It's Charlie's Fault - Thursday, August 28, 2008
259 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   It was surprising to watch Brad Lidge up and throwing in the Phillies bullpen in the eighth inning of last night's loss to the Mets. Here was the closer, who usually isn't limbering up in save situations until the Phillies hit in the bottom of that inning, getting ready, just in case. The message from Phils manager Charlie Manuel was two-fold: First, the bullpen was spent from Tuesday's 10-inning performance, and second, Lidge might be asked to get the four-out save.

   When Rudy Seanez cruised through the first two batters of the eighth, things looked good. But Carlos Delgado was the next hitter, and he already had a home run in the game. Worse, he was 3-of-6 lifetime against Seanez. If Manuel was going to use Lidge in the eighth, that was the time to do it. Nope. He stayed with Seanez, but only after sending pitching coach Rich Dubee out to tell the 15-year vet to be careful with Delgado. Thank goodness he did that, because Seanez had never heard of the Mets slugger. In the radio booth, Larry Andersen was livid. Why mess with Seanez's rhythm?

   But things would get worse. Instead of bringing in the closer, the best righty in the bullpen, in a tight situation, Manuel left Seanez in. Disaster followed. Delgado homered, and after a dink single, Manuel finally made the move. By that time, the game was tied, and Lidge was no longer in a save situation. We all know what happens to closers in that circumstance -- a lack of concentration leads to trouble. That's what the Phillies got. A couple hits later, first place was but a memory.

   Seanez served up the homer. Lidge gave up the next three runs. But Manuel deserves the heat. He should have gone to Lidge as soon as Delgado stepped out of the dugout. Beating the Mets and their ace, Johan Santana, Wednesday would have been a crushing psychological blow, especially on the heels of Tuesday's scintillating win. Instead of playing to win, just as he hadn't earlier in the game, when the Phils had men on first and second with no one out, and Manuel had refused to bunt them over to set up the chance of an insurance run, Manuel made the wrong move. It cost the Phils a game, the chance for some momentum and an opportunity to wound the Mets.

   Now, the Phillies head to Chicago to take on the red-hot Cubs and their majors-best starting pitching. It's the beginning of a 10-game road trip, and it could have commenced with the Phils in first, 1 1/2 games ahead of fetid Mets. Instead, they are in second place. Well done, Skipper. How many more of these mistakes can we tolerate?