Phils Must Again Take Action

Brad Lidge giving up the lead to the Braves in the 9th inning, Sat., Aug.15.
The Braves won 4-3. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

J.A. Happ pitched out of trouble in the 6th, leaving the bases loaded, without allowing a run, a test that likely strengthened him. It was something he hasn't had to do much of this year, to credit his dominance, and it was the type of jam you rarely escape a postseason without facing. So, if this was Happ's chance to glimpse himself in a pinch and survive, unscathed, it was both a success and an invaluable lesson.

Meanwhile, Ryan Howard showed once again, against a division rival in August, why he is the Phils' 'X' factor. Howard's 2 very big home runs accounted for all of the Phils' RBIs, reminding everyone why he is a perennial MVP candidate. By the way, Howard has averaged a HR in every 3 games and more than an RBI per game against the Braves in his career!

Also, the Phils continually receive flack for having such a hitter-friendly home park, which is nationally know as the reason they hit so many dingers. However, their road HR numbers are by far the best in baseball, and they've now hit 81 at Citizens Bank in Philly and 81 in 1 less game on the road. So, the numbers disprove the widely-held notion that the Phils HR status is bloated and somehow ingenuine.

The Phils took care of business in Atlanta, winning 2 of 3 and pushing the Braves to 6 back in the NL East, while Florida fell to 4 1/2 behind. So, despite the Braves and Marlins playing their winningest baseball of the season, the Phils maintain a sizable lead.

So, why should the Phillies worry about their problems, 1st and foremost, the one called "Lidge?" Brad, this time last year, was their greatest treasure, the most soothing member of the ballclub, the unflappable 9th inning solve.

In 2008, if we led through 8 innings, we won, simple as that. Perhaps, we took it for granted, didn't know how good it was-- well, now we do, and change we must. As much as this team can now rest on its laurels and coast on their talent to the NL East pennant, management must resist and act now. The Phillies must not become complacent, but must rather act to keep their World Series title defense and 2009 dreams alive. The reality is, whether it's Myers, Madson or Martinez, the Phils' replacement closer will need time to adjust to their new role in the spotlight with newfound pressure and responsibility.

There is always the dream that Lidge will come around, that his 1 out save tonight is finally the comeback he has flirted with all season, that he will reclaim the form he had in 2009. However, elite teams never rest on their laurels. They strike while the iron is hot, and that is exactly what the Phils must do. They did it with Cliff Lee, who successfully solved the front end of the rotation, and they must do it now at closer, the back end of the bullpen. I covered the numbers and the sides of the argument in "The Lidge Dilemma" (my August 12th post). I will add that since: Lidge blew yet another lead and lost one more game, totaling at MLB-worst 8 blown saves, a record of 0-5. Jonathan Broxton's troubles of late for the Dodgers give one pause, makes the problem Lidge is having in his role appear more universal. After appearing as the NL All-Star Closer last month, Broxton posted a 4.91 ERA in July and is carrying an ERA of 7.20 with 2 blown saves (Lidge-type numbers) in the 1st half of August. Last night, Broxton blew his 5th save of the season for the Dodgers, surrendering 2 HRs in the bottom of the 9th inning.

There comes a point where enough is enough. Perhaps, for all the reasons stated in "The Lidge Dilemma," the Phils have shown no sign of it, publicly, with Lidge. However, the clock must be ticking behind closed doors and 'the hook' awaits. It is, along with Hamels' unreliability, the biggest current disturbance in the Phils' force. Hamels, with the addition of Lee and emergence of Happ, now has a supporting cast strong enough to hold him up, but it's a different story when the fate of the game rests on the shoulders of the man who stands on the mound in the 9th, trying to save it. Right now, Brad can't, and it's sad. It's also hurting the team. Maybe the cost presently appears low, with a padded lead in the division, but the cost is deceptively high if the replacement comes too late, and the team's 2009 closer version 2.0 has insufficient time to adjust to their new role, which leads to an abbreviated version of last year's playoff run.

It seems hard to believe that the same front office that refused to sit back and enjoy 1st place at the trade deadline, but rather aggressively landed the best player moved in Cliff Lee, would allow that to happen. This shrewd era of Phils management is too bright and too proactive to passively pin the team's postseason hopes on our faltering former saver, whose current predicaments have left every close lead in a quandary and our collective fate in doubt.