink, and have just as little faith in him as Houston fans now do in Lidge/Qualls. He also got a few of those 9 BS in actual 9th inning opportunities (since Hoffman can't be trotted out there every night). And I do aknowledge that the 9th inning is much tougher than the 7th or 8th (and thus I expect better BS numbers from whoever is pitching in that spot).
I was at the game last night and it was horrible. Two quick outs and you start to get just a little bit of hope going and then kaboom. I'm not one to call for peoples heads or for trades but something absolutely has to be done about the bullpen. I don't think anyone has any confidence whatsoever in Lidge.
I dont think that LIdge even has confidence in Lidge anymore. The routine where he is quoted after a blown save saying how he thought he made a good pitch and how he's fine etc is getting old. I think Wheels needs a shot...or Nieve perhaps...but I think Lidge, im sad to say, is done.
Lidge's fastball is straight...it is just flat out STR8.......it has no movement at all and players are sitting back, waiting on it. Lidge should be throwing 80% sliders - but that would mean he has to throw them for strikes, and he can't. The league has caught on, his time is up. Lidge is done. Time for someone else. The team can not afford to let the bullpen blow lead after lead and cause them to lose confidence as a team. Lidge is a shell of his former self......ironically trading him to an American league team would probably be a good thing, they don't know him over there, so he would probably be successful for a time...before they figured him out. If he had a curveball, or an offspeed pitch, he could recover, but with only 2 pitches, he is done. DD
This has always been true. Before, no one could tell his fastball from his slider. Last year, some midseason pickup (Joe McEwing?) told him how he was tipping his slider, and he fixed it. He put it together for a few months. Someone put some tape together and figure it out for him.
Death comes in many forms. For Lidge it came in a Pujols homerun that day. How long are the Astros going to keep putting Lidge out there?
I honestly don't think it has anything to do with Pujols. It has to do with stuff. When he was dominating, hitters were swinging at that slider that didn't sniff the plate. Now, hitters lay off the slider and force him to give them cookie fastballs in the zone. The only time they swing at a slider is if it's a get me over pitch (also known as a hanger.) What does this lead to? Higher walk totals and higher hr totals. He's never really thrown that slider for strikes, hitters just swung at in the past. The league adjusted.
Excellent post. I agree with your analysis and Garner is aware of this also. I don't think Garner knows what to do as yet. If Lidge gets a save next time out, then he will get a reprieve. If he blows his next save he will force Garner's hand.
I'm hardly a glass half full guy. But, Lidge pitched pretty well I thought. The guy hit a home run on a good pitch. It's not like he hung one over the middle of the plate. I'm not going to panic just yet. He does need to start getting the sliders closer to the strike zone though.
dont try to talk down to me with your smug sarcasm, its an ugly personality; why dont YOU go look and check how many times Qualls gave up 2 or 3 run homers last year to blow a lead, and by the way 7-3 doesnt mean squat for a reliever because alot of those wins come by BLOWING a lead and staying in the game and the team comes back and wins
In his 7 wins last year, he gave up a combined 0 runs (with no blown saves). Perhaps you're the one that needs to look at the record instead of just making stuff up?
I have no interest in looking at all the games he gave up runs in to see if they were crucial or not. The other part was easy to scan, and showed that you make up stuff and post nonsense. I'm not really sure why I'd take your thoughts on Qualls seriously at that point, given that fact.
you dont have to look it up if you watched the games last year, you would just remember, like when Qualls gave up the grand slam to Konerko in the World Series, was that crucial??? stop being such an azz dude, Ive seen your posts many times, its like you wait in the weeds and attack whenever you can
oh and since you love stats so much, who led the league in stikeouts per 9 innings last year?? Lidge did, but he was terrible. Stats dont mean everything.
