Life On the Lidge

Who is the Phillies most indispensable player?
Jimmy Rollins? Chase Utley? Ryan Howard? Soon to be free agent Jayson Werth? Carlos Ruiz?

How about the injury-plagued Brad Lidge?

It is truly amazing that the Phillies made it to the World Series (and probably should have won it) last year with as gaping a hole in their bullpen as they had with Lidge and Ryan Madson trying fairly unsuccessfully to finish games. For them to get back there for a third straight season, this issue must be resolved quickly.

The way the game is now, you build in your bullpen from your closer backwards and if you don't have the reliable, dependable closer to build with, your chances for success aren't very good.

And, now, with Ryan Madson unavailable for another month and a half to be Robin to Lidge's Batman, it is even more imperative that Lidge get healthy and return to something close to what he was in 2008.

It is really staggering that the Phillies are a first place team with all of the injuries they have had, including one save from Lidge to this point, to endure to this point of the season, and with Ryan Howard yet to really get going and be the impact player that he can and should be.

They NEED Lidge to reestablish himself and make it easier for Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee to establish roles and order in the bullpen to get the game to Lidge in a save situation. The 'pen has the potential to be pretty good, and features more hard throwers than the Phils have had in a long time, but it can only be good IF Lidge is healthy and closing and the other guys are doing what they have do in a prescribed role.

All you have to do to realize the importantance of a good closer is to take a look at the Washington Nationals and what Matt Capps has done.

Who would have figured the Nats to be right on the Phillies heels at this point in the season?
Not too many people but the fact is, they get a lead and protect it and win.

It is time for Lidge to get healthy, get his game in order and get back to doing what he is being paid a lot of money to do...and that is slam the door shut in the ninth inning!