Brad Lidge's best days are over

**Razz** · 10-31-05, 12:31 AM

Damnit, I can't copy the quote.

Or, in baseball closer terminology, the "Mark Wohlers effect" (3-run HR to Jim Leyritz that turned 1996 WS when he idiotically threw a slider. Leyritz hadn't even come close to touching his fastball.) or the "Byung Hyung Kim effect" (When the Yankees couldn't hit anyone on the D'Backs staff in 2001, but scored every time Brenly brought his closer in).

Lidge has been through a lot in his life - at one point doctors told him he could never play baseball again - and is mentally tough enough to overcome this, in my opinion.

**pags11** · 10-31-05, 04:20 AM

kind of like that Kim guy from the Diamondbacks...

**Razz** · 10-31-05, 04:30 AM

Thanks for reading my post pags. You're turning into a serial poster.

**tacomax** · 10-31-05, 04:40 AM

Originally posted by Razz

Thanks for reading my post pags. You're turning into a serial poster.

I think you mean a serial one-line poster.

Seriously, BuddyBear, Lidge had a pretty good season. You're judging him purely on a few post-season games he pitched in. Most likely he had a few bad days or hit a porr run of form like even the best players have but I think it's a bit premature to write off his whole career. If Rivera had blown a few saves in the post-season this year, would you be condemning him to the knackers yard?

**SBR_John** · 10-31-05, 05:48 AM

He can still throw 95 mph. He stays, his best days behind him? hm maybe but he still has a cannon.

**BuddyBear** · 10-31-05, 09:33 AM

Originally posted by tacomax

I think you mean a serial one-line poster.

Seriously, BuddyBear, Lidge had a pretty good season. You're judging him purely on a few post-season games he pitched in. Most likely he had a few bad days or hit a porr run of form like even the best players have but I think it's a bit premature to write off his whole career. If Rivera had blown a few saves in the post-season this year, would you be condemning him to the knackers yard?

I don't think he is bad at all...in fact, he is top 2 NL and probably top 3 MLB. My point here is that this is going to effect him very negatively. Everyone just assumed Nick Anderson would put it behind him but he didn't.

His stuff is wicked but what I am trying to say it's going to be his mental well being now.

**bigboydan** · 10-31-05, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by pags11

kind of like that Kim guy from the Diamondbacks...

i don't think he will be that bad next year.

**pags11** · 10-31-05, 05:54 PM

I'm an english major gentlemen...I say the most with the least words possible...I've seen this with Wholers as well, also the kid from the Cardinals, Ankiel...Mitch Williams too...

**bigboydan** · 10-31-05, 06:23 PM

Ankiel never was the same, after his dad was busted for drug trafficing.

**BuddyBear** · 05-17-06, 09:49 AM

bump....some sharp guys posted the future in here..

**TexAg001** · 05-17-06, 10:18 AM

I think Lidge will be fine. The dude is going through a tough time but I believe the comaprison to Wholers and company are a stretch at this point. He still hurls it up there as hard as ever (94-97). The slider,one that Edgar Martinez said was the best he had ever faced,has been a harder to throw for a strike and hitters are laying off of it. I have seen one closer of my hometown team blow up (Dotel) to the point where you were like..this guy is mentaly done. But Ill put my money of Notre Dame boy to get back to being that pitcher in last years all star game. That was the inning where there was one foul and nothing else touched the bat but the network wasted the performance on an interview with that punk Kenny Rogers.

**Willie Bee** · 05-17-06, 10:33 AM

Lidge's troubles this year are that he can't throw is fastball for a strike consistently, and he is throwing too many sliders for strikes (that pitch should never/very rarely be a strike).

I, too, think he'll coagulate his feces before all is said and done.