Lidge Gets the Save, But....

Brad Lidge is back from the disabled list, and he got his first save opportunity against the Toronto Blue Jays today. He came into a 5-4 game in the bottom of the ninth, hoping to save one for Jamie Moyer. Moyer pitched five innings. Chan Ho Park pitched two good innings, and Ryan Madson had a scoreless eighth, and so it came to the Phillies' erstwhile closer.

Even his scoreless outings are adventures. Lidge gave up a bunt single to the first hitter, and then Lidge walked the next batter. Lidge then managed to extricate himself from the situation with a scoreless inning and his 14th save in 21 opportunities, but it's like watching Mitch Williams all over again. Even the successful outings are enough to drive one insane. Let's just hope that Lidge is back to his old form after the rehabilitation trip to the minor leagues. If the Phils are to have a chance to repeat, they will need Lidge to get people out and not blow any more saves.

The Phillies' bats finally have awakened the last two games. They've scored 15 runs in two games, including a come-from-behind victory today. Chollie Manuel gave the team an uncharacteristic chewing out on Friday night, and it appears to have done some good. Let's hope that the team is back on the right track, because there's still lots of season left to go. In spite of it all, the rank incompetence of the Muts means that the Phillies continue to hold an improbable tw0-game lead, even after the losing streak from hell.