PHILLIES GOT BRAD LIDGE!!!!!

by **Bob Loblaw** » Thu May 08, 2008 10:16:28

Disco Stu wrote:And now we have our no-hit backup shortstop. Least he is white.

0 homeruns in the last TWO years.

And 2 this year.

by **BuddyGroom** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:16:07

Grotewold wrote:Can and will we re-sign this guy

Good question. Haven't heard any dumb anti-Philadelphia comments from Lidge yet, which is so par for the course with veteran reliever we acquire. So he may like it here.

Honestly, I can see the Phillies ponying up for this guy if he has a really strong year. I know there's not a lot of sentiment on this board for paying big money to relievers, but Lidge, when he's right, has special stuff. And there were signs the last two years that the problem was more with the Astros' ability to trust Lidge than anything else.

I don't know who Lidge's agent, but would love to see him sign a three-year deal at some point during the season or immediately after.

by **lethal** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:37:06

Cordero signed for 4 years, 46 mil with a 5th year option. That's probably Lidge's starting point if he has a great year.

by **Shore** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:44:06

lethal wrote:Cordero signed for 4 years, 46 mil with a 5th year option. That's probably Lidge's starting point if he has a great year.

I really, really like Lidge, but if he wants 4/46, and the owners are still going to put some artificial cap on our payroll, then... DO NOT WANT.

by **phuturephillies** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:45:01

Myers is the closer next year anyway. So Lidge won't be back. I hope Manuel rides him into the ground this season and gets the max out of him and we collect the 2 draft picks.

Website · by **Wolfgang622** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:49:40

mozartpc27 wrote:
Drugs Delaney wrote:Initial reaction is that I like it. Lidge was a pretty solid pitcher in 2007 after a brutal 2006. 88 strikeouts in 66 innings confirms he still has stuff. And it moves Myers back into the rotation which is the best thing about it.

I posted this on the other board, but what I find interesting about Lidge is that his peripherals - K/9 and K/BB anyway - were almost identical in '05 versus '07 (his K/9 both years was over 11, so very good). The biggest difference in his performance was hits allowed. I don't know if the fact this number dropped for him in '07 is a good sign or a bad sign, because I haven't lookd at his BAA for '06 vs. '07 yet, but my guess is the "real" Lidge is much closer to the '07 version than the '06.

So, for a 25 year old light-hit outfielder, an essentially replacement level reliever, and a third base "prospect" who is likely a marginal major leaguer at best, this is a good deal.

Wade in Houston is paying dividends for the Phillies already.

I posted this before JFLNYC even. For once, it looks like I was right -- though I'm going to reserve judgment, I think, until at least after the ASB. Hopefully Lidge keeps pitching for that contract.

by **lethal** » Thu May 08, 2008 12:00:03

Shore wrote:
lethal wrote:Cordero signed for 4 years, 46 mil with a 5th year option. That's probably Lidge's starting point if he has a great year.

I really, really like Lidge, but if he wants 4/46, and the owners are still going to put some artificial cap on our payroll, then... DO NOT WANT.

I agree. OK, let's see, if there's a 100M payroll cap, let's even put that at 105M. Lidge, Burrell, Gordon, Moyer, and Thome come off the books. Madson might be non-tendered. Hamels is due a big raise in arbitration, Victorino, Werth, Dobbs and Howard are also arbitration eligible. Utley, Rollins, Jenkins, Romero, Eaton, Feliz and Myers are signed. Kendrick, Ruiz, Coste, etc are minimum salary type guys.

Hopefully you can sign either a closer or starter plus another starter plus you might still need Durbin or Happ or Carrasco or Carpenter to make the rotation out of ST. You have to resign Burrell or a replacement (and if that replacement is Werth, then a RH partner for Jenkins - unless this is Golson).

If you trade Howard, are you moving Utley to 1B with Donald at 2B while waiting and hoping that Cardenas and Durant makes it in 2-4 years?

That's all doable for 105M I hope. Lots of open issues though.

by **JFLNYC** » Thu May 08, 2008 12:10:54

phuturephillies wrote:Myers is the closer next year anyway. So Lidge won't be back. I hope Manuel rides him into the ground this season and gets the max out of him and we collect the 2 draft picks.

^Most likely scenario. ^

by **Trent Steele** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:04:46

Hi Brad, Bye Pat

• An open door for the closer? While the Phillies have yet to explore what it might take to re-sign Pat Burrell, there are rumblings that they've told another impending free agent, Brad Lidge, that "at some point" in the near future, they'd like to get a feel for Lidge's interest in staying.

Phillies assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Rumblings the club considers Lidge's future to be "much like Burrell's situation." But when asked if the team planned to wait until the end of the year to discuss an extension with Lidge, Amaro replied: "Not necessarily. But those are discussions we prefer to keep internally."

Those negotiations could well turn on the length of contract Lidge has in mind. If he models his requests after the four-year deals that Billy Wagner and Francisco Cordero got, the conversation might end in a hurry.

You may recall the Phillies offered Wagner only two years. And the closest they've come in the last two decades to giving any pitcher a four-year contract was the three-year deal, with a vesting option, that Curt Schilling signed in 1997. On the other hand, Lidge has told his buddies he likes everything about Philadelphia -- so far. Of course, one of them says, "he hasn't been booed yet.

by **phuturephillies** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:10:39

Lidge turns 32 in December. Id certainly offer him 3/36.

The key is going to be how he reacts after his first blown save, assuming he blows a save this year. If he bounces back and the stuff is still dominant, he'd be worth the money. His slider is unhittable, and his velo is back in the 94-97 range.

by **jamiethekiller** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:12:26

he'll be worth every penny that he wants.

by **dajafi** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:13:09

I'm usually the first on the "don't overpay for closers" line. But this might be because we haven't had one worth overpaying... I'd be strongly tempted to do a Furcal-like deal with Lidge (fewer years, higher dollars), if he's amenable. 2/$29m with an option/buyout?

by **lethal** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:13:34

phuturephillies wrote:Lidge turns 32 in December. Id certainly offer him 3/36.

The key is going to be how he reacts after his first blown save, assuming he blows a save this year. If he bounces back and the stuff is still dominant, he'd be worth the money. His slider is unhittable, and his velo is back in the 94-97 range.

3/36 Yes. 4/46? Too many years.

Website · by **Wolfgang622** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:45:17

Trent Steele wrote:Hi Brad, Bye Pat

• An open door for the closer? While the Phillies have yet to explore what it might take to re-sign Pat Burrell, there are rumblings that they've told another impending free agent, Brad Lidge, that "at some point" in the near future, they'd like to get a feel for Lidge's interest in staying.

Phillies assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Rumblings the club considers Lidge's future to be "much like Burrell's situation." But when asked if the team planned to wait until the end of the year to discuss an extension with Lidge, Amaro replied: "Not necessarily. But those are discussions we prefer to keep internally."

Those negotiations could well turn on the length of contract Lidge has in mind. If he models his requests after the four-year deals that Billy Wagner and Francisco Cordero got, the conversation might end in a hurry.

You may recall the Phillies offered Wagner only two years. And the closest they've come in the last two decades to giving any pitcher a four-year contract was the three-year deal, with a vesting option, that Curt Schilling signed in 1997. On the other hand, Lidge has told his buddies he likes everything about Philadelphia -- so far. Of course, one of them says, "he hasn't been booed yet.

Really, this almost isn't funny anymore: where is Pat Gillick? Is he dead? Frozen? Is he incapacitated? How much are the Phillies paying him to have Ruben Amaro answer all of the Inquirer's questions?

by **philliesphhan** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:53:15

You'll note the other day, Floopy started a 'Post here whenever you see Pat Gillick' thread. It probably won't be updated any time soon.

by **phuturephillies** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:53:54

Still waiting on that photoshop.....

by **kruker** » Thu May 08, 2008 13:58:25

I will give the Phils credit for not wanting to go over 3 years with any pitcher. Hopefully they stay true to that philosophy.

by 1 » Thu May 08, 2008 14:11:49

kruker wrote:I will give the Phils credit for not wanting to go over 3 years with any pitcher. Hopefully they stay true to that philosophy.

Didn't Myers get 4?

by **philliesphhan** » Thu May 08, 2008 14:55:22

Nope, 3/25.75

by 1 » Thu May 08, 2008 15:00:26

philliesphhan wrote:Nope, 3/25.75

i said "didn't"

Archived

PHILLIES GOT BRAD LIDGE!!!!!