How Long Was Lidge Hurt?
Injuries could explain horrible 2009 season
By DAN STAMM
Updated 7:32 PM EST, Sat, Nov 7, 2009
Phillies closer Brad Lidge was scheduled to have surgery Monday to repair an injured throwing arm.
Maybe that could explain why he was so bad for large parts of the season -- because he was hurt.
The 32-year-old right-handed reliever will have surgery Wednesday to remove a “loose body” from his throwing elbow, the Phillies said Saturday.
Not only was his elbow hurt but he also was scheduled to have doctors take a look at his right (a.k.a. plant or push) foot to have his flexor/pronator tendon evaluated. Lidge hoped to be ready soon after Spring Training, according to a note by the Zo Zone.
The injuries revelation could make fans angered with the Phils sticking with Lidge through a horrible season even more pissed off.
There was speculation that something was wrong with Lidge throughout the season but outside of a June stint on the DL he kept on pitching.
How long was Lidge hurt? Were these recent ailments or was the closer struggling with pain all year?
If it turns out that Lidge was pitching hurt all season then someone should be fired, mused ESPN's Rob Neyer.
Dude might have a point.
Lidge cost the Phillies Game 4 of the World Series along with many other games -- heck the guy gave up runs in nearly half of his 67 appearances this season. For the year the once perfect closer stumbled to a 0-8 record with an over-sized 7.21 ERA while blowing 11 saves in 42 chances.
How long was he hurt and who knew about it might never be known.
What was suddenly apparent though was that it seemed that his fall from grace wasn’t just in his head -- it was in his arm, and possibly his foot, as well.
First Published: Nov 7, 2009 6:39 PM EST
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