The Bizzaro World of Closing

         Elite players are judged on how they do in the postseason. Two great examples are David Winfield and Reggie Jackson. Winfield was dubbed the name “Mr.May” due to his lack of success during the baseballs October month of playoffs. Jackson on the other hand has been coined Mr. October. With out a doubt one of the best nicknames in the history of sports. During the past division series round their were 4 examples of “bizzaro world closing”. The closers in question are the Twins Joe Nathan, Boston’s Jonathan Papelbon, The Rockies Huston Street and the Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge. The before mentioned first three each had great regular seasons. Nathan amassed 47 saves with an ERA just over 2. Papelbon earned 38 saves with an earned run average just south of 2, and being the in the AL east that is some feat. Finally Street achieved 35 saves with a WHIP just below 1.00. What do these 3 premier closers have in common? They each blew very important saves during their respective team’s playoff series, with the last 2 blowing the series clinching game. Nathan didn’t help in his team’s series clinching loss giving up 2 inherited runs. These 3 closers time in and time out this season have been called upon to close the game, to seal the deal and most importantly to win the game. When it mattered most they blew it.

         On the flip side there is Brad Lidge. Last season Lidge didn’t blow a save in the regular or post seasons. This year on the other hand Lidge has had one of the worst seasons for a regular closer of all time. Although he obtained 31 saves… he blew 11 of them… 11?? It has taken 5 seasons for Mariano Rivera to blow 11, and it took Lidge just one. Not only that but he also lost 8 games. His record was 0-8! That’s horrendous, I mean come on that is legit bad. Last years hero turned into this year’s goat. He was frequently booed off the field, ripped in the media and hated by fans. It got to the point where it seemed that every game he entered he would give up a run and make the game interesting if not blow it. Yet some how he made the Phillies post season roster. Most players with those stats would never, but their manage Charlie Manuel always stuck with Lidge. In this past Divisional round against Streets   Rockies who was it closing out the win to give the Phillies the series lead, then the win to give them the series win. It was Lidge. He pitched 1.1 innings, striking out 1 and obtaining 2 saves. The goat of the team, the NL and the MLB was a small hero. When put into perspective it just truely shows how great of a closer Rivera is. He does it in BOTH seasons every time asked and is the definition of clutch. (Lidge #54 left) (Rivera Right)

         Some how this is truly the bizzaro world. So Bizzaro it would make Seinfeld, Costanza and Superman go nuts. Compared to the other 3 he (Lidge) has no business doing well on this high spectrum of the sport. He did it last season and so far is doing it for this post season. If he can do it this post season then no one will remember his regular season....and that’s what separates the Mr. May’s from the Mr. Octobers.