Just wanted everybody to know (even though some of you probably don't care) that Brad Lidge is doing fantastic. Just like I predicted. He is leading the team with the lowest ERA and is second in Batting Avg. Against, as well as K's per inning. In his last 10 appearances he's only given up one run.
Go Lidge!
~MW~
47 comments:
Hey, you should, like, post an entire Bio on lidge!
or at least a link; i would love to read it!!!
~Rob
Not a bad idea... I'll look around and find one. You want a baseball bio? Like career stuff or a life biography?
~MW~
This is interesting... I don't know how credible the source is but...
It was written by a guy from the same area Lidge grew up in...
A fellow Cherry Creek High graduate, Brad told me he didn’t even make the varsity baseball team at Creek until his senior year, when his fastball jumped from the 80 mph range into the 90’s.
Drafted by the Houston Astros in 1998, Brad got the closer job in 2004. In the 2004 playoffs, Brad had a great season by breaking the National League strikeout record for relievers and pitched well under the pressure of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals to become one of the top closers in baseball.
Brad says his best pitches are his slider and fastball, which occasionally clock out at 100 mph. His third pitch is a split-finger fastball.
Having been taught how to play chess by his father when he was seven, Brad has played the game throughout high school and college.
Brad is working on popularizing chess with his Astros teammates. He plays chess regularly with teammates Lance Berkman, Morgan Ensberg, and Brad Ausmus. All four are pretty evenly matched at chess. It was really cool to receive a baseball in mail from Brad last summer, signed by the Astros’ Chess team.
Brad compares chess and baseball, “The game of baseball between pitcher and hitter sets up like a game of chess in that you have to anticipate several moves or pitches ahead to set up your opponent.”
“In chess, the goal is to capture pieces to make your way toward the king. In baseball, you are capturing outs to make your way toward a win for your team”.
This is from Wikipedia... Can you believe that we once had Wagner, Dotel and Lidge ALL AT ONCE?!?!? Talk about nobody scoring after the 6th inning. Nice...
Lidge was a 1998 first-round draft pick by the Houston Astros, taken 17th overall. He missed parts of his first four professional seasons (at Quad Cities, Round Rock, and New Orleans) with injuries, including a torn rotator cuff and a broken forearm that threatened his career. Lidge would overcome these injuries, making his debut in the major-leagues on April 26, 2002 against the Atlanta Braves, serving as a middle relief pitcher in the Astros' bullpen. He started the only game of his career in September of that year against the Milwaukee Brewers. Lidge went 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBIs at the plate, but was pulled when he tore an intercostal muscle in his ribcage after pitching three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, two walks and a hit batsman.
Following the trades of Billy Wagner in the 2003 off-season and Octavio Dotel in the summer of 2004, the Astros moved Lidge from setup man to closer. He set a new National League record for strikeouts by a reliever with 157, passing Goose Gossage's total of 151 set in 1977. (The mark is third all-time for relievers, behind Dick Radatz's 181 in 1964, and Mark Eichhorn's 166 in 1986.)
In his first All-Star Game appearance in 2005, Lidge pitched the bottom of the seventh, striking out all three batters he faced. He threw 11 pitches (2 balls) to Melvin Mora, Mike Sweeney, and Garret Anderson, who did not make contact with any of Lidge's pitches. Lidge became the first pitcher to strike out the side in his first All-Star appearance since Bill Caudill and Dwight Gooden in 1984.
Later in 2005, Lidge finished the season with a 2.29 ERA and a career-high 42 saves. That year, Lidge ranked third in the National League in saves and became the second Houston Astros pitcher ever to record at least 40 saves in one season alongside Billy Wagner.
Now thats what I am talking about!
you learn some really fascinating things sometimes!
Thanks for doing all that research; I am sure every Astros fan will appreciate it! =)
~Rob
Well Missy, how much longer do we go with Wheeler after todays meltdown? 3 runs in bottom of 9th.
I say we give Lidge back the closers role. Wheels has given up 10 runs in his last 10 appearances with only 2 saves. His ERA is almost 5.
~MW~
*blink* *blink*
ARG!!!
The Astros are losing again!!!!
WHAT IS THE DEAL???
Hey, I forget...what does "ERA" stand for again?
I agree! put Lidge back!
~Rob
He's doing good now, but just wait till it really counts and the pressure's on. Loser Lidge will collapse in crunch time. Just watch. :-) (LOL, I can't even type this with a straight face :):):)
You're asking for it now John!
ERA is Earned Run Average. You can calculate it by multiplying the pitchers total earned runs (ER) by 9 (College and Pro, 7 for High School, 6 for Little League) then dividing the product by the total innings pitched (IP) by the pitcher. So if a College pitcher gave up 2 ER in 9 IP whats his ERA. How about a High School Pitcher who gave up 9 ER in 4 IP? Hope that helps.
The Baseball Guru
(The Numbers 9, 7, and 6 have to do with the total number of innings for an official game in those particular Leagues.)
John you are asking for it BIG time. OMG missy is gunna strangle you at church. In fact you better just stay homme, not that that will stop her. You better start running right now.
Thank you very much Baseball Guru!
The Collage Kid has an ERA of 2
and the High School Kid has an ERA of 15.75...
Right?
Thanks again and John! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!
Missy's coming full ablaze and steaming HOT!
~Rob
Hehe, I'll watch my back :) I'll get the .22 pictures up on hbf blog as soon as I get a chance, but it probably won't be until after the sethsa conference this weekend.
Right, well I'll be waiting :)
Whatever John. I have nothing to say to you.
:):):)
~MW~
that was really really lame missy.
Your Welcome Sir Robby.
Any other Q's for the Baseball Guru?
well my DRG and FTH are as low as posible ......so far
pingiuns enjoy monopoly and French fried and freeze dried Grasshoppers
Your Dirty Round Grubs and for Fake Teeth Hygiene are low? THATS DISGUSTING!!!!!!
actually it doesn't mean anything.
roast beef toped with whipped cream and sour dough.
HEY!
we beat the White Socks last night!
YA!!!
I hope you guys are going to watch or listen to the game today at 2:55
I know I am!
~Rob
YEA YEA!!!!!! Down with the SOX!!!! Sampson ROCKSS!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE ASTROES!!! BOOOO!!!! Btw, can you believe that Clemens is playing for the Yanks now hee hee that guy needs to get a life. :D
I KNOW!!!
The sleez! THAT FOX!!! THE DEVIL!
He sold his soul to Satan! AND WORSE!
THE liberal Yankees!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!
The Yanks are losing again!
But that could change real quick!
TOP of the 6th
A 1
CWS ZERO!
Missyroo,
Did you know that Lance Berkman had the nick name "Fat Elvis"?
I just found that out today! LOL
They say his new nick name is "The Big Puma"
I think he does look like a "Fat Evils"
But, hey, He's putting all that weight to good use :)
Top of the 8th, bases loaded, no outs
A 1
CWS 0
~Rob
How can we get only ONE run out of that situation?
Yea, I've been watching the game all day. Fat Elvis is rather funny... but I think Puma is funnier. Cause it SO does not fit him. Sleek and athletic. :):):) He dubbed himself Big Puma.
He is such a joker! You gotta love him!
Clemens did pretty good today...
~MW~
Yea, I guess I don't really feel that way about Clemens...but I was still pretty upset when he went back :(
They're tied now!!!
A 2
CHW 2
I am glad you watching :)
Here... Lets do the wave
...:::::.....::::::......::::::....
~Rob
the Astros are really letting me down
they need to win six times in a row
good parrots eat lipstick
*stare*
Hmmmm... I think that Brooke is trying to communicate to us that she is totally lost in the midst all this baseball talk!! : )
Here- I'll join you, Brooke... *blink* *stare*...
O.K, I've decided that rooting for the Astros is decidedly more fun... Yeah Astros! Go Lidge dude!!! (BTW, I like that name- Lidge- it's what I call poor Elijah 95% of the time.)
Oh, Missy, guess what? we're putting an offer on the house I told you about with the music studio! :):):):):):):):):):) I am very happy about that.
uhh- I was trying to say "of all". I'm going to go sleep now! : P
I'm sorry, tub-of-blub-Berkman is still the best. :):):)
Interesting. He is looking good. But I agree with John. I think the problem is he cant handle the pressure of the Closer's role anymore. Haha Then again neither can Wheeler.
TC
Quals did pretty good Saturday!
Maybe he should start closing?
*gawk*
Brooke either commenting on here or start cheering. Boredom is a choice. I would suggest that you choose to Cheer for the Astros (they need every fan they can get right now).
I think Lidge is ready. He is our closer now officially.
Trey! How can you say that?!! And I thought you were a fan!
Some people around here have no faith...
~MW~
It's hard to have a whole lot of faith in that guy :)
It isn't if you've followed him as long and as closely as I have!
~MW~
Missy,
Given your superior intellect, I highly agree with what ever you have to say about the Astors!
~Rob
*blink* *stare* *gawk* - *wink*
Why thank you. I'm glad someone around here has some sense.
:):):)
~MW~
Brooke, you are so funny!
You should take Baseball 101. I'd be a great teacher. :)
~MW~
can I take baseball 101 as well?
I think I'm laking the baseball part of my education.
Angles got Wings plucked By stros Last night
woooooooooooohoooooooooooo>
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