NewsNinth inning remains question for Phillies
Madson in mix to close, Manuel not giving up on Lidge
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
11/03/09 8:45 PM EST
NEW YORK -- Ryan Madson hasn't provided reason to believe he's prepared to serve as reliable closer. But as the Phillies enter the final hours of this season, they are at least debating whether he has once again established himself as a better option than Brad Lidge.
History has shown what can occur whenever Lidge's psyche is damaged in the manner that it was on Sunday night, when he retired the first two batters he faced and then saw the Yankees construct a three-run ninth inning that carried them to a Game 4 victory.
While New York fans celebrated (and Phillies fans lamented) the fact that the Yankees had gained a 3-1 advantage in the World Series, Astros fans experienced flashbacks to Game 5 of the 2005 National League Championship Series, when Lidge allowed a two-out, ninth-inning homer to Albert Pujols.
Lidge struggled over the course of the next two years in Houston and then righted himself when he introduced himself to Philadelphia with a perfect season that concluded with him recording the final out in last year's World Series.
While adversity never arrived to cripple Lidge last year as he proved perfect in 48 save opportunities, it has certainly managed to make up for lost time this year. Thus it came as no surprise on Tuesday afternoon, when Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wouldn't commit to utilizing the beleaguered right-handed reliever as his closer during the remainder of this World Series.
"[I'm] probably going to use him the way I want to, when we get there and how I feel," Manuel said. "I'll do a lot of talking in the dugout with [pitching coach Rich Dubee], and we'll decide on which one we want to put out there."
In other words, Lidge might not have simply been getting a "mental break" on Monday night, when Madson was given the responsibility of preserving a three-run, ninth-inning lead against the Yankees.
As he's done throughout the postseason, Manuel has continued to say that he still thinks of Lidge as his closer -- a tag that seemed to fit the 32-year-old right-hander when he worked four scoreless innings and converted each of his three save opportunities during the first two rounds of this year's postseason.
Given that Lidge had thrown 30 pitches during Sunday night's loss and the fact that the Phillies had a four-run lead when Madson began warming up during Monday night's eighth inning, there shouldn't be reason to assume Manuel won't roll the dice and send Lidge to the mound to protect a ninth-inning lead during the remainder of this World Series.
But the fact that he remained non-committal during Tuesday's off-day media session certainly provided more reason to believe that Madson will once again assume the closer's role that he was given when Lidge's struggles mounted during the final weeks of the regular season.
"I think the only thing I'm trying to do with Brad Lidge is get him right," Manuel said. "You know what? I'll always have confidence in him."
Manuel's decision to stick with Lidge as he compiled a 7.21 ERA and blew a Major League-high 11 saves in 43 opportunities this year was partly a product of the fact that Madson never took full advantage of the multiple opportunities he had to stick in the closer's role.
When Madson posted a 1.03 ERA and limited opponents to a .200 batting average during 27 appearances that stretched from April 22-June 14, it looked like he might be a suitable replacement after Lidge went on the disabled list during the early portion of June.
But the 29-year-old right-hander tempered this optimism when he blew two save opportunities and suffered a loss in the final three appearances that he made before Lidge was activated.
"He's something similar to Lidge when it comes to talent," Manuel said of the hard-throwing Madson.
Madson once again proved dominant in July and during the first three weeks of August. But when Lidge lost the closer's role in early September, Madson didn't provide the Phillies reason to believe he should definitely be their closer in the postseason.
While converting six of his seven save opportunities that he encountered in September, Madson allowed opponents to compile a .289 average and tally runs in four of the 12 appearances that were included in this span.
"He could be more consistent as far as, like, in his role, but he's got stuff that would be very good," Manuel said.
Although he allowed the Yankees to score one run on Monday, Madson was good enough to get Derek Jeter to ground into a double play and then keep the Phillies' hopes alive by ending the game with a strikeout of Mark Teixeira.
While opponents still have reason to be intimidated whenever the Yankees are able to give Mariano Rivera the ball to preserve a lead, the Phillies have at least given the Yankees reason to believe that they may be able to take advantage of the uncertainty that exists at the back end of the Philadelphia bullpen.
"They've got a good bullpen," Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher said. "Obviously a guy like Madson throws extremely hard and the ball is moving all over the place. The same thing with Lidge ... Next time those guys get a chance, you know they're going to bring their "A" game.
Now, the only question is, which of these right-handers will be given the chance to serve as Manuel's closer?
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
