Phillies Still Frontrunners in Brad Lidge Sweepstakes

As we’ve learned with Ruben Amaro, no deal is ever truly over, even if it seems like it is.  Or if you want it to be.

Brad Lidge, being an available player, has naturally piqued Ruben’s interest.  He is, after all, a reliever, so maybe he would fit in with our bullpen?  I guess there’s no real way to be sure, unless you could have a guy play for your team for three years before deciding whether or not he should be on it.

And Ruben’s actually had that, because he is a professional general manager and conniving genius.  So, with Brad being on the market and all, Ruben’s poking around.  Which is a bit counter productive.  I can’t imagine he wants to fill out the bullpen with a guy he knows he is an injury risk and lacks interesting stuff even when healthy.  Then again, is there another kind of relief pitcher that exists?  I guess the “unproven young gun just waiting for a chance.”  We’ve got a few of those, too.

Ryan Madson didn’t have a deal until yesterday, so it’s not too surprising that Brad didn’t have one either.  Ryan may not have been buying folding chairs for kicking purposes just yet, but had Brad gotten a deal before him, he may have had Scott Boras sit in the chair before he kicked it.

Ha, ha!  Referencing old news stories!  It’s the same thing as a joke.

Sure, Brad Lidge deserves your respect.  I mean, let’s not get carried away, but he does.  Even if you’re just playing the “he seems like a nice guy” card, he is a worthy target for your admiration.  Plus he had that season that went pretty well that one time.  Just ask Casey Feeney about it if you like you “analysis” to appear in several intense, one-sentence paragraphs.  Which are fun because they make it seem like you’re pausing dramatically for effect.

What I’m trying to say is that Brad would be a welcome face in the clubhouse, but not a valuable arm in the bullpen.  Which, being a relief pitcher, seems to be the basis of his baseball career.