Where have I EVER said that? I would love the old Lidge back.....but I think that guy is gone forever...I hope I am wrong though. DD
Stop speaking in hyperbole. If he throws the slider right (which he's done for the better part of this month), he's as good as he ever can be. If anything, if he's not dead (which judging by this month, he isn't)... he can only get stronger from this whole experience. He now knows he can't ever afford to be sloppy with his mechanics (which got him into this problem when batters were swinging at EVERYTHING in 05... regardless if he was executing or not).
Hyperbole? You say "If it were up to me, he would be let go with no compensation" and then I refute that and you say I am speaking in hyperbole... WTF ever ! The difference is that his fastball is hittable right now and down about 2-4mph..... So when they lay off the slider.....he is hittable. And if his fastball location is off, he walks people and gets in major trouble there too. Lidge relies on batters impatience, the Lidge antidote has been to just sit back and wait for that straight pitch...... DD
You say things like "lidge is gone forever"... that is hyperbole. Fastball is still 97 mph... as fast as it has ever been. They don't lay off the slider when he's throwing it right... they never have, and given that its now going on 4 years of Lidge, they never will. The only times he's had trouble is where he doesn't execute the slider... it becomes easily recognizable, and batters won't offer at it. That's how good the pitch is... if he executes it, batters can't tell the difference. Once he puts the slightest bit of doubt in the batters head, his fastball becomes infinitely better. If they don't have to worry about the slider, which they dont when he's not throwing it right, he's hittable. The same logic applies to other guys who throw pitches that are unrecognizable (and rarely strikes)... Randy Johnson's slider, Trevor Hoffman's changeup. The good slider is ALL that matters.
I don't know how many games you go to, or what you do when you're there, but Lidge's fastball hasn't lost anything. On Saturday he was hitting 97...which is about right. He's rarely hit 99-101 that you're suggesting.
Anybody catch Lopez's article in the chron today? If Gar thinks Lidge is back to 05 form will he be moved back to closer, left in a setup type role, or traded while his value is high? I think it would be tough to move him back to closer as long as Wheeler is doing his job. Although Lidge is getting closer type money, so there might be a push for him to be the closer again.
Here's all you need to know at this point, from astros.com: "He's pitched much more often than he would have had he been in the closer's role. Our bullpen is working well, so I don't want to do anything when it's working well. It's working, let's just stay with it." Lopez has to fill those column inches somehow.
it IS a potentially interesting situation, though; and i thought lopez's column fairly addressed the various scenarios. i mean, when do you pull the trigger, if at all? wheeler's been good, but remains relatively untested, especially as a closer in october. and at his best, he's certainly not as potentially dominant as lidge. agreed, for now: if it ain't broke... but what if lidge is still lights out at the all-star break...? he IS making $5M.
Then we'll see what happens. cart.....................................................horse I still can't figure out what Lidge's/Wheeler's salaries have to do with anything.
At this point, I'd put more $ on a trade attempting to be worked out with Ensberg/Burke for a veteran starter. Until Jennings comes back, we're hoping for the best from Albers/Wandy/Sampson... it would be nice to get at least one more proven starter.
Good thing he's been playing beyond his normal self as of late. I hope the Astros are smarter than the last time around and trade his arse while he still has any value to speak of. Come on Purpura, Get R Done!
I think if the Chronicle hired a sportswriter with any sports sense at all, the editor would spontaneously burst into flames. That is the only reason why Lopez and Justice still draw a paycheck.
really? Really?... it would be great if decisions were always made based on what happens between the stripes, but we both know that's not the reality of the sports world in which we live. you don't pay middle relievers $5M. and if you don't see how that could potentially be an issue, especially come, say, july, when you'd like to add another bat or arm to the rotation, then i'm not sure what else to say.
At least for this year, it should be a moot point. If they have to start paying Wheeler (or someone else) closer's money in 2008 then it may become a bone of contention having two guys making closer's money.
It's not an issue until Wheels is in line for a closer-type salary. If you can't see that the total of what's being paid to our relievers this season is the same all season long regardless of what inning they pitch in, including in July when you want to add that SP or bat, then I'm not sure what to say.
