Lidge Helps To Blow Another One!

[smoofness2k7]

Great...
lidge on the hill
bottom of the ninth inning, 2 down, 2 strikes,...
you know the drill....
well of course he gives up the HR...

just excellent...

imo, the astros should get something for him at the all-star break before he loses all value

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by smoofness2k7

imo, the astros should get something for him at the all-star break before he loses all value

He is probably going to be better than anything you get in return for him. I'd give it a month or so before you even think about trading him. He could still have a great season.

[baseball_83]

I also think they should try to dump him before the All-Star break. Build a time machine, go back to 2006, and trade him before the All-Star break. I'm done giving him a chance. I did that all last season. I wish he would turn it around, but all signs are pointing to "no" right now.

They'll be lucky to get a case of beer for him.

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by baseball_83

I also think they should try to dump him before the All-Star break. Build a time machine, go back to 2006, and trade him before the All-Sta break. I'm done giving him a chance. I did that all last season. I wish he would turn it around, but all signs are pointing to "no" right now.

They'll be lucky to get a case of beer for him.

Dude, that wasn't even a bad pitch that Nady hit... Nady earned that HR, Lidge didn't blow it. Sometimes it happens that way. Shoot, I'll take him in Boston any day... even if he's not the closer, he's still a very good pitcher out of the pen.

[AutographCollector]

Not trying to make fun of Lidge... but be honest here folks: Ever since he allowed that mammoth homer to Pujols in the 05' post season... was that the fall of Lidge? Did it take a toll mentally on him?

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by AutographCollector

Not trying to make fun of Lidge... but be honest here folks: Ever since he allowed that mammoth homer to Pujols in the 05' post season... was that the fall of Lidge? Did it take a toll mentally on him?

In a word.. No.

Hitters started laying off his slider last year, which they would usually chase, and that led to him predictably throwing his fastball at times, which would occasionally be crushed. Not many pitchers short of Mariano Rivera can get away with the hitter knowing what is coming.

I think this will be a bounce back year for him though.

[AutographCollector]

Originally Posted by Westlake

I think this will be a bounce back year for him though.

Well I hope that your right. I like Lidge as a closer. The 'Stros are my 2nd favorite NL team.

[Edgartohof]

Last year had to be pretty horrible, having Lidge come in. Especially knowing that he COULD pitch good...and then not do so.

I mean he went a whole season as a closer with an 86 ERA+ and a 1.400 WHIP.

But you think THAT'S bad, look at Charlton in '97 with the Mariner's - They let him go a whole season in that role with an ERA over SEVEN!!!!!, and with a WHIP of nearly 2!!!!!!!

Even if you took out Charlton's bad game at the beginning of the season (because everyone deserves one bad game at least), the one where he gave up 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning, his ERA would STILL be over 7.00 for the season!

So I know where you are coming from on this. Charlton had some good years before that (though not quite to Lidge's level).

But it sure hurt for that season.

[PopTop]

Heard it all winter: Trade Lidge. Trade Lane. Trade Ensberg. And yet, not one person ever suggested what we could actually get in return.

Tough way to open the season. I'm rooting for Lidge because he's on my team. But I'm also rooting for him just to see the egg dripping off the faces of the naysayers and moronic columnists.

[baseball_83]

Don't get me wrong- I'm rooting for him too because he is my team's closer right now, but I just don't think he's gotten himself together mentally. He gave up a big HR in 2005 before the Pujols shot (I think it was a BS against the Braves in the NLDS). I would much rather be proven wrong than be right and have a closer with a 5+ ERA, but at some point you just have to cut your losses and look for another option. If he doesn't get it together in the first month, it will be interesting/frustrating to see if the 'Stros stay with him or try something new.

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by PopTop

Heard it all winter: Trade Lidge. Trade Lane. Trade Ensberg. And yet, not one person ever suggested what we could actually get in return.

Tough way to open the season. I'm rooting for Lidge because he's on my team. But I'm also rooting for him just to see the egg dripping off the faces of the naysayers and moronic columnists.

I'll suggest something in return for Lidge: Wily Mo Pena.

Something for Lane: Rosario

[AstrosFan]

I think he should change his name to Mo Wily.

[PopTop]

Originally Posted by Westlake

I'll suggest something in return for Lidge: Wily Mo Pena.

You might have been able to pull that off before Houston signed El Caballo, which in Spanish means oh-for-four

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by PopTop

You might have been able to pull that off before Houston signed El Caballo, which in Spanish means oh-for-four

I'd suggest putting Scott in center and Wily Mo in right. I dont really like Burke in center.

[plask_stirlac]

He shouldn't be closing each game, or not in every other game. 326 IP in four seasons is a very big total.

See if Wheeler can close and Lidge can set up again, or switch off.

Maybe see if he can take something off the fastball, but locate. The fastball isn't going to be 10 MPH faster than the slider anyway, might as well throw it for strikes and let the slider fall out after looking like a strike.

[AstrosFan]

Originally Posted by plask_stirlac

He shouldn't be closing each game, or not in every other game. 326 IP in four seasons is a very big total.

See if Wheeler can close and Lidge can set up again, or switch off.

Maybe see if he can take something off the fastball, but locate. The fastball isn't going to be 10 MPH faster than the slider anyway, might as well throw it for strikes and let the slider fall out after looking like a strike.

326 IP in four seasons really isn't that big. We just think of it as large because of how few innings modern closers throw. It's less than 82 innings a season.

[PopTop]

It's always so funny to hear the knee-jerk reactions at this point of any season. I'm guessing this morning, after he blew the lead last night and came within a foot of preceding Lidge in the role of the goat on Monday, that Wheeler should be moved to middle relief and Chad Qualls take over closing duties???

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by PopTop

It's always so funny to hear the knee-jerk reactions at this point of any season. I'm guessing this morning, after he blew the lead last night and came within a foot of preceding Lidge in the role of the goat on Monday, that Wheeler should be moved to middle relief and Chad Qualls take over closing duties???

But what about when Qualls blows it? Maybe Albers? I think everyone should get a chance until they blow a save, then their time is over.

[Brandon1537]

Dan Wheeler 6/6 .Let him go till he blows one and I wouldn't even put Lidge in the bullpen he couldn't even handle that last year.The bullpen has just been inconsistent so far and run into some problems.

[winningtheweapon]

Originally Posted by Westlake

I'll suggest something in return for Lidge: Wily Mo Pena.

God no. That'd be a bad trade. Keep Lidge away from Boston. We have a closer in Papelbon already.

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by winningtheweapon

God no. That'd be a bad trade. Keep Lidge away from Boston. We have a closer in Papelbon already.

I dont want Papelbon in the pen.

I'll take a great arm like Lidge's as the closer, and a great #4 starter over a bat off the bench.

Lidge is still a great pitcher. Had a rough year last year, look for a great rebound season.

[winningtheweapon]

Originally Posted by Westlake

I dont want Papelbon in the pen.

I'll take a great arm like Lidge's as the closer, and a great #4 starter over a bat off the bench.

Lidge is still a great pitcher. Had a rough year last year, look for a great rebound season.

A bat that has 40+ HR potential. And I prefer Paps in the pen.

[Westlake]

Originally Posted by winningtheweapon

A bat that has 40+ HR potential. And I prefer Paps in the pen.

Potential sitting on the bench does nothing for me.

Anyway, we've strayed too far...

Lidge is still a VERY good pitcher people... this is starting to be like the A-Rod situation in NY. If the fans keep jumping on his case the way they do, he just might leave and succeed somewhere else... when he could have done the same job in Houston.. relax fellas, we've got a long season ahead of us.

[Brandon1537]

Just wondering why did we git rid of our old pitching coach and get dave wallace?What did he do wrong he had proven his method worked and helped the astros maintain one of the best team eras in baseball