Link <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Brad Lidge?€™s perfect first half earned him a fat, new contract. Lidge signed a $37.5 million, three-year extension with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The hard-throwing closer is 2-0 with 19 saves in as many chances in his first season with the Phillies. Lidge would?€™ve been a free agent after this season. His contract includes a club option that could make it worth $49 million over four years. ?€œI knew right away this would be a good opportunity for me to play for a team that is competing every single year to get to the playoffs and win a World Series,?€? Lidge said. ?€œThat?€™s a huge factor for me.?€? The 31-year-old right-hander has a 0.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 35 innings. He set a club record by converting his first 19 save opportunities, and didn?€™t allow an earned run through his first 17 appearances (17 innings), which was the second-longest by a Phillies pitcher to start his career with the team. ?€œThis is a player that?€™s on top of his game and certainly we believe in him long term,?€? assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. ?€œWe felt it was important for us to move forward on it.?€? The Phillies acquired Lidge and utilityman Eric Bruntlett from Houston in November for outfielder Michael Bourn, reliever Geoff Geary and third baseman Mike Costanzo, a former first-round pick. Lidge established himself as a premier closer when he converted 29 of 33 save opportunities and posted a 1.90 ERA for the Astros in 2004. He was 42-for-46 with a 2.29 ERA in ?€˜05. But after allowing a long homer to St. Louis?€™ Albert Pujols in the NL championship series, Lidge wasn?€™t the same. He lost two games to the White Sox in the World Series and had a 5.28 ERA the following year, when he saved 32 games in 38 chances. Last year, Lidge went 5-3 with 19 saves and a 3.36 ERA in 66 games. But he blew eight save chances and temporarily lost his closer?€™s job to Dan Wheeler at one point. Lidge started this season late after having knee surgery in spring training. But he?€™s been lights-out since throwing his first pitch. ?€œThe one thing that may have helped this year was having the injury, and really focusing on control for the first time in my career through spring training,?€? Lidge said. ?€œInstead of trying to get my arm ready to throw as hard as I could, I tried to make sure that my control would be as good as it?€™s been. I really do feel like I?€™m at the top of my game. The experiences that I?€™ve had have definitely helped me get to where I?€™m at right now.?€? Securing Lidge through at least 2011 means the Phillies plan to keep the recently demoted Brett Myers as a starter. Myers has struggled this season after returning to the rotation following a successful stint as closer last year. Myers prefers closing because it fits his mentality, but the Phillies need him to start. He was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley last week to work on his problems. ?€œWe think that Brett could start and we don?€™t see a reason he can?€™t start,?€? GM Pat Gillick said. ?€œIf he gets his mechanical issues worked out down there, I don?€™t see any reason he can?€™t start. ?€œThere are a lot of things in life that a lot of people don?€™t want to do. But you?€™re getting paid and you?€™ve got to show up for work, and you?€™ve got to do the best job you can. He?€™s a gamer and I think he?€™ll go out there and give 100 percent no matter if he?€™s in a closer situation.?€? Myers is in the second year of a three-year contract. He?€™s making $8.5 million this season and $12 million in 2009. That?€™s too much to pay a setup man, so he won?€™t be going to the bullpen anytime soon.</div>
my initial thoughts were that this is a ridiculous deal for him, but after looking at the numbers, if any closer is worth this contract, and I dont believe any are, hes the guy....19-19 in saves, 0.77 era in 35 appearances....
Yeah, the guy has really picked it up since leaving Houston and joining Philly. I mean REALLY picked it up.
