October 27, 2005

The Taste of Defeat: A comprehensive list of relievers who blew big games and how they fared afterwards. Where's Brad Lidge going to fit in?

posted by DrJohnEvans to baseball at 10:43 AM - 12 comments

It may be worth noting that Lidge is the first reliever to lose multiple games in a World Series since Mitch Williams (rating: "utterly ruined").

posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:46 AM on October 27, 2005

Oh yeah, via Simmons

posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:47 AM on October 27, 2005

Jeff Reardon should have been on that list. 1992 World Series Game 2 Reardon gave up a two-run shot in the top of the 9th to Ed Sprague that took the Jays from a deficit to a win.

posted by the red terror at 12:44 PM on October 27, 2005

My boy Lidge gave up a few very deciding home runs and one very ugly run in game 4 of the world series but I lay alot of blame on Garner for not immidiately going back with Lidge after the first Home Run he gave up to Pujols. Its the managers job to relay his confidence in his players and he didnt do that with Lidge. He made it evident that he didnt trust him after that Home run and i believe that it hurt Lidges confidence alot. (Oh yeah, has that home run Pujols hit landed yet?!)

posted by AsTrOs WiLd MaN #1 at 01:20 PM on October 27, 2005

Interesting read. I like this one (in a sick, twisted kind of way): "Donnie Moore, 1986 ALCS Game 5: The Dave Henderson, one-strike-from-the-World-Series homer. Moore was mostly hurt in 1987, but never recovered as a pitcher and eventually shot himself. Ruined." He ended up shooting himself?!?! "Ruined" might not be the right word there.

posted by cybermac at 01:27 PM on October 27, 2005

Brad Lidge didnt pitch horribly in game 4- it was the offense. He pitched 3 innings (I believe) and only gave up the homer. If you know that its your last game of the year, you should really give it your all to score some runs. Unless....they gave it their all and still failed- which seems to be the case. Anyway- the Chi Sox have a great team, with good agile players who really gelled together this season.

posted by redsoxrgay at 01:43 PM on October 27, 2005

Oh yea one more thing- Paul Quantrill didnt survive- he has been the WORST pitcher the Yankees had all year, maybe in the last decade. He Sucks!!! He should be first on the list

posted by redsoxrgay at 01:47 PM on October 27, 2005

cybermac, I wondered about that too, so I did some digging and found an ESPN piece from a couple of years ago which gives a little more detail (and reason). Red's Ox, Lidge pitched two innings, and the only plays of significance which hurt him were a line drive, a bunt, a groundout, and a grounder up the middle.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:47 PM on October 27, 2005

Nice find, Doc. It's unfortunate that Donnie Moore has become, as Kriedler put it, "a one-liner."

posted by The_Black_Hand at 02:24 PM on October 27, 2005

Great article. Thank you.

posted by willthrill72 at 02:31 PM on October 27, 2005

Brad Lidge? All this talk about Lidge giving up game losing runs, but what about the Astros not being able to get a clutch hit or score any runs. 18 runners on left on base is the reason the Astros got swept! Astros are built on a team, not just one man.

posted by vtek33 at 03:07 PM on October 27, 2005

Brad Lidge? All this talk about Lidge giving up game losing runs I don't know, last night looked like a pretty good example. He misses a chance to get Dye out when Dye singles up the middle. Then he comes back and absolutely smokes it right past Konerko because he is pissed off...why not smoke Dye? Concentration issues or something, because its the post-season or whatever.

posted by chris2sy at 03:55 PM on October 27, 2005

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