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Phillies' GM: 'Lidge is our closer' despite struggles

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Ken Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since August 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter.

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Updated Aug 26, 2009 4:31 PM ET
     
 
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. reiterated his support for the struggling Brad Lidge on Wednesday, stating emphatically, "Lidge is our closer." Lidge's nightmarish season continued Tuesday night when he suffered his major league-leading ninth blown save by allowing a two-run, game-winning homer by the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen. But Lidge, 32, was working for the fourth consecutive day, perhaps explaining his difficulties. Amaro said that he actually has been pitching better of late.
"Unfortunately, he had to go out there a fourth straight time. He didn't have much," Amaro said. "But he has been throwing pretty darned well. I like what I see as far as progress. He's showing better command of his fastball. His stuff looks better." Lidge's agent, Rex Gary, says that his client has not lost confidence and believes that he is close to returning to form. "He feels like he is on his way toward getting it, Gary said. "He feels strong. He feels his velocity is coming back. He really thinks he is getting close to turning the corner." Lidge's statistics indicate otherwise — his ERA is 7.33, and he has allowed 11 home runs in 46 2/3 innings after giving up just two in 69 1/3 innings last season. His health, an issue earlier this season when Lidge spent time on the disabled list with a sprained right knee, no longer is a problem, Gary said. "I honestly think the first half of the year when he was struggling, that was the knee," Gary said. "He changed his mechanics. He was more upright, trying to protect that knee. "Ultimately it wasn't working, and he went on the D.L. But since he's been back from the D.L., his knee really hasn't been bothering him. He's trying to get consistent with his mechanics." The Phillies lack quality alternatives to Lidge in the ninth inning. Ryan Madson blew four of eight save chances while Lidge was on the D.L. Brett Myers, recovering from hip surgery, has yet to return, and will not be expected to reclaim the closer's role. Poor luck might be part of Lidge's problem. His opponents' batting average on balls in play is .352, far above the National League average of .298. Last season, when Lidge converted all 41 of his save chances, his opponents' BABIP was .302. "I've seen games where he's throwing well and balls go to places where nobody is standing. Last year, those balls went to where people were standing," Gary said. "But as long as he feels confident and healthy, my strong belief is that he's going to turn this around."
Tagged: Phillies, Brett Myers, Brad Lidge

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