- Brad Lidge
Infobox MLB player
name=Brad Lidge
caption=Lidge during pregame warmups for the Phillies
positionplain=Relief pitcher
team=Philadelphia Phillies
number=54
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|12|23
birthplace=city-state|Sacramento|California
debutdate=April 26
debutyear=2002
debutteam=Houston Astros
statyear=2008
stat2label=Saves
stat2value=167
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=25-20
stat3label=Earned run average
stat3value=3.10
stat4label=Strikeouts
stat4value=653
teams=
*Houston Astros (by|2002–by|2007)
*Philadelphia Phillies (by|2008–present)
awards=
* 2x All-Star (2005, 2008)
* 2008Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
* 2008NL Comeback Player of the Year Bradley Thomas Lidge (bornDecember 23 ,1976 inSacramento, California ) is arelief pitcher for thePhiladelphia Phillies ofMajor League Baseball . Nicknamed "Lights Out", [ [http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041017&content_id=898054&vkey=ds2004news&fext=.jsp&c_id=null The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: 'Lights Out' Lidge slams door ] ] he is the all-time leader instrikeouts per nine innings (12.98 K/9) among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career. Lidge throws afour-seam fastball that consistently reaches 97 or 98miles per hour , as well as a hard, sharp breakingslider that ranges from 87 to 90 mph.College career
Lidge attended Notre Dame. He won the Big East player of the year award during his junior season under coach Paul Maineri, leading the conference with an 8-2 record and 93 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
Professional career
Early career
Lidge was a by|1998 first-round draft pick by the Houston Astros, taken 17th overall. 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, by|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 theMilwaukee Brewers . Lidge went 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBIs 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 by|2003, Lidge was the winning pitcher in the Astros historic six-pitcher tandem which no-hit [ [http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/20030611/ Big Days in Astros History - June 11, 2003 - Six Astros Pitchers No-Hit Yankees ] ] the
New York Yankees on June 11 (the most recent no-hitter in Astros history). [ [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1137746/6/26/index.htm Sports Baseball Jon Lester Milt Pappas Major League Baseball NL West Division - SI Vault ] ] That year, Lidge was voted Astros Rookie of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA. [ [http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/hou/news/hou_press_release.jsp?ymd=20031222&content_id=621942&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou The Official Site of The Houston Astros: Official Info: Hidalgo, Pettitte, Clemens to be honored at 19th annual Houston Baseball Dinner ] ]Following the trades of
Billy Wagner in the 2003 off-season andOctavio Dotel in the summer of by|2004, the Astros moved Lidge fromsetup man to closer. He set a newNational League record forstrikeouts by a reliever with 157, passingGoose Gossage 's total of 151 set in 1977. The mark is third all-time for relievers, behindDick Radatz 's 181 in by|1964, andMark Eichhorn 's 166 in by|1986.2005
In his first All-Star Game appearance in by|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 , andGarret 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 sinceBill Caudill andDwight Gooden in by|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. In Game 2 of the2005 World Series , Lidge gave up a walk off home run to Scott Podsednik. It was only Podsednik's second home run the entire year and it put the White Sox up 2-0 in the series; they proceeded to sweep the Astros to win the championship.2006–07
Lidge pitched for Team USA in the
World Baseball Classic in March of by|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 by|2007 season. In 2006, Lidge threw the fastest pitch of his career, at 102 mph. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview07/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2809709 ESPN - High-speed pursuit - MLB ] ]However, Lidge was demoted from the closer's role on April 9, 2007. [http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=] 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 infielderEric Bruntlett in exchange for outfielderMichael Bourn , pitcherGeoff Geary , and minor leaguerMike Costanzo .2008
In February by|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 theFlorida Marlins and theCincinnati Reds .In July 2008, Lidge signed a 3-year contract extension with the Phillies. This was partially a reward for his performance so far during the season, but also served the purpose of keeping him off the open market in the offseason; it saved the team from having to compete for his services. [ [http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080706&content_id=3076058&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi After signing deal, Lidge looking to win | phillies.com: News ] ] 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, Brad Lidge became the first closer in Philadelphia 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 was awarded the 2008 MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award for his efforts.He is the first closer since Eric Gagné in 2003 to have a perfect conversion rate and 30+ saves.Brad Lidge finished the 2008 season with 41 out of 41 Save opportunities,a 1.95 ERA and 92 Strikeouts in 62 games.Career stats
From 2002 to 2007, Lidge recorded over 100 saves for the Houston Astros. However, Lidge also recorded 23 blown saves (including 14 from 2006 to 2007) during that span in the regular season. With the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008, Lidge was a perect 41/41 in save opportunities during the regular season.
The following is a breakdown of Lidge's regular season saves, blown saves,
earned run average , and win-loss record throughout his career [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=5102] :
*2002: 0 Saves; 0 Blown Saves; 6.23 ERA; 1-0
*2003: 1 Save; 5 Blown Saves; 3.60 ERA; 6-3
*2004: 29 Saves; 4 Blown Saves; 1.90 ERA; 6-5
*2005: 41 Saves; 4 Blown Saves; 2.29 ERA; 4-4
*2006: 32 Saves; 6 Blown Saves; 5.28 ERA; 1-5
*2007: 19 Saves; 8 Blown Saves; 3.36 ERA; 5-3
*2008: 41 Saves; 0 Blown Saves; 1.95 ERA; 2-0Note: After recording three saves in the beginning of the 2005 postseason, Lidge the went 0-3 with one blown save in his last five games that postseason.
Personal life
He currently resides in
Englewood, Colorado with his wife, Lindsey, and his daughter, Avery Grace.Footnotes
External links
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