Lidge injured in batting practice

I admit it's never proper to take pleasure in a person injuring themselves. However, after several days of hearing Phillies fans tell me that their pitching staff is fixed with Myers moving back to the rotation and Lidge being inserted into the 'pen, I couldn't help but chuckle when I read today that Brad Lidge reinjured the knee he had surgery on four months ago. Apparently he got a spike caught on his first pitch of batting practice.

I don't expect this Lidge injury is serious; he will probably take several days off, which may put him slightly behind schedule for conditioning and arm-strengthening, but nothing major. The most severe trauma Lidge is going to suffer this year is the first homerun he gives up in the tiny sardine can that is Citizen's Bank Park. Granted those Albert Pujols homeruns that broke down his confidence were hit to left field in Houston, which can be a chip shot itself. But those Pujols shots were anything but chips. They were bombs. Still, let's see how Lidge reacts when his ERA is hovering around 6 due to cheap homers to the corners in Philly.

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Update:

It was revealed today that Lidge will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee, and will miss 3-6 weeks. So the injury is more serious than I originally believed. Three weeks would still allow him a few appearences in Spring Training. However, if 6 weeks is more accurate, he could miss the start of the regular season.

The Phillies have got to be concerned about the possibility of persistent knee problems for Lidge. After all, they were hoping that he would shore up the bullpen this season. It was the acquisition of Lidge that allowed the Phillies to move Brett Myers back into the rotation. Could Myers head back to the 'pen if Lidge's knee continues to be problematic? That would require the Phils to go out and sign a free agent starter, since there isn't much depth at all in their farm system.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

I'm sure that if you all read MetsBlog or even MLB.com or the NY Post -- or really any media that is covering Spring Training -- you are already aware that it has been suggested by Phillies players that there could very well be a brawl between the Phils and Mets in any of their 19 meetings this season. For the record, their first meeting will be on April 8 -- the Mets' home opener at Shea. Here's what Pedro had to say (Quoted by Bart Hubbuch in the NY Post) in response to the comments by the Phillies:

“I don’t believe there’s a reason to be fighting, but we’re over here. Basically, if [they’re] going to have to brawl or whatever, we’re over here. We’ll wait…I love Jimmy Rollins, I love [Brett]

Myers, I love everybody…but I would love to beat the [snot] out of them on the field.”

I love it, personally. I can't remember there being a single real brawl this past season. The closest I can remember was that ridiculous incident at the very end of the year when Miguel Olivo charged Jose Reyes at 3rd Base from the Pitcher's Mound. I think the lack of any actual fights is evidence enough that the Mets lacked the killer instinct they sorely needed down the stretch. Just looking back on Mets History, some of the first events that come to my mind are brawls (and granted that may just be because I have the subject in mind). But think about it: there was RoseBud. There were the Bad Boys of the '86 team, who -- on the rare occasion that they didn't beat a team on the scoreboard, they made certain to beat that team with their fists. In my own lifetime, I can still picture the Spring Training game when Guillermo Mota (yes, a lot of you forgot that we hated Mota long before he was blowing games even while on 'roids for the Mets) drilled Mike Piazza for the 3rd or 4th time in a span of just a couple years, and the benches cleared. Jeromy Burnitz charged literally into the Dodgers dugout and fought off several players (criticize Burnitz's strikeout total all you want -- I sure do -- but that guy at least showed every day that he wanted to win). And at his side for a part of that charge was the Light Brigade of Joe McEwing. But, just like the historic Light Brigade, McEwing was quickly pummeled by numerous Dodgers players (for those of you who are confused, No, the Light Brigade did not fight against Dodgers players. The players in this analogy are cannons). Joe McEwing may have been a scrappy player, but a master fighter he was not.

What I'm saying in all this rambling of memories is simply: Bring it on, Phillies. I'm not quite as afraid of your team now that Ugueth Urbina is rotting in a South American prison. If he comes back to pitch in your bullpen, then I think maybe the Mets and Phils should seek a truce. After all, the last thing we need is for any of our pitchers to get an arm hacked off by a machete, or to have Jose Reyes lit on fire. We need a fire lit under Reyes's ass, not a charred shortstop trying to swipe bases.

By the way, Pedro said later in the NY Post article that it's simply human nature to defend yourself when someone is coming at you. So there, he should now be completely forgiven for throwing Don Zimmer to the ground. After all, wouldn't you do the same? No? You would just step to the side and watch Zimmer pass right on by you? Well, I guess that works, too... But where's the fun in that? Zimmer may have been a fat grandfather, but don't let that simple fact deceive you, Jimmy Rollins. Pedro won't hesitate to throw you to the ground in the same way (assuming you simply put your head down and charge like a bull at Pedro's chest the way Zim did). Or maybe he'll just send a bunch of roosters to attack you...... You don't know what he'll do. And personally, I can't wait to see it. Ryan Howard is chubby, too; maybe he'll go on the attack the way the Zim did. 1000% pay raise or not, I'll still take Pedro in a fight over Howard.

Let the games begin.