Brad Lidge
Encyclopedia
Bradley Thomas "Brad" Lidge (born December 23, 1976 in Sacramento, California
) is a reliever
who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "Lights Out", he is the all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings (12.2 K/9) among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career. Lidge throws a four-seam fastball
that consistently reaches 91 or 92 miles per hour, as well as a hard, sharp breaking slider
that ranges from 85 to 87 mph. He sealed the Phillies' 2008 World Series
Championship with the final out, a strikeout of Eric Hinske
in Game 5.
, Colorado
. Growing up, Lidge was very active, playing football
, basketball
and baseball among other sports. Lidge attended Cherry Creek High School
.
. He won the Big East player of the year award during his junior season under coach Paul Mainieri
, leading the conference with an 8–2 record and 93 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
, taken 17th overall in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
. He missed parts of his first four professional seasons (at Quad Cities, Kissimmee, Round Rock, and New Orleans) with injuries, including a torn rotator cuff and a broken forearm that threatened his career. Lidge would overcome these injuries, making his debut in the major leagues on April 26, 2002 against the Atlanta Braves
, serving as a middle relief pitcher
in the Astros' bullpen
. He started the only game of his career in September of that year against the Milwaukee Brewers
. Lidge went 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBI
s at the plate, but was pulled when he strained an intercostal muscle in his ribcage after pitching three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, two walks and a hit batsman.
on June 11 (the most recent no-hitter in Astros history). That year, Lidge was voted Astros Rookie of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA
.
Following the trades of Billy Wagner
in the 2003 off-season and Octavio Dotel
in the summer of 2004, the Astros moved Lidge from setup man to closer
. He set a new National League
record for strikeouts by a reliever with 157, passing Goose Gossage
's total of 151 set in 1977. The mark is third all-time for relievers, behind Dick Radatz
's 181 in , and Mark Eichhorn
's 166 in . In the 2004 season, hitters swung and missed at Lidge's strikes almost 42% of the time; for balls out of the strike zone, batters missed more than 70% of the time. Baseball writer Joe Posnanski
noted, "I have no doubt that Brad Lidge, that one year, was one of the most unhittable pitchers in the history of baseball."
appearance in 2005, Lidge pitched the bottom of the seventh, striking out all three batters he faced. He threw 11 pitches (2 balls) to Melvin Mora
, Mike Sweeney
, and Garret Anderson
, who did not make contact with any of Lidge's pitches. Lidge became the first pitcher to strike out the side in his first All-Star appearance since Bill Caudill
and Dwight Gooden
in 1984.
Later in 2005, Lidge finished the season with a 2.29 ERA and a career-high 42 saves. That year, Lidge ranked third in the National League in saves and became the second Houston Astros pitcher ever to record at least 40 saves in one season alongside Billy Wagner.
During the 2005 NLCS
, Lidge gave up a 3-run home run to Albert Pujols
in Game 5 in Houston which forced a Game 6 back in St. Louis, which the Astros would win to clinch their first World Series berth in franchise history. Lidge gave up a walk off home run in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series
, which the White Sox swept from the Astros.
in March 2006, throwing two scoreless innings. Later that year, Lidge became the third pitcher in Astros history to record 100 saves with the club, after Wagner and Dave Smith, and this led the Astros to sign Lidge to a one-year, $5.35 million contract that would keep him in Houston through the 2007 season. In 2006, Lidge threw the fastest pitch of his career, at 102 mph.
However, Lidge was demoted from the closer's role on April 9, 2007. Lidge would later regain his role in mid-June as the closer after going 10+ scoreless innings and posting a 2.45 era. On July 17, 2007, Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Washington Nationals
, striking out two and walking one, to earn his first save of the 2007 season. Lidge finished the season 5–3 with 19 saves in 27 chances for the Astros. On November 7, 2007, Lidge was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies along with infielder Eric Bruntlett
in exchange for outfielder Michael Bourn
, pitcher Geoff Geary
, and minor leaguer Mike Costanzo.
In February 2008, Lidge tore the meniscus in his right knee while pitching off the mound during Spring Training. To exacerbate matters, this was the same knee that he had had surgery on during the off-season. Later in the month, he had successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair the torn meniscus
. As a result, Brad sat out until April 5 to start the season.
During the early 2008 season, Lidge showed signs that he regained the dominant form he displayed in his earlier career. In the opening two months of the season, he converted 12 save opportunities and allowed just two earned runs. In May, Lidge returned to Minute Maid Park
, where he was greeted by a mixed reaction from Astros fans, but he recorded his 12th save of the season against his former team. He opened the month of June, usually the start of the summer's heavy-hitting season, with three saves earned in three straight games versus the Florida Marlins
and the Cincinnati Reds
.
In July 2008, Lidge signed a 3-year contract extension with the Phillies. Lidge also set new Phillies records by converting his first 19 save opportunities and 35 straight saves.
Lidge was named to the roster of the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. He was announced before the game as the closer. After warming up six separate times, he ended up the final pitcher available in the game, and pitched in the 15th inning. He allowed a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning, as the American League won the game, 4–3.
On September 27, 2008, Lidge became the first closer in Phillies history to be perfect in regular season saves, converting 41 in as many opportunities, as he secured the National League East
division title for the Phillies. He is the first closer since Éric Gagné
in 2003 to have a perfect conversion rate and 30+ saves. Lidge finished the 2008 season with 41 out of 41 save opportunities, a 1.95 ERA, and 92 strikeouts in 62 games. He saved the decisive Game 5 of the 2008 World Series
in Philadelphia on October 29, 2008 with a strikeout, to make him 7 for 7 in postseason saves, thus completing his perfect season.
Lidge was eighth in the voting for the 2008 NL MVP award, behind Albert Pujols
, Ryan Howard
, Ryan Braun
, Manny Ramirez
, Lance Berkman
, CC Sabathia, and David Wright, and was the only player other than Pujols or Howard to receive first place votes.
He received the MLB Comeback Player of the Year
and DHL Delivery Man of the Year
awards. Baseball fans nationwide voted him the MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards
" Closer of the Year. Lidge was voted the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
's Outstanding Pro Athlete of the Year award and honored at their annual dinner on January 26, 2009. He was named the inaugural recipient of the Daily News Sportsperson of the Year award.
due to a sprained right knee.
After returning to the Phillies, Lidge's performance did not improve and he continued to blow leads and save opportunities, but Phillies manager Charlie Manuel
continued to support Lidge and reiterate that he was the team's closer. By September, though, Lidge had struggled long enough that Manuel began using other relievers to close games. Lidge was used in different situations out of the bullpen, but did not find a role where he pitched consistently well. Lidge finished the season with a win-loss record of 0–8, an ERA of 7.21, and 31 saves in 42 opportunities, and he allowed an average of 1.81 walks plus hits per inning pitched
. For closers with at least 20 saves in a season, Lidge's 2009 ERA is the worst in MLB history. Lidge's best month of the season was July, when his ERA was 5.91, and his best save streak stretched only 8 consecutive saves.
In the National League Division Series, Lidge appeared in Games 3 and 4 in save situations, earning the save in both games. In Game 1 of the 2009 National League Championship Series
, Lidge secured his 3rd save helping the Phillies win 8 to 6. In Game 4 of the series, Lidge pitched in relief of Scott Eyre
to retire the last two batters with the Phillies trailing 4–3 in the ninth inning. He eventually got his first win of 2009 after Jimmy Rollins
hit a game-winning double
to give the Phillies a 5–4 victory. In Game 4 of the 2009 World Series
, Lidge gave up three runs in the ninth inning, giving the Yankees a 7–4 win.
, surrendering a home run to the first batter he faced and recording one out before being removed from the game. On June 22, 2010, Lidge recorded his 200th save against the Cleveland Indians
.
After spending most of the first half on the disabled list, Lidge rebounded from the previous season. He converted 17 of his last 18 save opportunities during the regular season and recorded two saves during a 2010 postseason in which he did not allow a run. Lidge finished 2010 with a 2.96 ERA and 27 saves in 32 opportunities.
to teammate Ryan Madson
. Here he took the spot of a long reliever and at the end of the season the Phils
declined his 2012 option making him a free agent.
with his wife, Lindsay, and his two children, daughter, Avery Grace and son, Rowan Thomas. Lidge has an interest in archaeology
and religious studies
and takes online courses at Regis University
.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
) is a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "Lights Out", he is the all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings (12.2 K/9) among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career. Lidge throws a four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
that consistently reaches 91 or 92 miles per hour, as well as a hard, sharp breaking slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
that ranges from 85 to 87 mph. He sealed the Phillies' 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
Championship with the final out, a strikeout of Eric Hinske
Eric Hinske
Eric Scott Hinske is a Major League Baseball outfielder, first baseman, and third baseman currently an Atlanta Braves organization...
in Game 5.
Early life
Brad Lidge was born in Sacramento, California on December 23, 1976. At a young age, the Lidge family moved to EnglewoodEnglewood, Colorado
The city of Englewood is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. As of 2007, the city is estimated to have a total population of 32,532. Englewood is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Englewood is located in the South Platte River Valley east of the...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Growing up, Lidge was very active, playing football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball among other sports. Lidge attended Cherry Creek High School
Cherry Creek High School
Cherry Creek High School is the oldest of six high schools in the Cherry Creek School District in suburban Denver, Colorado. It is one of the largest high schools in the Denver metro area, with an campus and more than 3,700 students. Cherry Creek High School has been designated a Blue Ribbon...
.
College career
Lidge attended Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. He won the Big East player of the year award during his junior season under coach Paul Mainieri
Paul Mainieri
Paul Mainieri is the current head coach of the LSU baseball team. Prior to that position he was the head coach of the Notre Dame baseball team from 1995–2006, the United States Air Force Academy baseball team from 1989–1994 and the St. Thomas University baseball team from 1983–1988...
, leading the conference with an 8–2 record and 93 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
Early career
Lidge was a 1st round draft pick by the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, taken 17th overall in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
. He missed parts of his first four professional seasons (at Quad Cities, Kissimmee, Round Rock, and New Orleans) with injuries, including a torn rotator cuff and a broken forearm that threatened his career. Lidge would overcome these injuries, making his debut in the major leagues on April 26, 2002 against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, serving as a middle relief pitcher
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
in the Astros' bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. He started the only game of his career in September of that year against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Lidge went 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
s at the plate, but was pulled when he strained an intercostal muscle in his ribcage after pitching three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, two walks and a hit batsman.
2003–04
In 2003, Lidge was the winning pitcher in the Astros historic six-pitcher tandem which no-hit the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
on June 11 (the most recent no-hitter in Astros history). That year, Lidge was voted Astros Rookie of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
.
Following the trades of Billy Wagner
Billy Wagner
William Edward Wagner , nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched for the Houston Astros , the Philadelphia Phillies , the New York Mets , the Boston Red Sox , and the Atlanta Braves...
in the 2003 off-season and Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
in the summer of 2004, the Astros moved Lidge from setup man to closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
. He set a new National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
record for strikeouts by a reliever with 157, passing Goose Gossage
Goose Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
's total of 151 set in 1977. The mark is third all-time for relievers, behind Dick Radatz
Dick Radatz
Richard Raymond Radatz , nicknamed "The Monster" or "Moose", was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who had a scorching but short-lived period of dominance for the Boston Red Sox . Radatz also played for the Cleveland Indians , Chicago Cubs , Detroit Tigers and...
's 181 in , and Mark Eichhorn
Mark Eichhorn
Mark Anthony Eichhorn is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher best known for his tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays the late 1980s - early 1990s where he often served as a middle reliever/set-up man for All-Star closer, Tom Henke...
's 166 in . In the 2004 season, hitters swung and missed at Lidge's strikes almost 42% of the time; for balls out of the strike zone, batters missed more than 70% of the time. Baseball writer Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski is an American journalist and senior columnist for Sports Illustrated and former columnist for the The Kansas City Star. He writes extensively on his personal site, Joe Blogs and his SI blog Curiously Long Posts.-Journalism:Posnanski began his journalism career as a multi-use...
noted, "I have no doubt that Brad Lidge, that one year, was one of the most unhittable pitchers in the history of baseball."
2005
In his first All-Star GameMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
appearance in 2005, Lidge pitched the bottom of the seventh, striking out all three batters he faced. He threw 11 pitches (2 balls) to Melvin Mora
Melvin Mora
Melvin Mora , affectionately nicknamed Melmo or Melvy, is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder who is a free agent...
, Mike Sweeney
Mike Sweeney
Michael John "Mike" Sweeney is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, originally as a catcher and then moving to first base. Sweeney has also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia...
, and Garret Anderson
Garret Anderson
Garret Joseph Anderson is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played most of his career with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels...
, who did not make contact with any of Lidge's pitches. Lidge became the first pitcher to strike out the side in his first All-Star appearance since Bill Caudill
Bill Caudill
William Holland Caudill is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. One of the wackier players to play the game, Caudill was also one of baseball's top closers from to . Caudill is perhaps most notable for being agent Scott Boras' first client.-Early years:Caudill was drafted by the St...
and Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
in 1984.
Later in 2005, Lidge finished the season with a 2.29 ERA and a career-high 42 saves. That year, Lidge ranked third in the National League in saves and became the second Houston Astros pitcher ever to record at least 40 saves in one season alongside Billy Wagner.
During the 2005 NLCS
2005 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 12, 2005 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIn the series opener, the Cardinals won 5–3 behind a strong pitching performance by Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter and a two-run home run by Reggie Sanders in the first inning...
, Lidge gave up a 3-run home run to Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
in Game 5 in Houston which forced a Game 6 back in St. Louis, which the Astros would win to clinch their first World Series berth in franchise history. Lidge gave up a walk off home run in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
, which the White Sox swept from the Astros.
2006–07
Lidge pitched for Team USA in the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
in March 2006, throwing two scoreless innings. Later that year, Lidge became the third pitcher in Astros history to record 100 saves with the club, after Wagner and Dave Smith, and this led the Astros to sign Lidge to a one-year, $5.35 million contract that would keep him in Houston through the 2007 season. In 2006, Lidge threw the fastest pitch of his career, at 102 mph.
However, Lidge was demoted from the closer's role on April 9, 2007. Lidge would later regain his role in mid-June as the closer after going 10+ scoreless innings and posting a 2.45 era. On July 17, 2007, Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, striking out two and walking one, to earn his first save of the 2007 season. Lidge finished the season 5–3 with 19 saves in 27 chances for the Astros. On November 7, 2007, Lidge was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies along with infielder Eric Bruntlett
Eric Bruntlett
Eric Kevin Bruntlett is a retired Major League Baseball utility player who last played in the New York Yankees organization. He was known for his defensive versatility; he usually played second base or shortstop, but has also played left field. Bruntlett played every position except for catcher...
in exchange for outfielder Michael Bourn
Michael Bourn
Michael Ray Bourn is a professional baseball outfielder with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He serves as the Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter. He has also been a member of the United States national baseball team....
, pitcher Geoff Geary
Geoff Geary
Geoffrey Michael Geary is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a reliever for the York Revolution of the Atlantic League.-Biography:...
, and minor leaguer Mike Costanzo.
2008
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...
. As a result, Brad sat out until April 5 to start the season.
During the early 2008 season, Lidge showed signs that he regained the dominant form he displayed in his earlier career. In the opening two months of the season, he converted 12 save opportunities and allowed just two earned runs. In May, Lidge returned to Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
, where he was greeted by a mixed reaction from Astros fans, but he recorded his 12th save of the season against his former team. He opened the month of June, usually the start of the summer's heavy-hitting season, with three saves earned in three straight games versus the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
In July 2008, Lidge signed a 3-year contract extension with the Phillies. Lidge also set new Phillies records by converting his first 19 save opportunities and 35 straight saves.
Lidge was named to the roster of the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 79th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, home of the New York Yankees, on...
. He was announced before the game as the closer. After warming up six separate times, he ended up the final pitcher available in the game, and pitched in the 15th inning. He allowed a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning, as the American League won the game, 4–3.
On September 27, 2008, Lidge became the first closer in Phillies history to be perfect in regular season saves, converting 41 in as many opportunities, as he secured the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
division title for the Phillies. He is the first closer since Éric Gagné
Éric Gagné
Éric Serge Gagné is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in 1995, Gagné began his career as a starting pitcher...
in 2003 to have a perfect conversion rate and 30+ saves. Lidge finished the 2008 season with 41 out of 41 save opportunities, a 1.95 ERA, and 92 strikeouts in 62 games. He saved the decisive Game 5 of the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
in Philadelphia on October 29, 2008 with a strikeout, to make him 7 for 7 in postseason saves, thus completing his perfect season.
Lidge was eighth in the voting for the 2008 NL MVP award, behind Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
, Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
, Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
, Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, Lance Berkman
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
, CC Sabathia, and David Wright, and was the only player other than Pujols or Howard to receive first place votes.
He received the MLB Comeback Player of the Year
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
and DHL Delivery Man of the Year
DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award
Major League Baseball honors its best relief pitcher monthly with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Month Award and annually with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award. The awards were initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company...
awards. Baseball fans nationwide voted him the MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards, initiated by Major League Baseball in , are honors given annually to the most extraordinary baseball performances, players, and managers. Baseball fans select the nominees for and winners of the awards, via the online voting system on MLB.com, the official website of...
" Closer of the Year. Lidge was voted the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association was founded on May 12, 1904, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US. The first of what would become an annual Awards Dinner was held on February 15, 1905.-Awards:...
's Outstanding Pro Athlete of the Year award and honored at their annual dinner on January 26, 2009. He was named the inaugural recipient of the Daily News Sportsperson of the Year award.
2009
Lidge's 2009 season was a complete reversal of fortune from the prior year, in which he was perfect in save opportunities. Through the month of June, Lidge had an ERA of 7.57 in innings pitched, while he converted only 14 of 20 save opportunities. Lidge missed most of June due to injury, as he was placed on the disabled listDisabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
due to a sprained right knee.
After returning to the Phillies, Lidge's performance did not improve and he continued to blow leads and save opportunities, but Phillies manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
continued to support Lidge and reiterate that he was the team's closer. By September, though, Lidge had struggled long enough that Manuel began using other relievers to close games. Lidge was used in different situations out of the bullpen, but did not find a role where he pitched consistently well. Lidge finished the season with a win-loss record of 0–8, an ERA of 7.21, and 31 saves in 42 opportunities, and he allowed an average of 1.81 walks plus hits per inning pitched
Walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base...
. For closers with at least 20 saves in a season, Lidge's 2009 ERA is the worst in MLB history. Lidge's best month of the season was July, when his ERA was 5.91, and his best save streak stretched only 8 consecutive saves.
In the National League Division Series, Lidge appeared in Games 3 and 4 in save situations, earning the save in both games. In Game 1 of the 2009 National League Championship Series
2009 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in the 2009 World Series. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers four...
, Lidge secured his 3rd save helping the Phillies win 8 to 6. In Game 4 of the series, Lidge pitched in relief of Scott Eyre
Scott Eyre
Scott Alan Eyre is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Eyre attended the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 9th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
to retire the last two batters with the Phillies trailing 4–3 in the ninth inning. He eventually got his first win of 2009 after Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
hit a game-winning double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to give the Phillies a 5–4 victory. In Game 4 of the 2009 World Series
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
, Lidge gave up three runs in the ninth inning, giving the Yankees a 7–4 win.
2010
Lidge underwent elbow surgery in January 2010, and he pitched in rehabilitation games with the Phillies' minor league teams (Clearwater, Reading, & Lehigh Valley) during the beginning of the 2010 season. He made his first major league appearance of the season on April 30 against the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, surrendering a home run to the first batter he faced and recording one out before being removed from the game. On June 22, 2010, Lidge recorded his 200th save against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
After spending most of the first half on the disabled list, Lidge rebounded from the previous season. He converted 17 of his last 18 save opportunities during the regular season and recorded two saves during a 2010 postseason in which he did not allow a run. Lidge finished 2010 with a 2.96 ERA and 27 saves in 32 opportunities.
2011
Lidge started the year on the 60 day disabled list. He returned in August of 2011. He lost his spot as the closerCloser (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
to teammate Ryan Madson
Ryan Madson
Ryan Michael Madson , nicknamed "Mad Dog", is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher, who is a currently a free agent...
. Here he took the spot of a long reliever and at the end of the season the Phils
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
declined his 2012 option making him a free agent.
Personal life
He currently resides in Englewood, ColoradoEnglewood, Colorado
The city of Englewood is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. As of 2007, the city is estimated to have a total population of 32,532. Englewood is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Englewood is located in the South Platte River Valley east of the...
with his wife, Lindsay, and his two children, daughter, Avery Grace and son, Rowan Thomas. Lidge has an interest in archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
and takes online courses at Regis University
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
.