Brad Lidge may not close a game for Philadelphia this year.He may not even be wearing a Phillies uniform next season.
hey're things Lidge can't control.
"I keep thinking about this year and how I want to get everything out of this year that I possibly can," he said. "When this year's over, I have no idea where I'll be or what the process will be going into next year, but really, I'm just super concerned right now and all my energy is going into coming back this year and giving everything I can for the last couple months of the season."
Lidge threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and will throw another Friday followed by an additional one on Sunday or Monday. He is eying next week for the start of a rehab assignment.
The 34-year-old isn't sure how many minor league games he'll need to pitch to build up his arm strength and to get sharp, but he thinks he'll be back sometime in July after the All-Star break.
"I've never been out this long, so I don't know how long it's going to take me to build up on the other side of this, but hopefully it goes quick," Lidge said. "Obviously, being in the bullpen as opposed to being a starter is an advantage because I don't have to build up innings and pitch counts."
Lidge, who's missed the entire season with a partially torn rotator cuff and then elbow inflammation that developed when he started his throwing program, previously said he expected to be back by the end of June, or at the latest, mid-July.
"It's taken longer than I wanted, but if I can get back before the end of July, then I'll still have two months of ball to get myself where I need to be," he said. "Hopefully, I'll be able to throw a lot in that time frame. Obviously, those games are important. It's not October, but I got to throw well in those games, too."
June has not been a good month for the Phillies for the last few years. The same can't be said about June 2011.
Heading into Wednesday's game, the Phils owned a 16-9 record this month, assuring them of their first winning record in June since 2007, when they were 15-13. They lead all major league teams this month in team ERA (2.52) and have allowed the fewest runs (65).
Not that manager Charlie Manuel doesn't smile when he sees those numbers, but he has a virsion of something even bigger and better.
"I would say when the people upstairs see us winning, they might think we have enough and I'm not saying they're wrong or right, but it doesn't matter what kind of team I have, I always want them to get better," Manuel said. "I don't think I'll ever be satisfied, if you want to know the truth. I think always wanting to get better is where it's at."
With Phillies pitchers having thrown 10 complete games this season — the most in baseball (Tampa Bay is second with seven) — someone was bound to ask Manuel what factors into his decision on whether or not his starter gets stick it out to the end.
"Last night came up and in that last inning somebody asked me if [Shane] Victorino pops one out and we're up 8-0, would you take [Cliff] Lee out of the game," Manuel said. "I thought to myself, Why would I take him out of the game? Are you saying 10 or 15 pitches is going to make a big difference in him getting tired at the end of the year? I don't think that at all. He's pitched that good and if he can pitch a shutout why not let him pitch a shutout? That right there is what he went out there for. Now, if I look out there and he's already got 120 pitches, well then all of a sudden, the 15 I'm talking about is really 25-35. So there is a difference. That's how I look at it, and you know what? How I look at it is what counts."
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