CINCINNATI -- So, Brett Myers was addressing the media between games of Saturday's doubleheader in DC when he said something interesting. He mentioned that he'd talked to Brad Lidge earlier in the week. Pressed for details, he said it was "just a getting-stuff-off-your-chest type thing." But I was intrigued. After all, Lidge had been struggling like no time since early 2007 with the Astros, and Myers, a closer for a few months that season, was the one person in the Phillies' clubhouse who truly could relate. So, on Sunday, I went over to Lidge and asked him about the conversation with Myers.
"It was after a game in Philly," Lidge said. "I was down in the video room, kind of watching stuff. He could tell I was frustrated. I was kind of looking at a pitch and felt like I threw it where they wanted to and they still got a hit. He said, 'Listen, everyone knows you're starting to throw the ball better. Just relax. It'll come.' That's great for Brett to say. I mean, Brett and I have both played the game for a little while now, and we can feel each other's pain when things aren't going our way. One thing about Brett, he wants to win as much as anyone. We need to say things to each other at times when we're frustrated. We'll make the other person stay in the optimistic mind frame. It's nice for hiim to be able to relate to me a little bit, too."
There's more from Lidge in today's News Journal. And although it's still slightly premature to say that he's over his problems, things are looking up. In the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, he snapped a streak of six straight appearances in which he had allowed a run. And, on Sunday, he needed only two pitches to get Josh Willingham to ground into a game-ending double play.
Lidge says there's nothing wrong with his right knee. He believes his mechanics are sound, and he feels like he's throwing the ball effectively. But he was saying all of those things while he was struggling, too. So, it'll be interesting to see if he can get on a roll this week here against the Reds and over the weekend in New York against the Yankees.
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J.C. Romero, making his first minor-league appearance, allowed one run on two hits and a walk last night for Lehigh Valley. He's still on track to resume pitching for the Phillies on June 3 in San Diego after he finishes serving his 50-game suspension.
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The Phillies are slated to face A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia this weekend in the Bronx.
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A little flavor of Cincy: The Reds play at homer-friendly Great American Ballpark, which opened in 2003 on the banks of the Ohio River. As new stadiums go, it's one of my least favorite. I find it, well, kind of drab, not unlike the rest of Cincy. GAB replaced Riverfront Stadium, the cookie-cutter home of the great Big Red Machine teams of the '70s. Most of the scribes who cover the Phillies, including me, stay across the river in Kentucky, which actually is where the airport is located. If you're a TV buff, we're sorry to report that you'll never find WKRP on your radio dial. And if you're ever in the area, make sure to grab some dinner at Montgomery Inn. Great ribs.
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Help me kill some time in Cincy. Join me live at noon tomorrow (Wednesday) for another Phillies chat at www.delawareonline.com
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Finally, here's your primer for the three-game series. More from the ballpark in a few hours.
PHILLIES (20-16) at REDS (20-17)
Tonight, 7:10: LHP Cole Hamels (1-2, 5.04) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (4-1, 1.93)
Tomorrow, 7:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (3-3, 8.15) vs. RHP Micah Owings (3-4, 3.95)
Thursday, 12:35: RHP Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.86) vs. RHP Aaron Harang (3-4, 3.44)
Hot: Phillies LF Raul Ibanez, named NL Player of the Week on Monday, has 13 hits in his last 27 at-bats and leads the team in hitting (.357), homers (13), RBIs (35), runs (33), hits (50) and on-base/slugging (1.139); Phillies 2B Chase Utley has followed an 0-for-18 slump by reaching base in 10 of his last 12 plate appearances; Reds 1B Joey Votto has reached base safely in 30 of his 33 games and leads the Reds in hitting (.366); Reds 2B Brandon Phillips batted .362 (21-for-58) with four homers and 20 RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak that ended Sunday.
Not: Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer is 0-2 with a 13.86 ERA in his last three starts and has an 8.15 ERA in eight starts overall; Phillies CF Shane Victorino has followed a career-high 16-game hitting streak with a 6-for-44 (.136) skid; Reds CF Willy Taveras is hitless in his last 14 at-bats, dropping his average to .293 from .322; Reds SS Alex Gonzalez is 1-for-8 after missing nine games with a strained left oblique muscle.
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