Brad Lidge Thinks 2010 is the New 2008

Danys Baez is here, some talented minor league pitching is here, and apparently, Eric Gagne may even be here.  So what’s with the guy who was the Phillies bullpen in 2008?  Is he walling up his Colorado residence?  Trapped under something heavy?  Sucked into some sort of wilderness, bear-fighting club?

Last week, the Phillies “dearly departed” list for Opening Day included the surgery-riddled Jamie Moyer, J.C. Romero, and Brad Lidge.  All pitchers, two from the pen, and one with the possibility of being there.  Which is somewhat indicative of strange, desperate moves (*COUGH* Gagne *COUGH*) on Ruben Amaro’s part to thicken what he’s got out there behind the center field wall by April 5.

The Philadelphia Daily News is saying Brad Lidge wants to be ready for Opening Day (well, yeah… who doesn’t?) and has “positive vibes” about his pitching in 2010.

Unfortunately “vibes” are not a measurable baseball statistic, so you’ll have to pardon me if I remain gun shy of a gun that missed the target a record number of times, and also shot a few of our starters in the spine once or twice.

But he says he thinks he can be ready Opening Day, so… good.

“That’s my goal. I still think it’s possible.”

I’m anxious to see Brad throw, honestly, because I want to know if we’ll have to play eight inning games this year, or chew my nails down to the knuckle everytime ol’ “Lights Out” comes hustling to the mound.  Somewhere in between would be perfectly acceptable, and really, the important thing is, he sounds confident, and he’s apparently been rehabbing his ass off after knee surgery.

“My arm’s actually feeling stronger than it has in a long time and the range of motion is better than it’s been in a long time, so I’m very confident.”

Yeah, that’s… that’s what I said.

In fact, the first break he’s taken from his work outs to is fly to New York and be honored for giving money to a charity, the Baseball Assistance Program, which helps out families of baseball who’ve run into bad times.

I don’t think anybody would fine him for that trip.  Here’s to a 2008 Brad Lidge in 2010.