what if he gave up a homerun to pujols that if the roof was open wouldve went into the parking lot and ****** up a car....im conviced pujols is God
well, he got out of the first 7 "shaky" outtings to start the season, i don't think the memory of pujols was affecting him then. if he truly had gone all nick anderson after pujols shot, he wouldn't have saved 7 games this season. just go back and watch tapes of his pre-pujols games and post-pujols games, it all comes down to spotting the fastball. when he hits the corners with it, and gets ahead, he's fine. his problem has been location, tonight he left a fastball thigh high over the middle of the plate and nomar whacked it.
Except the shake outings started before the Pujols game. I suspect it's one of three things: (1) (My theory) He's injured similar to how Wagner was (not necessarily the same injury, but the same concept). When Wagner was hurt in 2000, he refused to admit it, and you couldn't tell by watching his stuff. He still threw 98+ mph, but people just hit him. (2) People figuring out his pitching / needing a new pitch. While it looks like this, I don't think this is the case at all. That would happen over a period of time, but with Lidge, it happened suddenly in game 4 of the NLCS. Until then, he was completely and totally unhittable, especially by the Cardinals. That game, they got their first run against him. Then the next game, Pujols had his HR. And it's been sketchy ever since. Figuring out a pitcher doesn't happen overnight. (3) Control problems - this could be part of it, but I don't think he suddenly lost the ability to locate his pitches overnight. If this is the case, I suspect it is a result of #1.
What about the Cubs series before that... or how both games 3 and 4 of the NLCS were shaky saves before the game 5 meltdown? Lidge should have blown game 4, he got lucky. He probably should have blown 1 or 2 games this year... he battled out of it. Hitters have a book on him... its called swing at anything that looks like a strike, and lay off anything else because he just can't find the plate right now. There are also two other possibilities: 1.) an injury of some kind that is subtle enough for him not to really notice it, but troublesome enough to cause a slight change in release point, arm slot, or leg-work. or 2.) the dreaded "s" word that has been floated as a reason for the offensive explosion this year (the fact that pitchers aren't on it anymore).
Last time I looked hitters were professional ball players too. Lidge will work his way out, his stuff is NASTY..... DD
In addition to the "Its all Pujols' fault" argument: In that game, Lidge walks Edmonds (a guy he flat out owned more than any other Cardinals) BEFORE he faced Pujols. That perfectly fits the pattern we're seeing now from him, and saw earlier in his career... a guy with control issues. Perhaps it could be an injury, but he's pitched a ton since last year's playoffs (ST, the WBC, and now the first 19 games)... if Lidge knew something was wrong physically, he'd say it (its not like he hasn't recovered from injuries before). Also, Major... IIRC, he gave up his first run against the Cards in game 3 (didn't end up meaning anything), needed the amazing DP to save game 4 (a game he should have blown), and the game 5 that I already said he was asking for it by letting Pujols come up to bat. Hell, if you want to blame anybody, blame Eckstein... if he doesn't get a 0-2 meatball to hit, Lidge has a 1-2-3 inning... which would have been his most recent 1-2-3 inning at this point.
he has the balls to do it . . . but i don't think he has the energy to go out there every other day . . . travel with the team everywhere . . . a great dream though . . . clemens starting every ten days and closing on home stands . . . hell, get him on the left field wall instead of wilson . . . alas, just a dream
That was my first thought after seeing on Yahoo that Lidge blew the game. It seemed like Clemens was pretty pumped about coming out of the bullpen in that extra inning playoff game. The only issue is that the closer has to be at the game every night, no skipping games on road trips. To be honest, Lidge hasn't looked the same since Pujols hit that shot. He just seems shaky. Too early to go to plan B, but management better start thinking of one if it comes to that.
Friday SEP 30th 2005 Vs CUBS Berkman homered in the 8th to give the Astros the lead. Lidge Blew the save. NLCS game 5 2005 Berkman homered in the 7th to give the Astros the lead. Lidge blew the save. Monday APR 24th vs DODGERS Berkman homered in the 8th to give the Astros the lead. Lidge blew the save. All of Lidge's notable blown saves have come after a HR by Lance Berkman late in the game. Is this a bad omen or just a quirky fact?
I would not be so sure. Let me point out that he blew the save in game 7 of the 2001 WS. Several more since then especially in 2004 against the Red Sox in the playoffs. The fact is that blown saves are a part of the game. Just because Lidge blew one save this season he is already collapsed? great !!!
No, Rocket will not be a closer. No, Brad Lidge isn't hurt. I don't know if the memo came out, but Lidge is human. You can't win every game. You can't save every game. Don't freak out. I don't care who you are.....if you can't locate your pitches and get ahead; You're asking for trouble. There's a reason why people say, "Walks will kill ya." Every pitcher knows that phrase. He'll be fine. Go 'Stros!
He hasn't been fine since Pujols sent one into orbit. He has had plenty of time to mentally recover since, and hasn't. The bottom line is Lidge is no longer a "top-flight" closer. Even when he does get the save he has struggled.
Which is why Lidge is leading the NL in saves and is 2nd in the NL among relievers in K's. I'm not going to argue with you that he's looked shaky, but come on. Ensberg was in a funk in the playoffs last year too. He's figured it out. Lidge will do the same.
7 walks in 10 innings by Lidge is unacceptable. Instead of nibbling around batters and getting into bases loaded jams, he needs to come at people with the fastball to get ahead and drop in the occasional slider. If he gives up a home run because he can't locate his fastball so be it. It sure beats having to deal with the bases loaded because you walked 2 batters.
shocking collapse of lidge??? where am i? the guy has been shaky. i don't think i'm ready to write off his career just yet. damn...now i'm gonna have to go buy a lidge t-shirt to counteract all this nonsense. you fools have me spending more of my hard-earned money!
Lidge just needs to have his head checked....heh his probs are all mental right now. He will be fine. His location this early in the year sucks and that's why he is struggling.
The problem has nothing to do with the blown save - it's the underlying season long numbers. He's being consistently hit this year, and his walks are up substantially. The problem finally came to hurt him yesterday, but the problem has been looming all year long. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6913/career;_ylt=As7iuTcpXxzuiz6q9GOnqJiFCLcF Here's his career - check out his last two year's Walks and Hits per Inning, and Batting Average Against. Those are the concerns - he's simply not dominating hitters this year (oddly, though, his strikeout pace is the same as always).
