From ND to MLB: Brad Lidge

Brad Lidge is one of two baseball players whose time at Notre Dame coincided with mine. He pitched from 1996-98, putting together a 13-5 record and 4.86 ERA, with 143 strikeouts in 129 2/3 innings. Though he's worn No. 54 throughout his Major League career, in South Bend Lidge donned No. 20, the same digits worn for the Irish by former Expos hurler Dan McGinn and current Phillies farmhand Jeremy Barnes.


From the 2011 Notre Dame Media GuideIn '98, Lidge and third baseman Brant Ust were the fourth Irish teammates to earn the Big East's player and pitcher of the year awards in the same season, when Lidge was 8-2 with a 4.15 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings. He started 15 of the 16 games in which he appeared and his 93 strikeouts are 10th all-time in Irish history heading into this season, tied with two others (Alex Shilliday in '98 and Brian Dupra last year). On April 18, 1998, Lidge struck out 12 in seven innings in a game vs. Pittsburgh at Three Rivers Stadium, the seventh-highest total by one pitcher in a game for the Irish.

After his junior season in '98, Lidge was the Astros' first-round pick, taken 17th overall -- the highest selection ever used on a Domer and the same slot used by the White Sox to take catcher Ken Plesha in the first draft in 1965 and by the Diamondbacks on outfielder A.J. Pollock in '09. It took Lidge four years to reach the Majors, however, mostly because of shoulder and elbow injuries. He pitched in just four games in the minors in '98, six in '99, eight in 2000 and five in 2001 -- that's 23 games (and 100 innings) total in his first four professional seasons. They were all starts, however, as the Astros continued to groom the hard-throwing right-hander as a starting pitcher.

In '02 that changed. Lidge pitched 24 games at Triple-A New Orleans and another five at Double-A Round Rock, combining for 10 relief appearances between the two levels and racking up a career-high 122 2/3 innings. He also made his Major League debut that season, on April 26 at Atlanta. One week later, he appeared in a game at home against the Mets before being sent down until September.

The next year, Lidge made the Astros bullpen out of spring training and quickly teamed up in the late innings with Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner, whom he credited for taking him under their wings. The mentoring paid off as Lidge posted a 0.69 ERA in his first nine appearances, all coming in the Astros' first 17 games. Almost immediately, Lidge was a key part of the bullpen.

The formidable late-inning trio was perhaps no better than the night of June 11 at Yankee Stadium. Roy Oswalt started that game but aggravated a groin injury in the second inning and was pulled having faced three batters without allowing a hit. Five relievers followed, none of them yielding a hit, either, completing the first no-hitter consisting of six pitchers in Major League history. It was the first no-no against the Yankees since 1958 and the first against them at Yankee Stadium since '52. Lidge pitched the sixth and seventh perfectly, striking out two, and was awarded the win. Dotel pitched the eighth and Wagner the ninth.

At the end of the season, Lidge's ledger showed a 6-3 record, 3.60 ERA, one save and 97 strikeouts in 85 innings. Houston (87-75) finished second, a game behind the NL Central champion Cubs and four games behind the wild-card winning (and eventual World Series champion) Marlins. Lidge finished in a tie for fifth with the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera in the NL Rookie of the Year voting (won by Florida left-hander Dontrelle Willis) and his emergence allowed the Astros to trade Wagner to the Phillies for three prospects, making Dotel the closer and Lidge the eighth-inning guy.

The Astros started the 2004 season strong, never falling more than 2 1/2 games out of first place through the first two months. But a mediocre first three weeks of June, during which they went 10-10, saw Houston fall as far as fifth place and seven games off the pace. After a 7-2 loss to the Pirates on June 23, the Astros were 37-34 and five games behind the first-place Cardinals. The next day, Houston general manager Gerry Hunsicker acquired Carlos Beltran in a three-team trade that saw Dotel shipped to Oakland by way of Kansas City. Lidge, who had saved two games so far that season, was promoted to closer.

The move didn't pay immediate dividends as the Astros slipped to 44-44 heading into the All-Star Game at Minute Maid Park. The day after the Midsummer Classic, manager Jimy Williams was fired and Phil Garner took over, guiding Houston to a 48-26 second-half record and the NL Wild Card berth. Lidge finished the season with a 6-5 record and 1.90 ERA -- still a career best over a full season -- and 29 saves. He also struck out 157 batters in 94 2/3 innings, the fourth-most in MLB history for a pitcher with no starts, and his 14.93 strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio is also fourth among relievers with at least 70 innings, behind Wagner's 14.95 in 1999, Eric Gagne's 14.98 in '03 and Carlos Marmol's 15.99 in 2010. When the Astros dispatched the Braves in a five-game NL Division Series that October, it marked the first postseason series win in franchise history. The run ended there, though, because the Cardinals won the NLCS in seven games.

In 2004 as Houston's full-time closer, Lidge came back to earth a little bit, going 4-4 with a 2.29 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings. He did save 42 games, though, good for third in Astros history, just two behind the record 44 posted in 2003 by Wagner and matched in 2008 by Jose Valverde. And Houston won the NL Wild Card again, turned away Atlanta in the NLDS again, and faced St. Louis once again in the NLCS. Lidge saved three games against the Cardinals, but he also lost a memorable Game 5 that you may remember.

Lidge came on in the ninth with a 4-2 lead and Houston needing three more outs to reach its first World Series. He struck out John Rodriguez and John Mabry, both swinging, for two quick outs. David Eckstein and Jim Edmonds were the next two batters up before Albert Pujols, and Eckstein grounded a single to left field and Edmonds walked. Then Pujols, on an 0-1 count, crushed a towering home run that would have left Minute Maid Park had the roof been open. The win forced Game 6 back in St. Louis.

The Astros recovered, though, winning Game 6, 5-1, to advance to their first World Series, where they'd face the White Sox. Chicago took Game 1, and Lidge made his first appearance in Game 2 with the score tied 6-6 in the ninth. After retiring Juan Uribe on a fly ball to center, Lidge yielded a walk-off home run to Scott Podsednik to put the Astros in an 0-2 hole heading home for Game 3. The White Sox completed the sweep at Minute Maid Park.

Lidge pitched two more seasons in Houston, saving 32 and 19 games, before a November 2007 trade to the Phillies with Eric Bruntlett for three prospects. The 2008 season, of course, stands as Lidge's finest in a Major League uniform. He went 41-for-41 in save opportunities in the regular season, winning two other games without a loss and striking out 92 in 69 1/3 innings. The BBWAA voted him fourth in the NL Cy Young Award balloting, the only reliever among the six highest vote-getters. He added seven more saves without a hiccup in the postseason, allowing just one run in 9 1/3 innings across three series, culminating in the final out of the World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

That made Lidge the sixth Domer to win the World Series -- the first since Craig Counsell and the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees in 2001. And like Counsell in '97 with the Marlins, Lidge had a hand in the final play; Counsell scored the winning run in a walk-off Game 7 win. The other Series winners who once suited up for the Irish are Ed Reulbach (1907-08 Chicago Cubs), Jean Dubuc (1916 Boston Red Sox), John McHale (1945 Detroit Tigers) and Ron Reed (1980 Philadelphia Phillies).

The past three years haven't been as fruitful. Lidge went 0-8 with a 7.21 ERA in '09 (saving 31 games), then managed 27 saves and a 2.96 ERA in 2010, missing chunks of time in April and May. His 2011 season didn't begin until late July, after rehab stints with Lakewood and Reading, and consisted of only 19 1/3 innings over 25 games. He saved one game, matching his 2003 total. He hadn't had fewer than 19 since then.

This year, Lidge begins a new chapter in his career after signing a free-agent deal with the Washington Nationals. I spoke with him last September in Philadelphia.

Were you following Notre Dame before looking for colleges?
I enjoyed watching them on TV. I watched a little bit of college football, so I was very aware of their mystique and legacy and everything else. But, to be honest, I never thought I'd be going there. When I was in high school, I never really thought I'd ever have a chance to play at a Division I school until I was a senior. It happened kind of late. When I knew it was a possibility, my parents were like, "You're so lucky. It's unbelievable."

What was it that made you ultimately choose Notre Dame?
Recruiting trip. I already kind of felt like it's going to be tough to beat a school like this. The coaches in the baseball program at the time -- Paul Manieri, Brian O'Connor -- they were awesome, even just as a recruit there, and I knew that's where I wanted to be.

In the fall of '97, Craig Counsell came back after the Marlins won the World Series. I covered it for the South Bend Tribune. Do you remember that? Were you in the room for that?
I was. I do remember that. I don't remember exactly what he said. I do remember it was a really cool thing to know that somebody from our school had just done that. And hey, if you can get to the point where you keep playing well, you have a chance to do that too.

One of the things he said to the group was, "One of you guys could be in this position one day."
Right. Which is, obviously, ironic.

I think you're one of five ND alums who's won a World Series. One pitched for the Cubs in 1908.
Oh really? That's going way back. That's awesome.

You were drafted in '98 by Houston. What do you remember about that experience? Do you remember getting that call?
Oh yeah. You never know what to expect, but you hear a lot of stuff. On the actual day of the draft, I had some family and some friends over at my house.

[Jimmy Rollins cuts in after hearing about a draft: "Are you talking about fantasy football?"]

You know, if I was playing fantasy football as far back as '98, I would be a pioneer.

I had my friend's dad hook up the internet for us, because that was a big deal in '98. I mean, it wasn't too big of a deal, but it was still -- we didn't have it at our house. I remember following it live as it was happening. People were saying first round [for me], but you don't know. Sixteen picks go by, and I'm like, "Man, I hope I'm not a fourth-round guy." But then, 17 came up and I got drafted and we had a little bit of a party with family and friends.

I'm glad to see the draft getting more attention in baseball. Obviously, the guys don't go right into the big leagues, but it's still very important to the sport.

The draft was an awesome experience for me. I think for a lot of guys, if it becomes more important, it will be a lot more exciting [to follow] for everybody.

Coming up, you overcame a lot of injuries, didn't you?
I did. Right away, I had four surgeries in three years, my first three years in the minor leagues. To be honest, that's maybe the toughest point in my career. I'd say definitely the toughest point in my career, actually, because it's at that point, you don't know if you're ever going to play in the Major Leagues, if you're body's ever going to allow you to do it. I was fortunate in that when I was on the field, I pitched well, so I was able to move up each year, but it was a slow move. Obviously, with the injuries, even though I was throwing the ball well, it still took me four years to get to the big leagues because of the injuries.

What do you remember from your big league debut?
I remember we were in Atlanta. It was a blowout game and it was like the third inning, and our manager was like, "Alright, let's give this rook a try." I went out there and my legs, they felt like jello. That's the most nervous I've ever been, a hundred percent, no doubt, for sure. Miraculously, the first inning, I think I had a 1-2-3 inning, and they sent me back out for a second inning and the wheels fall off. I think I gave up a walk, a double, a single, another walk ...

I looked it up to be sure. I believe you did give up a single to B.J. Surhoff, to lead off, but then you did retire the rest in order. The next two you got strikeouts. And then yeah, the next inning is when the runs came.
Yeah, exactly. It's one of those bittersweet things where you wish it would've gone perfect, but you're just so happy you just got in there, too. But of course, then, two innings, two runs, you're sitting with a 9.00 ERA, too. I think I got in one more outing, against the Mets, and then I got sent back down for a while in 2002. It was really cool, but not exactly what I wanted.

Of your whole career, what's your best memory so far?
Yeah, we'll go with the 2008 World Series. That being said, there are some other memories that stick out that were amazing. In 2003, my first full season, we threw that no-hitter in New York. That was pretty cool. That was a pretty unique experience, if nothing else. I think for me, the clinching games where I got to pitch in Houston. Where we went to the playoffs and won a series for the first time in the history of the franchise, that was a really cool experience for me as well. But I think nothing will be able to compare to 2008.

You said your debut was the most nervous you've ever been, but '08, coming in for the last inning, not so much?
Not as much nervous, but I could feel a more palpable energy at that point than I've ever felt in my career.

What was it like to go back to campus after winning the World Series and be introduced on the field [with the Notre Dame baseball team] prior to a football game?
That was one of the proudest moments of my life. It's cool to go back to your high school and be recognized, but to go back to your college -- and a big-time college like Notre Dame -- is something else. I got to go back with my dad, stand on the field where I watched so many big games and wave to the student body. It was awesome.

Game 5s: Walking off

Yesterday's games:
Red Sox 5, Yankees 4, 14 innings
Astros 3, Cardinals 0

Astros lead series 3-2
Watching the other game while working tonight, we didn't flip over to check on this one at all. So when it came over to Fox, we saw the scoreless game featuring two one-hitters -- an amazing pitching duel, the kind of games that quickly become postseason classics. After Brad Lidge easily dispatched of the top of the St. Louis order, striking out Larry Walker and Albert Pujols, I saw that Carlos Beltran was leading off the ninth. "This is it," I said to my co-workers. Sure enough, Beltran led off with a single and stole second -- his first in the series, making him 31-for-31 since joining Houston -- after Jeff Bagwell flied out to center. With first base now open, Lance Berkman was walked, and then Jeff Kent ended it with a three-run shot to left. Now the Astros return to St. Louis needing one of the two games to head to their first World Series. The belief is that they will pitch Roger Clemens in Game 6 on Wednesday on three days' rest. His numbers in such situations isn't good throughout his career, but can Phil Garner really go with Pete Munro in a potential clincher? He's in a tight spot, one in which he will probably be second-guessed either way. Perhaps the better option is to send Munro out there -- he allowed three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 in Game 2, which isn't horrible -- and, if a Game 7 is needed, start Clemens on full rest and have Roy Oswalt (then on three days' rest) available out of the bullpen as a bridge to Lidge. Or, if Clemens is strong, Oswalt can be saved to start Game 1 of the Series. One thing's for sure: No matter how much Garner's moves have been questioned, they've still gotten the Astros within one win of the World Series.

Yankees lead series 3-2
How exciting and intense would this series have been if it hadn't started out 3-0 for New York? There is definitely some electricity and excitement buzzing around Boston right now, but how much momentum do they really have? Both games were won in extra innings, so it's not like the Red Sox rode a wave of emotion and fan support and breezed through Games 4 and 5. There were times in both games when Fenway came across on TV like the 18th green at the Masters, only with less anticipation and hope in the air. Despite these two nail-biting wins, there's still that feeling that the Sox are merely putting off the inevitable. Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, for one, felt like Boston could win two at home and bring the series back to New York, and under other circumstances, they'd still be considered to have a chance. But seeing as how no team has ever come back from 0-3, the order in which they've won these games is what has Yankee fans still feeling somewhat confident. But there's this: If Curt Schilling does pitch Game 6, and if he can get over his ankle injury -- if it really is comfortable enough to not be a factor -- then it's down to a winner-take-all seventh game in which anything can happen. It won't, but there have to be some normally pessimistic Red Sox fans who are at least a little bit excited at the prospects.

Game 3s: Night and day

Thursday's game:
Cardinals 6, Astros 4

Yesterday's games:
Astros 5, Cardinals 2
Yankees 19, Red Sox 8

Cardinals lead series 2-1
There was little attention paid to baseball the past few days because Notre Dame was playing Navy at Giants Stadium, and with so many college friends and their families in, we didn't spend too much time watching the LCS. During last night's relaxing dinner party at my apartment, however, we did flip back to the games when football contests were slower or in commercial, so we saw a bit of Roger Clemens' strong performance capped by the devastating slider of the former Notre Dame pitcher, Brad Lidge. At the moment, the Astros are tied 5-5, but I'll hold off on further comment until the game is final. I have to say, though, that my favorite uniform for Houston is the white jersey without the pinstripes and the brick-red "Astros" and cap. I don't like the red BP jerseys they're wearing today, and the black pinstripes and hats aren't as cool.

Yankees lead series 3-0
I'm just not in the mood. I'll address it when it's time.

Postseason thoughts, Day 5

Saturday's games:
Astros 8, Braves 5
Yankees 6, Twins 5, 11 innings
Dodgers 4, Cardinals 0

Yesterday's games:
Braves 6, Astros 5
Cardinals 6, Dodgers 2

Yankees win series, 3-1
There wasn't much doubt how this one would turn out, especially after the Twins blew Game 2. Even when the Yankees aren't as good as they're perceived to be, or they've been in past seasons, they somehow seem to get the job done. Now they head into the Red Sox Rematch -- er, ALCS -- with the added drama of "Do It For Mo," Mariano Rivera, who'll be coming back from Panama, where his wife's cousin and the cousin's son died when they were electrocuted while cleaning Rivera's pool. There's always something with the Yankees. The Red Sox have a better chance of pulling it off this year -- it could be their best chance to win the Series since 1986 -- but they've got one particular stat to knock off first: The Yankees have never lost in the ALCS. They're 10-0, including 6-0 since 1996. New York's only postseason losses since returning there in 1995 were in the Division Series (to the Mariners in '95, the Indians in '97 and the Angels in '02) or the World Series (the Diamondbacks in '01 and the Marlins last year). Unless the Yankees beat Curt Schilling once, Pedro Martinez twice or a combination of that, along with taking out Tim Wakefield, this one's going seven games. Schilling could very well win three games this series, and if he does, that'll do it, because the third start, naturally, would be Game 7. And if he doesn't start it, he'll be available out of the bullpen, that's for sure. But as I said in my postseason preview, I can't go against the Yankees here until it happens. I'm rooting for it with my heart, but I'm thinking that it'll be Yanks in seven. We'll see.

Cardinals win series, 3-1
Four games: pegged it. At least Lima Time is back in effect, and it helped the Dodgers end their eight-game postseason losing streak. The Dodgers' pitching wasn't considered all that spectacular by many (a view I held too), so the St. Louis lineup will have to somehow put up the same output against Houston or Atlanta if it wants to move on to the World Series for the first time since 1987. Those teams can hit, and the Cardinals may benefit from the potential of playing four of the seven games at home, but they'll have to keep either the Astros or the Braves off the board at some point to notch a win or two. Depsite the 4-0 Dodgers win in Game 3, the Cardinals still averaged 5.5 runs per game in the series, allowing 3 per game to L.A., which only scored more than three runs in its shutout victory, when, it turned out, one would have been enough. The point is, there will probably be one or two games against either the Astros or Braves in which eight runs is not enough to win.

Astros-Braves series tied, 2-2
I said the Astros would sweep, and instead, it's the only series that comes down to a decisive Game 5. Clearly, I never thought it would be coming back to Atlanta, and my sweep pick was more that I thought the Braves were the most sweep-able team of the eight. Not so much. What Houston has going for it is Roy Oswalt. He's Ace 1A on this team, and he can clearly lead the Astros to their first postseason series victory in the team's 42-year history. But he'll have to go seven or eight innings to do it, which means Houston will need a 3- or 4-run lead to keep him from getting pinch-hit for in the sixth or seventh. So more than just the way he pitches will determine how far he goes in this game. Phil Garner's getting a little heat for the way he's managed this series, and he's a bit lucky to have Oswalt going here because he couldn't use an ill Clemens to pitch the wild-card clincher on the last day of the season, so his division series rotation was set for him. The Astros should've wrapped this one up at home yesterday, and in going with Clemens on three days' rest, why lift him after five? (Ron Gardenhire's getting the same heat for lifting Johan Santana after only five innings, and he deserves it more. Why go with your ace on three days' rest in Game 4? Well, when you're down 2-1 facing elimination, it's logical. But you have to get at least six, if not seven from him.) Anyway, in Game 2, Oswalt went 6 1/3, allowing a run on eight hits and a walk, striking out four. Brad Lidge was asked to go 2 2/3 for the save, and he didn't get it, and Atlanta won on Rafael Furcal's game-winning DWI -- er, game-winning RBI -- a two-run home run in the 11th. Back in May, Houston took two out of three in Atlanta, losing the middle game (started by Oswalt) 5-4 in the 10th on an Andruw Jones home run. Essentially, that's what the Astros would be doing tonight, taking a three-game series in Atlanta after losing the second game. My pick for tonight: 7-2 Astros.

My take on the Carlos Beltran trade

I sat here on the couch last night watching the Astros-Pirates game on my MLB Extra Innings package when the play-by-play man made the announcement:

"The Astros have acquired Carlos Beltran in a two-team deal with the Kansas City Royals."

He said it with all the enthusiasm of announcing the daily lottery numbers. That surprised me. I would've expected more excitement at acquiring the A-Rod of the outfield.

You know, C-Belt.

(And seriously, what is it with the Astros and their "Killer Bs"? Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, now Beltran? They used to have David Bell in that mix. They traded catching prospect John Buck in the deal, who very well could've become another one. If they were in the American League, they'd probably get Barry Bonds in another year.)

For about an hour, I fretted. I own Octavio Dotel in my primary fantasy league. I kicked myself at not acting on my urge a month ago to try to acquire setup man Brad Lidge, a player I covet not only for his ability, but because he was drafted out of Notre Dame as the Astros' first-round pick in 1998. I searched the rosters, considering possible trades, coming back to some deals I considered proposing weeks ago. Dotel in Kansas City wouldn't have been that bad. He wasn't getting too many save chances with the 37-34 Astros; or at least they were sporadic. I read an analysis earlier in the season that proved that better teams -- winning teams -- do not necessarily get more save opportunities than bad ones. But I just didn't feel as comfortable with Octavio Dotel, Royals closer as I did with Octavio Dotel, Astros closer.

Then, just after Houston GM Gerry Hunsicker left the booth, the announcer came back with the same low-key monotone:

"Octavio Dotel is now an Athletic. The Royals have turned around and traded him to Oakland for third-base prospect Mark Teahen and pitcher Mike Wood."

Whew. Now I feel better. Octavio Dotel, A's closer. That's better. Oakland has done well with closers during their successful run these past few years. There's a winning attitude around that clubhouse, and with a reliable pitcher at the back of the bullpen, they've thrived. Arthur Rhodes is not a reliable pitcher at the back of the bullpen, that's been their problem this year. The only problem I could foresee is that Oakland no longer has pitching coach Rick Peterson -- he's in New York now, helping the Mets to the best ERA in the majors.

But as for the Astros, they made out well in this deal. They gave up one young closer who has struggled just a bit this year, but certainly looks like he's on his way to being a reliable stopper. They traded a catching prospect who likely would've replaced Brad Ausmus next year, but he's not a sure thing. And they got a five-tool player, even if it's only for three months. In dealing Richard Hidalgo for David Weathers last week, Houston got itself another reliable setup man who can step into the seventh/eighth inning role vacated by Lidge now that he's coming on in the ninth.

What makes it such a great move for the Astros is perhaps more than any team outside Boston, they're built to win Now. You hear that a lot, but no where is it more true than Minute Maid Park. Bagwell and Biggio are not getting any younger, faster or healthier. Who knows if Robot Roger Clemens will return next season -- or if he'll have the same amazing success? Their pitching staff, outside Clemens and Weathers, is on the young side, and when Clemens does retire, Andy Pettitte can assume the experienced veteran leader role. Taylor Buchholz, acquired in the Billy Wagner trade, could very well become a No. 3/4 starter someday. But the bulk of the offense is aging, and replacing Bagwell, Biggio, Ausmus and Jeff Kent will be the more pressing needs in the coming seasons.

If Houston is going to win its first playoff series -- ever -- it will need to make a run with this team.