Thursday: Much man-love being expressed for Lidge

Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his eighth save and maintain his perfect ERA after 16 appearances. Readers sounded off on the Phils’ unhittable closer, last night’s come-from-behind win and the continuing struggles of Ryan Howard.

"Lidge is nasty, those batters looked totally overmatched. While we're praising Chase and Pat for their incredible play thus far and contribution to the Phils’ success, I think it’s also fair to say Lidge is playing at that level as well so far. Some of these ninth innings are almost Marianoesque." – Bob

"In my memory we've never had a closer as dominant as Lidge. Whatever mental issues he might have been having is Houston seem to have gone away." – sifl

"Good win by the Phillies. Bruntlett with a big hit. Feliz with the tying run shot. Victorino going Pete Rose on Conor Jackson. Chase MVP. Nice job by Romero/Gordon/Lidge. Good job by KK for keeping the game close enough to tie. I wouldn't call this game a "grand theft". This is what the Phillies do." – mike cunningham

"One thing which is absolutely beyond dispute is that Howard needs to be hitting lower than fourth in the order. That nine-pitch AB he had in the 8th was ridiculous - every single pitch was down and in and he flat out wasn't seeing it. He was fouling them in all kinds of odd directions, and the last pitch was on the ground and he swung at least a foot over it. His stance is messed up, his balance is messed up, and his head flies off the ball every time. I actually feel for him a little - he must be going through some kind of hell right now. He looks utterly defeated mentally and he needs at least two or three *full* games off. I can't remember a hitter struggling as mightily for this prolonged a period as Howard in the last two Aprils, except possibly Burrell in '03." – RSB

Comments

[Morty]

No man-love for Clout's good times pal pal? Feliz may not hit much, but when he does, it's had a knack for being well-timed.

[J. Weitzel]

Full disclosure: I missed the game. I was in desperate need of sleep, but I did catch Ryan Howard’s first strikeout, which came on three pitches. Manuel needs to shake things up. Way too many throwaway at bats for my tastes. Start by dropping him in the lineup. Or even sit him today agaist 7-0 Webb. I’m worried things will start getting very ugly once he returns home, where fans are already riding him.

Again, like I said with Eaton, this is a 20-15 team. They are the defending division champs, playing quite well. The culture of the team has changed. They don't need to settle for less.

[MPN]

Hopefully last night's game finally relegated Ryan Madson to "use only in case of emergency" status. We just tied the game and he goes out, gets an out and then gives the lead back right away. Very frustrating.

[Tray]

We do need to sit or drop Howard, but we don't need to release Eaton. I'm not sure what people expect out of a fifth starter.

[MarkB]

Lidge: Merely "nasty"? Wouldn't you say that Shock and awe is more like it! So far, this acquisition has been huge!

[JBrod]

JW: Couldn't agree with you more on Howard, though I would play him today against Webb, see if he can get his act together, and if Rollins is indeed back to start the San Fran series and Howard can't get anything going today, put Howard on the bench for a bit, particularly given that the Phils see Lincecum on Friday. Once Rollins is back, the Phils are at "full" strength in the sense that they wouldn't be sitting Howard for Harmon to start and the pinch hitters wouldn't be guys like Bohn. If Charlie intends to sit Howard, he needs to sit for full games. I can't imagine it helps sitting him to get his head straight, but then bringing him in as a pinch hitter only to strike out in a big spot.

[denny b.]

With Lincecum slated to pitch Saturday, and a tough lefty in Sanchez on Sunday, I'd sit Howard in both games (Are the Phils off on Monday???) and that would give him 3 straight days off. Don't pinch-hit him, don't use him unless you absolutely have to. Sit him.

If anyone else was hitting .165, with all those strikeouts, they would find the bench. Burrell went through a similar thing last year, and he started losing a lot of playing time, about this time of the year. Howard, at this point, does not deserve to start at 1B much anymore. And, if he does, he should not be hitting 4th.

[Bonehead]

With Condrey and now Madson, we now have two "only in emergency" guys. Every team seems to have to live with one of these types in the bullpen, but two will kill ya. Its time for a callup, or a phantom DL move to replace one of these two. Probably should be Madson.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Howard's numbers against Webb are good. (3-8, HR, maybe couple of walks).

I'm as baffled with Howard as anyone else, but I don't think sitting him is a good idea. Here is my new theory on Howard so far. (I can't verify this with any evidence other than mere observation):

From what I have seen so far, pitchers are taking a new approach to Howard. The prefered method to getting Howard out thus far this season that I have recognized is to alter fastball and changeup inside on Howard. He seems to be getting gator armed on the inside fastball, and when they throw the change, he is swinging over it. I have also noticed that he is getting a decent amount of high fastballs over the outside, but predominantly it is fastball, changeup, and breaking ball over the outside. Rarely will you ever see a breaking ball thrown inside to Howard, he has built railroads with the amount of hammering he has done on those pitches.

For Howard at this point it is just a matter of adjustment. Has got to take a different approach to the inside fastball, and do a better job of altering his swing and recognizing the changeup. Hitting and pitching is a game of adjustments, and Howard is just behind the curve right now. Pitchers have one upped him thus far. When he starts jacking the inside fastball out of the park consistently, pitchers will stop throwing it there, and the holes in his swing will be cut down. Until he proves that he can do this, pitchers are just going to keep throwing it there. He will make the adjustments necessary, the only question is how long that will take?

[Morty]

Agreed about Howard needing some quality reflection time. He looks lost at the plate - no sense of the strike zone, or how pitchers are working him.

[squatter]

If .200 is the Mendoza line, is .150 going to be the Howard line?

[Alex]

You can't sit Howard to play Brad Harman. Dobbs is one thing.

[chris]

I especially like that Shane has come back and instantly made his presence felt - he's running down outs (which could have been hits) in the and getting timely hits. Plus, you just know he's going to RUN. That game was an excellent team win and I'm looking forward to Jroll's return.

[Brian G]

I'd just like to point out the incredible upgrade we made in the other part of the Lidge trade as well. The improvement of having a guy like Bruntlett instead of a guy like Nunez as your backup infielder is enormous. We'd probably have 3 less wins right now if Nunez was still in that role. The main difference being that Bruntlett is legit major league hitter and has the ability to pop one out of the infield from time to time.

[Burt]

In letter to Inquirer today,Senator Specter says poor Ryan needs some love:
Cheer Ryan Howard
On Monday, I suggested on Angelo Cataldi's WIP radio talk show that Philadelphia fans should give Ryan Howard a standing ovation every time he comes to the plate. Those cheers would tell Howard that we understand the struggle, that we are with him, and that he still is the same hero in our eyes who won MVP and Rookie of the Year in successive seasons.

On Tuesday, I read that Pat Burrell attributes his success this year to confidence. From my own experience, I can attest that state of mind or confidence are crucial factors in success.

Obviously, Howard has been a big disappointment this year to the fans and to himself ("Manuel sits Howard against Big Unit, guarding progress," May 7). However, there's a good chance that a standing ovation and cheers could give him a shot in the arm and the confidence to shake out of his slump.

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter
Washington

[Alex]

The Phillies, who are openly searching for a lefthanded reliever, have acquired Stephen Randolph from the Houston Astros for a player to be named later.
There are reasons to believe that Randolph, 34, could soon join J.C. Romero as the second lefty in the bullpen. He has a 1.23 earned run average for Triple A Round Rock this season and had allowed just 8 hits while striking out 21 in 14 2/3 innings.

There are also reasons to believe he might not be the answer. He has command issues, as evidenced by 11 walks.

Neither general manager Pat Gillick or assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. could immediately be reached for comment this morning.

Randolph, who has just over 2 years of major league service, appeared in 14 games for the Astros last season. He struck out 22 batters in 13 1/3 innings . . . but also walked 22 and allowed 21 hits, accounting for his 12.15 ERA.

In 109 big-league appearances in his career, he has a 5.52 earned run average.

[bay_area_phan]

During the off-season, a lot of us were saying that, if the Phillies made no moves at all, except to improve their bullpen, it would go a long way toward improving the team. The Phillies have basically proved us right because they're sitting at 20-15, without the reigning MVP, with their other MVP hitting .165, & without having found any bat to adequately replace Aaron Rowand's production.

In short, they haven't hit very well & the starting pitching has been mediocre but, when your bullpen can come in and shut the other team out in the last 3 or 4 innings, you're going to get a lot of comeback wins. And that's precisely how it's been happening. The Phillies' starters never seem to get any decisions. The team has 20 wins & the bullpen has half of those wins, with only 4 losses. Having a shutdown closer is worth the $10M or so that these guys now command.

[mike cunningham]

Nothing like stocking up on marginal left handers for the Pigs.

[Morty]

Yep. A 34 year old with 2 years MLB experience and questionable control sounds promising!

[denny b.]

"the starting pitching has been mediocre"

Compared to who? The starters, going into last night, had pitched the 2nd most innings in the NL. There have been very few "clunkers", from any of the 5 this year.

The reason they don't have more decisions, is that the offense hasn't gotten them many runs early in games, to get leads. The bullpen has been lights out, so its like they are blowing leads. The Phils offense seems to really perk up late in games (and without Rollins/Vic for most of the season, their tablesetters haven't been there).

And, Madson is fine. He is throwing harder than I have seen him throw in years. Nobody is going to go scoreless out there in the pen, everytime out. When he is your 6th most effective pitcher in your pen, you are in good shape. For about 20 other teams, he would be 3rd or 4th in their pens.

Or, maybe people would rather have Jorge Sosa or Manny Acosta instead, as their mid-inning reliever. It could be much worse.

[Tony D]

How many times has Wheels said "This is such a fast outfield." this series? We get it Wheels.

[Bob]

The culture of this team has definitely changed. They're 20-15 for no good reason. They just win.

[Lake Fred]

Stephen Randolph comes from the Houston Astros. Gillick tells him, "Welcome to the Value Village. You'll be living in Unit AAA-34." Just another lil' piggie!

[JD]

The culture of the Phils is that they rise to the occasion when guys are hurt or struggling. They did well last year without Utley, Vic and Bourn, and this year without Rollins, Vic, and Howard (it feels like he isnt there sometimes)

[bay_area_phan]

Denny: The starting rotation's collective ERA is 4.44, which is 8th out of 16 teams in the NL. That is pretty much the definition of mediocrity.

The reason the Phillies' starters have pitched the 2nd most innings in the NL probably has a little something to do with the fact that they are one of only 3 teams that has played 35 games. It also has something to do with the fact that they have 3 starters who fairly reliably give them 6 mediocre innings without imploding enough to warrant removal from the game. There's certainly virtue in having guys who can do that, but if a 6-inning, 3-run performance isn't mediocrity, then I don't know what is.

[Jonesman]

I think moving Howard down to 5th and sitting him against lefties is the way to handle the situation now. And hopefully Charlie can find some time to help him out with his approach at the plate. Good to see Jenkins and Ruiz start to hit better, and Feliz is starting to drive the ball more, as opposed to grounding it to the left side of the infield every at-bat.

[Andy]

Forgot to mention. When I saw in the box that Chollie had put Madson in to start the seventh, I put my hands over my face and shook my head - literally.

What. Was. He. Thinking.

Some times a huge - I mean "formidable" gut is not enough.

Madson, right now, is "The Mop." In fact, we should start calling him that - nice aliteration - Mop Madson.

[EastFallowfield]

Bruntlett's done well enough that Cholly will have the option to play him at second and Utley at first when he sits Howard once JRoll triumphantly returns.

[Andy]

Also agree that we need a new word for Lidge's pitching right now. "Nasty" doesn't cut it and "filthy" gets over used. I suggest "abusive," or "twisted." Given that the truly nasty pitch, that hitters are being abused by is his slider, I kinda think "twisted" works.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

With Lidge doing great, so far and Bruntlett filling in well (not a star, by any means), I'm starting to feel good about that trade.

[Jimmie J.]

>>The Phillies have basically proved us right because they're sitting at 20-15, without the reigning MVP, with their other MVP hitting .165, & without having found any bat to adequately replace Aaron Rowand's production<<

I think a good first 35 games by Pat Burrell and the emergence of Jayson Werth is off-setting the loss of Aaron Rowand at this point in the season.

>>Randolph, who has just over 2 years of major league service, appeared in 14 games for the Astros last season. He struck out 22 batters in 13 1/3 innings . . . but also walked 22 and allowed 21 hits, accounting for his 12.15 ERA.<<

I know this guy is 34 but remember J.C. Romero was no control artist before the Phillies picked him up...ya' never know with the right coach.

[UD Hens]

I have a suggestion for a temporary lineup change while Ryan Howard gets himself straightened out. I'd guess that Pat Burrell still has his 1B glove somewhere. I'd like to see him at 1B and then play Werth every day in LF.

As for Howard, I recall how well he was hitting the ball in Spring Training when everyone said he showed up in better shape. Take a look at him right now though. He looks he's been training for Wing Bowl 17. Howard's problem is that he is just out of shape. The Phils are paying for a chiropractor for Cole; maybe they should get a nutritionist for big Ryan. Or a treadmill. Maybe some Jenny Craig.

[mike cunningham]

Agreed regarding "filthy". Sports Guy addressed this in a mailbag

Here he describes Joba Chamberlain as an example:
And I'll tell you another thing -- not sure whether you've seen Joba pitch yet, but that guy is a specimen. His stuff is positively malevolent. It's almost inhuman.

Done and Done

Brad Lidge's stuff is MALEVOLENT.

[phanatics brother]

100% agreement with RSB on his post.
Howard needs at least 3 games off! He is doing nothing for the team now. So why not do whats best when you need him least, and sit him. Bench, it does a body good.
I would even entertain some time in AAA or AA.
He is lost, battered and beaten. He needs some help.

[Andy]

Thanks, Mike C. THAT'S the word I was looking for.

[city fan]

According to Merriam-Webster:

malevolent-having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it...

Yeah, Good word!! Go Lidge!!